The John Merck Fund
Boston, Massachusetts · EIN 237082558 · Private foundation
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, The John Merck Fund has awarded $12.8M across 89 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2022. Its largest grant on record went to Merck Family Fund. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.
What The John Merck Fund funds
The John Merck Fund's giving carries a documented focus on environment & conservation, food & agriculture, economic development, disability services.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The John Merck Fund, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merck Family Fund TO SUPPORT CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES. | Boston, MA | $1.9M | 2022 |
| Rti International TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A NEWBORN SCREENING PROGRAM IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT INCLUDES FRAGILE X SYNDROME, TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN | Research Triangle Park, NC | $1.3M | 2020 |
| Toxic-free Future TO SUPPORT STATE CHEMICALS POLICY REFORM AND MARKET-BASED ACTIVITIES, AND TO DRIVE HARMFUL CLASSES OF CHEMICALS OUT OF THE MARKETPLACE BY WI | Portland, OR | $787K | 2020 |
| New England Grassroots Environment Fund TO ASSUME MANAGEMENT OF THE NEW ENGLAND FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE FUND, | Newmarket, NH | $603K | 2020 |
| Voter Registration Project TO DEVELOP DATA INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL ENSURE MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS BY MODERNIZING REGISTRATION SYS | Washington, DC | $550K | 2020 |
| Third Sector New England TO SUPPORT THE CARROT PROJECT, RHODE ISLAND FOOD POLICY COUNCIL, MASSACHUSETTS FARM TO SCHOOL, FARM TO INSTITUTION NEW ENGLAND, AND HEALTH C | Beverly, MA | $542K | 2020 |
| Virginia Organizing TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT FUNDERS NETWORK AND HEALTHY BABIES BRIGHT FUTURES. | Laurel, MD | $375K | 2020 |
| Coming Clean TO ORGANIZE PUBLIC AND CORPORATE POLICY CAMPAIGNS TO ELIMINATE CHEMICAL HAZARDS IN PRODUCTS AND MANUFACTURING, AND REDUCE EXPOSURE TO CHEMIC | Brattleboro, VT | $370K | 2020 |
| Acadia Center TO ADVANCE A BOLD, EFFECTIVE, AND BROAD-REACHING FRAMEWORK TO AGGRESSIVELY PHASE OUT FOSSIL FUELS AND EXPAND CLEAN ENERGY IN NEW ENGLAND IN | Rockport, ME | $350K | 2020 |
| Conservation Law Foundation TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY. | Boston, MA | $325K | 2020 |
| Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund TO ENSURE THAT ALL NEW ENGLAND RESIDENTS MAINTAIN FOOD SECURITY, TO ENABLE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO FARM TO PLATE'S NEW DECADE OF OPERATIONS, | Montpelier, VT | $307K | 2020 |
| Clean Production Action TO TRANSFORM HOW CORPORATIONS SET MANAGEMENT POLICIES, MANAGE SUPPLY CHAINS, SELECT AND USE CHEMICALS AND MATERIALS, AND PUBLICLY REPORT ON | Somerville, MA | $290K | 2020 |
| Stanford University University School of Medicine TO MEASURE THE LONGER-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF A TARGETED TWELVE-WEEK BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN WITH FRAGILE X SYNDROME. | Palo Alto, CA | $198K | 2020 |
| Environmental Health Strategy Center TO DEVELOP A SUCCESSION PLAN AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO PREPARE THE ORGANIZATION FOR AN EFFECTIVE TRANSITION WHEN THE FOUNDING EX | Portland, ME | $190K | 2020 |
| Healthy Building Network TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO KNOWN HARMFUL CHEMICALS BY DECREASING OR ELIMINATING THEM FROM BUILDING MATERIALS AND OTHER PRODUCTS, AND TO ACCELERAT | Washington, DC | $155K | 2020 |
The John Merck Fund giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The John Merck Fund
The John Merck Fund's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal.
Is The John Merck Fund the right funder for your nonprofit?
This page shows what The John Merck Fund has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.
Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The John Merck Fund
- Does The John Merck Fund accept grant applications?
- The John Merck Fund's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
- What does The John Merck Fund fund?
- The John Merck Fund's grants focus on environment & conservation. Recent recipients include Merck Family Fund, Rti International, Toxic-free Future. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The John Merck Fund give in grants?
- The John Merck Fund reported $10.9M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $12.8M over 89 grants.
- Where is The John Merck Fund located?
- The John Merck Fund is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 237082558.
- How can I find foundations similar to The John Merck Fund?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The John Merck Fund, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
Find more funders like The John Merck Fund
Foundations similar to The John Merck Fund
Other Massachusetts grantmakers with overlapping priorities: