The Meryl & Charles Witmer Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation based in New York City. Established in 2000, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors and geographic regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.1M
-5.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+164.3% YoY
Grant Count
46
+9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
+141.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Meryl & Charles Witmer reported a distributable amount of $254K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on the following primary areas:
Education
- Elementary and secondary education
- Higher education
Health
- In-patient medical care
- Hospital care
- Specialty hospital care
- Cancer and other diseases and conditions
Human Services
- Family services
- Child welfare
Philanthropy
- Foundations and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation does not conduct direct charitable activities; all work is conducted through grantmaking to other organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. states and cities, with particular concentration in:
- New York
- Florida
- Pennsylvania
- California
- Illinois
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- Washington, D.C.
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Rhode Island
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets
- Total assets: $5,098,309 (as of most recent filing)
Annual Activity
- Total giving: $1,001,070
- Expenses: $384,619
- Revenue: Negative $53,779 (most recent year)
Contact Information
- Address: 280 Madison Avenue, Room 1007, New York City, NY 10016-0820
- Telephone: 212-812-3089
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,098,309 | $5,396,813 | $5,208,106 |
| Revenue | $809,262 | $-53,779 | $994,049 |
| Expenses | $1,005,835 | $384,619 | $669,486 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,001,345 | $378,950 | $621,150 |
| Net Investment Income | $750,886 | $176,422 | $1,078,048 |
| Distributable Amount | $253,724 | $253,692 | $255,234 |
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
211 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Beat Childhood Cancer ($350,000), The Benjamin School ($119,000), Children's Brain Tumor Family Foundation ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CHILDREN'S BRAIN TUMOR FAMILY FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL USE | $50,000 |
| CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL FOUNDATION WALLINGFORD, CT | GENERAL USE | $27,500 |
| DARDEN SCHOOL FOUNDATION CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | GENERAL USE | $2,500 |
| EPISCOPAL SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL USE | $1,000 |
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL USE | $10,500 |
| HARLEM CHILDREN'S ZONE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL USE | $15,000 |
| HOOVER INSTITUTION STANFORD, CA | GENERAL USE | $10,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL TENNIS HALL OF FAME NEWPORT, RI | GENERAL USE | $2,290 |
| JAMES B LEE JR SCHOLARSHIP FUND WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY | GENERAL USE | $13,000 |
| JAMES C FERRER EDUCATION FUND SOUTHAMPTON, NY | GENERAL USE | $11,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by two trustees who serve on a voluntary basis without compensation:
- Charles H. Witmer — President and Trustee
- Meryl B. Witmer — Treasurer and Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES H WITMER | PRESIDENT, TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| MERYL B WITMER | TREASURER, TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Meryl & Charles Witmer fund?
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on the following primary areas: **Education** • Elementary and secondary education • Higher education **Health** • In-patient medical care • Hospital care • Specialty hospital care • Cancer and other diseases and conditions **Human Services** • Family services • Child welfare **Philanthropy** • Foundations and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Meryl & Charles Witmer?
**Grant Amounts** • Typical awards range from $130,000 to $350,000 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Maximum grant amount: $350,000 **Recent Activity** • Total giving in the most recent fiscal year: $1,001,070 • Number of grants awarded: 46 The foundation does not conduct direct charitable activities; all work is conducted through grantmaking to other organizations.
Where does The Meryl & Charles Witmer make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. states and cities, with particular concentration in: • New York • Florida • Pennsylvania • California • Illinois • New Jersey • Connecticut • Washington, D.C. • Maryland • Virginia • Rhode Island
What size grants does The Meryl & Charles Witmer award?
In 2024, The Meryl & Charles Witmer awarded 46 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Meryl & Charles Witmer required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Meryl & Charles Witmer reported a distributable amount of $254K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Meryl & Charles Witmer's EIN?
The Meryl & Charles Witmer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4129627. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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