The Mellen Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 22-2778847

The Mellen Foundation Inc is a private foundation, based in Boston, MA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.9M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $170K. Net investment income was $88K.

Key facts about The Mellen Foundation Inc

EIN
22-2778847
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$169,500
Grants made (2024)
14
Average grant
$12,107
Median grant
$2,000
New grantees (estimate)
43% first-time grantees (6 of 14, 2024)
Total assets
$1,870,556
Primary geography
California (61% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who The Mellen Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Mellen Foundation Inc's 14 itemized 2024 grants were California (61%) and Utah (31%). The most frequent recipient cities were Monroe, CT (4 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is The Mellen Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

43%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 6 of 14 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $26K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 104% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.9M

-4.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$170K

+115.2% YoY

Grant Count

14

-51.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$12K

+345.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mellen Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $158K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

About The Mellen Foundation Inc

Based on IRS filings

The Mellen Foundation Inc is a private foundation, based in Boston, MA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.9M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $170K. Net investment income was $88K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of all 14 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

MonroeBridgeportSalt Lake CityPark CityNew YorkLos AngelesNew HavenOgdenGlendaleHendersonKanabSan FranciscoXeniaAlexandriaEast HavenFraminghamHollywoodLongmontNiwotSo Norwalk

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$52K$103K$155K$206K20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,870,556$1,952,538$1,872,590
Revenue$105,310$183,433$71,533
Expenses$187,292$103,485$21,793
Qualifying Distributions$169,500$79,284$2,925
Net Investment Income$87,518$63,282$55,215
Distributable Amount$157,571$139,839$136,193

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$42K$85K$127K$170K30 grants202032 grants20210 grants202229 grants202314 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

UCLA Jules Stein Institute: $50KUCLA Jules Stein Institute$50KBenjamin Eye Institute: $50KBenjamin Eye Institute$50KSummit Land Conservancy: $50KSummit Land Conservancy$50KDelancy St Foundation: $3KDelancy St Foundation$3KWeber State University: $3KWeber State University$3KWarrior Story Field: $3KWarrior Story Field$3KGrace Institute: $3KGrace Institute$3KHome for the Brave: $2KHome for the Brave$2KMonroe Ems: $2KMonroe Ems$2KFriends of the Library Monroe CT: $2KFriends of the Library MonroeCT$2K

Grant Size Distribution

105 grants across all recorded years

102<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include UCLA Jules Stein Institute ($50,000), Benjamin Eye Institute ($50,000), Summit Land Conservancy ($50,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
UCLA JULES STEIN INSTITUTE Los Angeles, CAGENERAL PURPOSE$50,000
BENJAMIN EYE INSTITUTE West Hollywood, CAGENERAL PURPOSE$50,000
SUMMIT LAND CONSERVANCY Park City, UTGENERAL PURPOSE$50,000
DELANCY ST FOUNDATION San Francisco, CAGENERAL PURPOSE$3,000
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Ogden, UTGENERAL PURPOSE$3,000
WARRIOR STORY FIELD Niwot, COGENERAL PURPOSE$2,500
GRACE INSTITUTE New York, NYGENERAL PURPOSE$2,500
HOME FOR THE BRAVE Bridgeport, CTGENERAL PURPOSE$1,500
MONROE EMS Monroe, CTGENERAL PURPOSE$1,500
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY MONROE CT Monroe, CTGENERAL PURPOSE$1,500

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Diane MellenPresident8—
Job GuzmanSecretary/Treasurer2—
Stacey StoneDirector2—
Lonnie HodgeDirector2—
Joanna CharnesDirector2—

Frequently Asked Questions

How large is The Mellen Foundation Inc?

As of 2024, The Mellen Foundation Inc holds $1.9M in total assets with $105K in annual revenue. It awarded 14 grants totaling $170K in 2024.

Where does The Mellen Foundation Inc operate?

The Mellen Foundation Inc has awarded grants in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Virginia.

What size grants does The Mellen Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Mellen Foundation Inc awarded 14 grants totaling $170K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Mellen Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Mellen Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $158K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Mellen Foundation Inc's EIN?

The Mellen Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2778847. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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