The Merchants Fund of Philadelphia
The Merchants Fund of Philadelphia is a public charity based in Philadelphia, PA that provides financial support and coaching to small business owners. Founded in 1854, the organization transitioned from a private foundation to a public charity in 2022. The fund focuses on helping merchants during times of financial hardship and supporting economic mobility for small businesses.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.2M
+11.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$472K
-62.0% YoY
Grant Count
55
-47.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-27.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Catalyzing economic mobility for small businesses through capital and coaching.
Vision: A Philadelphia where merchants have access to the necessary resources and meaningful support to build wealth for their families and communities, ensuring a prosperous future.
The organization deploys flexible capital through grantmaking, values-aligned and mission-driven investments, and individualized business coaching for grantees. Primary funding focus areas include community development, community service projects, and support for underserved business communities.
Grantmaking
The Merchants Fund operates two primary grant programs:
Average Grant
awarded
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Merchants Fund focuses on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with particular attention to merchants in communities that have been historically underserved.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $18.2 million
- Total Revenue: $1.85 million
- Total Expenses: $1.15 million
- Net Income: $699,934
- Total Liabilities: $157,000
- Total Giving: $661,544
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Contributions: $948,560 (51.4% of total revenue)
Rating: Four-Star rating with 93% overall score from independent evaluation (Accountability & Finance: 93%, Culture & Community: 7%)
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since September 2022; EIN: 23-1584975
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,150,318 | $16,227,053 | $14,303,804 |
| Revenue | $1,845,017 | $1,632,137 | $540,760 |
| Expenses | $1,145,083 | $1,771,946 | $1,100,033 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $896,453 | $440,812 | $382,508 |
| 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
212 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Merchants Fund of Philadelphia
Emergency Grants
The Merchants Fund of Philadelphia
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Emergency SNAP Relief Grants
The Merchants Fund of Philadelphia
Amount
$600,000 total available
Deadline
December 31, 2026
Stabilization Grants
The Merchants Fund of Philadelphia
Amount
Up to $10,000
Deadline
April 15, 2026
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Managers:
- Tom Ginsberg (Co-Chair) – Senior Officer, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia Research & Policy Initiative
- Samantha Porter (Co-Chair) – Community Engagement Advisor & Outreach Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Carey Morgan (Treasurer) – Partner & Financial Advisor, Livelihood, LLC
- Kersy Azocar – President & CEO, Greenline Access Capital
- Will Brown – CEO, The Duke Barber Co.
- Jerry Chiang – Wharton MBA '26 | Board Fellow '25-'26
- Bruce Hotaling, CFA (Emeritus) – Managing Director, Focus Partners Wealth
- James Johnson-Piett – Principal & CEO, Urbane
- Vanessa Lowe – Radio show & Podcast Host, Vanessa's Money Hour
- Swetha Marisetty – Wharton MBA '26 | Board Fellow '25-'26
- Seulky McInneshin – Managing Partner, Blue Square Advisors
- Shawn Nesbit – President, Good Karma Cafe
- Jill Roberts – Vice President of Advocacy, Clarifi
- Joanna Winchester – Director of Training & Technical Assistance, PACDC
- Ana Lisa Yoder – Founder & Principal, Yoder Consultancy
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JILL FINK | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $172,634 |
| KERSEY AZOCAR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TOM GINSBERG | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PETER GONZALES | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BRUCE HOTALING | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JAMES JOHNSON-PIETT | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| VANESSA LOWE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SEULKY MCINNESHIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CAREY MORGAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| SHAWN NESBIT | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SAMANTHA PORTER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ELBERT SAMPSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SHALIMAR THOMAS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOANNA WINCHESTER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANA LISA YODER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ADNAN ZULFIQAR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Merchants Fund continues active grantmaking with Spring Stabilization Grants open through April 15. The organization has supported businesses across various sectors including restaurants, retail, and service businesses. Recent notable grantees include Chabaa Thai Bistro (Hurricane Ida recovery), Art History 101 (streetwear brand expansion), and Cantina La Martina (repairs and capacity expansion with coaching support).
How Philadelphia small businesses can get grants for improvementsIn 2022, the organization completed a strategic framework and new grant strategy, marking its transition to public charity status.
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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