The Vervane Foundation Inc

COS COB, CT EIN: 22-3256829

The Vervane Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1993 and based in Cos Cob, Connecticut. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on grantmaking in education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and human services.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$7.9M

-7.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$956K

-46.1% YoY

Grant Count

+6.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$60K

-49.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Vervane Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $520K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding interests include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Geographic areas of focus include New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Grantmaking

The Vervane Foundation makes grants to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.

Grant Range

$100,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Grant Distribution by State

District of Columbia $1.7M (27%)

Maryland $949K (15%)

California $808K (13%)

Oklahoma $450K (7%)

Washington $440K (7%)

Massachusetts $410K (7%)

Arizona $300K (5%)

South Dakota $270K (4%)

+9 more states

States

Alaska Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Massachusetts Maryland Minnesota New Mexico New York Oklahoma South Dakota Utah Washington

Cities

AlleganyAnchorageAtlantaBethesdaBishopBostonFlagstaffFort CollinsGreenwichKyleMckinleyvilleNevaca CityNew HavenNew YorkNorwalkOaklandOrovillePawneePittsfieldPporterville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (as of December 2024):

Total assets: $7,867,710
Total revenues: $413,747
Total expenses: $1,029,481
Investment income and dividends: $297,734
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $115,544

Assets & Revenue (as of December 2023):

Total assets: $8,483,444
Total revenues: $284,484
Total giving: $1,773,560

The foundation has minimal liabilities (approximately $5,000 as of 2023) and operates with zero employees.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$7,867,710	$8,483,444	$10,025,255
Revenue	$413,747	$284,484	$207,056
Expenses	$1,029,481	$1,864,915	$1,296,077
Qualifying Distributions	$968,222	$1,788,262	$1,188,040
Net Investment Income	$356,377	$207,831	$119,092
Distributable Amount	$520,277	$540,932	$594,615

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

69 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pawnee Seed Preservation Society ($150,000), Grist Magazine Inc ($120,000), Colorado Plateau Foundation ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALASKA VENTURE FUND ANCHORAGE, AK	CHARITABLE DONATION	$50,000
CALIFORNIA HERITAGE INDIGENOUS RESEARCH PROJECT (CHIRP) NEVACA CITY, CA	CHARITABLE DONATION	$50,000
COLORADO PLATEAU FOUNDATION FLAGSTAFF, AZ	CHARITABLE DONATION	$100,000
ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTMAKERS ASSOCIATION NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION	$8,208
GRIST MAGAZINE INC SEATTLE, WA	CHARITABLE DONATION	$120,000
LAND TRUST ALLIANCE WASHINGTON, DC	CHARITABLE DONATION	$1,095
NA AHILLAHEE FUND SEATTLE, WA	CHARITABLE DONATION	$100,000
PAWNEE SEED PRESERVATION SOCIETY PAWNEE, OK	CHARITABLE DONATION	$150,000
SIERRA SEED OROVILLE, CA	CHARITABLE DONATION	$25,000
THE CULTURAL CONSERVANCY SAN FRANCISCO, CA	CHARITABLE DONATION	$100,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Josephine A. Merck — President
Oona M. Coy — Treasurer
Suzette Dewey — Secretary

The foundation operates with limited staffing, with board members contributing minimal hours per week and receiving minimal or no compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JOSEPHINE A MERCK	PRESIDENT	2	—
OONA M COY	TREASURER	1	$5,000
SUZETTE DEWEY	SECRETARY	1	$5,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Vervane Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services Geographic areas of focus include New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

How do I apply for a grant from The Vervane Foundation Inc?

The Vervane Foundation makes grants to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. **Grant Activity:** • Made 20 grants in 2024 • Median grant size: $100,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $498,000 • Total giving (2023): $1,773,560 • Total giving (2024): approximately $1,029,481 in expenses **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Pawnee Seed Preservation Society: $150,000 • Grist Magazine: $120,000 • Kindle Project: $100,000 • Common Counsel Foundation

Where does The Vervane Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

What size grants does The Vervane Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Vervane Foundation Inc awarded 16 grants totaling $956K — an average of about $60K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Vervane Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $520K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.