Open Foundations · New Jersey

Merck Company Foundation

Rahway, New Jersey · EIN 226028476. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $29.1M across 74 grants in 2025, a median of $149K each.

All New Jersey foundations · All states

$29.1M
paid in 2025
74
grants paid
$149K
median grant
57%
to first-time recipients
$337.9M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
Leslie Hardy
Address
126 E Lincoln, Rahway, NJ, 07065
Phone
7325944000
Email
Not stated in the filing
Form the request should take
Requests may be submitted by letter containing a brief summary of the organization including documentation of its federal tax-exempt status objectives of the project and means for accomplishing the goal the budget sources of other funding and amount of the grant request. Evidence of a sound program competent leadership and the ability to accomplish objectives must be shown.
Submission deadline
none
Restrictions on awards
Requests are evaluated on the basis of relevance to the philanthropic priorities of the Merck Company Foundation the interests of Merck & Co. Inc. the location of its major facilities and the concerns of its employees. Grants are not made to political labor or sectarian groups nor for endowments publications or media productions. Except within Foundation programs grants are not given for scholarships fellowships or to individuals

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2025, IRS filing object id 202641119349100304. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The filing states only a general purpose, with nothing specific enough to pull out as recurring language.

Biggest grants in 2025

The 15 largest of the 74 grants paid in 2025, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Partnership for Giving Matching GiftsNJ$10,113,892Contribution provided
2The Childrens Inn at NihMD$2,800,000Contribution provided
3University of New MexicoexemptNM$1,899,566Contribution provided
4United Nations Foundation IncDC$1,000,000Contribution provided
5American Cancer SocietyGA$790,851Contribution provided
6Medical College of Virginia FoundationVA$657,573Contribution provided
7Johns Hopkins UniversityIL$627,869Contribution provided
8American National Red CrossDC$600,000Contribution provided
9Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center OsbiNY$400,000Contribution provided
10University of Kentucky Research FoundationKY$399,960Contribution provided
11Case Western Reserve UniversityOH$399,870Contribution provided
12Boston Medical Center CorporationMA$399,864Contribution provided
13Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical OncologyVA$388,145Contribution provided
14Mary Bird Perkins Cancer CenterLA$384,953Contribution provided
15Saint Barnabas Health Care System FoundationNJ$350,210Contribution provided

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
20201$28.0M
2021101$23.2M
202297$22.5M
202355$24.3M
202476$25.3M
2025 (partial year)74$29.1M

Where the money went

Share of 2025 grant dollars by recipient state
New Jersey20%
Pennsylvania20%
California12%
Virginia8%
Massachusetts7%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

Allison GoldbergPresident · 2025
Dillane TimothyAssistant Treasurer · 2025
Ettelman KarenAssistant Secretary · 2025
Filderman JonVice President · 2025
Gary HenningsenVice President Tax · 2025
Grez Kelly E WSecretary · 2025
Hardy LeslieExecutive Vice President · 2025
Melissa LeonardTreasurer · 2025
Swartwood RobertAssistant Treasurer · 2025
Walker MarkAssistant Treasurer · 2025
Wildasin AnthonyAssistant Secretary · 2025
Zachary JenniferChairperson of the Board · 2025

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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