The Harold and Marilyn Melcher
The Harold and Marilyn Melcher Foundation is a private family foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri. Established in 1994, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization supporting charitable causes in the Kansas City area and beyond.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$189K
+97.6% YoY
Grant Count
20
-4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+107.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports organizations focused on Jewish community services and animal welfare.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 35 grants in 2023. Notable recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total Assets: $51,454
- Total Revenues: $127,033
- Total Expenses: $98,748
- Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $125,000
- Investment Income and Dividends: $2,033
- Number of Employees: 0
Year-over-Year Changes (2023 vs. 2022):
- Total grants and contributions increased 25% (from $100,000 to $125,000)
- Investment income increased 17.2% (from $1,735 to $2,033)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Wayside Waifs ($130,000), Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City ($35,000), Build ($2,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 10000 DEGREES SAN RAFAEL, CA | CHARITABLE | $625 |
| BUILD CHICAGO, IL | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| CARMEL PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION CARMELBYTHESEA, CA | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| COMMUNITY HEALTH CHICAGO, IL | CHARITABLE | $1,500 |
| GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY CHICAGO, IL | CHARITABLE | $1,000 |
| HARVESTERS KANSAS CITY, MO | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| HIAS SILVER SPRING, MD | CHARITABLE | $250 |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS BUREAU OVERLAND PARK, KS | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY OVERLAND PARK, KS | CHARITABLE | $35,000 |
| KINGS COUNTY TENNIS LEAGUE BROOKLYN, NY | CHARITABLE | $1,250 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation was established by Harold and Marilyn Melcher. Harold Melcher passed away in 2020 after 70 years of marriage to Marilyn. Marilyn Blond Melcher passed away on August 16, 2024, at age 100. She was a graduate of Pembroke Hill and earned an economics degree from Smith College. Marilyn and Harold were among the founders of the New Reform Temple and maintained a long-standing commitment to supporting the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies for over 40 years.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARILYN MELCHER | CHAIRMAN EMERITUS | — | — |
| RICHARD A MELCHER | SECRETARY | — | — |
| RANDALL D CLARK | CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT | — | — |
| STEVEN N PALMER | TREASURER | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Harold and Marilyn Melcher fund?
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports organizations focused on Jewish community services and animal welfare.
How do I apply for a grant from The Harold and Marilyn Melcher?
The foundation made 35 grants in 2023. Notable recent grants include: • Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City: $35,000 (2023) • Wayside Waifs: $30,000 (2023) • Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City: $12,500 (2023) The foundation made an additional 13 grants in 2023 beyond those listed above.
What size grants does The Harold and Marilyn Melcher award?
In 2024, The Harold and Marilyn Melcher awarded 20 grants totaling $189K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Harold and Marilyn Melcher's EIN?
The Harold and Marilyn Melcher's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1671354. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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