The Vervane Foundation Inc
The Vervane Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Cos Cob, Connecticut. In 2024, it reported grants to charitable organizations in several states, including organizations whose stated missions include preserving traditional Pawnee farming practices and reporting on climate change.
The Vervane Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Vervane Foundation Inc gave $956K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $60K), top state California. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $956,353
- -46.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +6.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $59,772
- -49.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $7,867,710
- -7.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (5 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (24% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Vervane Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 371, Cos Cob, CT 06807
Phone: (212) 245-5900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Vervane Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pawnee Seed Preservation Society ($150K). Together the top 10 received $870K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 28 grants of 69 (41%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (24%), Washington (23%), Oklahoma (16%), Arizona (10%), and New Mexico (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Vervane Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $55K; repeat grants $62K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 186% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $755K (2020) to $1.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $956K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pawnee Seed Preservation Society Pawnee, OK | Charitable Donation | $150,000 |
| Grist Magazine Inc Seattle, WA | Charitable Donation | $120,000 |
| Colorado Plateau Foundation Flagstaff, AZ | Charitable Donation | $100,000 |
| NA Ahillahee Fund Seattle, WA | Charitable Donation | $100,000 |
| The Cultural Conservancy San Francisco, CA | Charitable Donation | $100,000 |
| Kindle Project Santa Fe, NM | Charitable Donation | $100,000 |
| Alaska Venture Fund Anchorage, AK | Charitable Donation | $50,000 |
| California Heritage Indigenous Research Project (Chirp) Nevaca City, CA | Charitable Donation | $50,000 |
| Tule River Indian Tribe Pporterville, CA | Charitable Donation | $50,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Charitable Donation | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Vervane Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,867,710 | $413,747 | $1,029,481 | $956,353 | 16 | $968,222 | $356,377 | $520,277 |
| 2023 | $8,483,444 | $284,484 | $1,864,915 | $1,773,560 | 15 | $1,788,262 | $207,831 | $540,932 |
| 2022 | $10,025,255 | $207,056 | $1,296,077 | $1,172,094 | 8 | $1,188,040 | $119,092 | $594,615 |
| 2021 | $11,121,705 | $2,142,683 | $1,710,652 | $1,543,564 | 10 | $1,554,344 | $2,053,572 | $659,784 |
| 2020 | $9,677,444 | $3,020,026 | $861,053 | $755,000 | 20 | — | $2,654,402 | $539,003 |
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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with a range of missions. The Pawnee Seed Preservation Society says it is dedicated to preserving and revitalizing traditional and ancestral Pawnee farming practices, with a focus on sustainability and culture. Grist describes itself as an independent nonprofit media organization dedicated to reporting on climate change.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $956,353. Grant amounts ranged from $830 to $150,000, with a median of $50,000. Among the largest grants were $150,000 to the Pawnee Seed Preservation Society, $120,000 to Grist Magazine, and $100,000 each to the Colorado Plateau Foundation, Na Ahillahhee Fund, The Cultural Conservancy, and Kindle Project. The filing lists the grant purposes as charitable donations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Josephine A. Merck as president, Oona M. Coy as treasurer, and Suzette Dewey as secretary.
The Vervane Foundation Inc is led by Josephine A. Merck, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Josephine A. Merck
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Oona M. Coy
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Suzette Dewey
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $5K, to Oona M Coy (Treasurer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Vervane Foundation Inc
How much does The Vervane Foundation Inc give each year?
The Vervane Foundation Inc gave $956K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 15 grants.
What is The Vervane Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Vervane Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $59,772, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Vervane Foundation Inc that year got $55K on average.
Where does The Vervane Foundation Inc give grants?
The Vervane Foundation Inc's top state is California, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (23%) and Oklahoma (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (2 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Vervane Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Vervane Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Donation" (15 grants).
Who are The Vervane Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Vervane Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Pawnee Seed Preservation Society ($150,000), Grist Magazine Inc ($120,000) and Colorado Plateau Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Vervane Foundation Inc?
The Vervane Foundation Inc reported $7.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $968K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $520K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Vervane Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Vervane Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Vervane Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Vervane Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3256829. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Vervane Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Vervane Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-vervane-foundation-inc-morg_f350fb2126ef4b6baa2799281bd8e1b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_223256829_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Vervane Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-vervane-foundation-inc-morg_f350fb2126ef4b6baa2799281bd8e1b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Vervane Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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