The Merwin Foundation
The Merwin Foundation is a private foundation, based in Bloomington, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $420K. Net investment income was $419K.
The Merwin Foundation at a glance
In short: The Merwin Foundation gave $420K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $60K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $420,000
- +21.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $60,000
- +4.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $6,029,029
- +10.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Merwin Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was McCullough Fund ($150K). Together the top 7 received $420K.
Grant Size Distribution
33 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 15 grants of 33 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Merwin Foundation gives
- Giving fell 37% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 156% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $240K (2020) to $670K (2022). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $420K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| McCullough Fund Dallas, TX | To Aid the Charity's Mission | $150,000 |
| Compass School of Texas Dallas, TX | T0 Aid the Charity's Mission | $100,000 |
| Children's Health Defense Franklin Lakes, NJ | To Aid the Charity's Mission | $100,000 |
| McLean County Museum of History Bloomington, IL | To Aid the Museum's Mission | $25,000 |
| Autism McLean Bloomington, IL | To Aid the Charity's Mission | $20,000 |
| The Hockaday School Dallas, TX | To Aid the Charity's Mission | $20,000 |
| Point of View Dallas, TX | To Aid the Charity's Mission | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,029,029 | $464,675 | $468,313 | $420,000 | 7 | $420,015 | $418,717 | $268,438 |
| 2024 | $5,436,676 | $199,126 | $392,058 | $345,000 | 6 | $345,015 | $154,228 | $257,522 |
| 2023 | $5,045,208 | $100,823 | $434,607 | $395,000 | 6 | $395,230 | $63,056 | $232,244 |
| 2022 | $4,498,016 | $69,112 | $736,062 | $670,000 | 9 | $670,000 | $22,950 | $263,206 |
| 2021 | $6,495,199 | $832,109 | $369,901 | $320,000 | 5 | $322,525 | $785,733 | $299,845 |
| 2020 | $5,644,726 | $-262,666 | $289,284 | $240,000 | 4 | — | $37,234 | $257,942 |
| 2019 | $6,072,381 | $247,293 | $301,152 | $250,000 | 5 | — | $201,209 | $267,798 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Merwin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $268K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Merwin Foundation is led by Sharon Merwin, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sharon Merwin
President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Merwin Foundation
How much does The Merwin Foundation give each year?
The Merwin Foundation gave $420K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $345K across 6 grants.
What is The Merwin Foundation's typical grant size?
The Merwin Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $60,000, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Merwin Foundation give grants?
The Merwin Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (24%) and Illinois (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (4 grants) and Bloomington, IL (2 grants).
Does The Merwin Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 7 grants with a stated purpose on The Merwin Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Aid the Charity's Mission" (5 grants).
Who are The Merwin Foundation's largest grantees?
The Merwin Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include McCullough Fund ($150,000), Compass School of Texas ($100,000) and Children's Health Defense ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Merwin Foundation?
The Merwin Foundation reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $420K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $268K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Merwin Foundation's EIN?
The Merwin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7699613. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Merwin Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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