The Merlin Foundation
The Merlin Foundation is a private foundation based in Boulder, Colorado. Established in 1993, it operates as a family foundation with a primary focus on land and wilderness resources conservation and environmental education.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.3M
-21.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.1M
+44.8% YoY
Grant Count
28
+64.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$183K
-12.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities center on:
- Land and wilderness resources
- Environmental education
- Science education and teacher support
- Renewable energy
- Community and school gardens
- Wildlife conservation
Grantmaking
The foundation does not currently maintain active grant opportunities through standard application processes.
Grant Range
$10,000–$2,600,000
How to Apply
es.
Ready to take the next step with The Merlin Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in:
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- New York
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,329,121 |
| Total Annual Giving | $5,110,000 |
| IRS Ruling Year | 1993 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,329,121 | $15,646,516 | $11,755,104 |
| Revenue | $1,852,690 | $7,472,586 | $10,100,928 |
| Expenses | $5,170,085 | $3,581,174 | $7,801,903 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,110,000 | $3,530,000 | $7,800,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,255,282 | $3,897,638 | $3,582,588 |
| Distributable Amount | $627,638 | $652,219 | $421,740 |
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
118 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
No leadership information was available in the verified sources.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS A BARRON | PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| CURRIE C BARRON | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| JANA LYNN | DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 18750 Boulder, CO 80308-1750
Telephone: 303-440-8075
EIN: 84-1232001
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Larimer County Farm Bureau
WELLINGTON, CO
Assets
$986K
Grants
1
Total Given
$16K
German American Chamber of Commerce -
DENVER, CO
Assets
$2.8M
Grants
2
Total Given
$63K
Terra Foundation Inc
NIWOT, CO
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
3
Total Given
$82K
Prosperity Denver Fund
DENVER, CO
Assets
$46.8M
Grants
44
Total Given
$18.6M
Fie Family Foundation
BOW MAR, CO
Assets
$1.0M
Grants
12
Total Given
$91K
Truthfc
BROOMFIELD, CO
Assets
$53K
Grants
5
Total Given
$4K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Merlin Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities