The Merkin Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2003 and located at 3115 Ocean Front Walk Apt 301, Marina Del Rey, California 90292-5142. The foundation redeems investments to provide cash for donations to various charitable organizations. It is the philanthropic organization of Richard N. Merkin.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$228.6M
-0.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.2M
-21.8% YoY
Grant Count
14
-17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$656K
-5.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merkin Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation prioritizes funding in the following areas:
- Education (including higher education)
- Health and medical research
- The arts
- Philanthropy and nonprofits
- Human services
- Family services
- Child welfare
- Biomedicine
Grantmaking
The foundation made 20 grants in 2023, with total giving of approximately $11.7 million to $12.3 million. Recent notable grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple regions of the United States, with particular concentration in:
- California (especially Los Angeles and Southern California): Primary focus area
- Massachusetts (Cambridge)
- Maryland (Baltimore)
- Texas (Dallas)
- Florida (Bonita Springs, Laguna Beach)
- Puerto Rico
Additional supported locations include Davis, Flushing, La Jolla, Oakland, Pasadena, San Francisco, San Juan, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, and Westlake Village.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $228,694,990
- Total Revenue: $5,459,799
- Total Expenses: $12,323,764
- Total Liabilities: $2,900 (negative)
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $228,648,321 | $228,694,990 | $235,736,162 |
| Revenue | $11,222,341 | $5,459,799 | $6,972,502 |
| Expenses | $11,269,010 | $12,323,764 | $13,089,082 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,180,000 | $11,734,000 | $11,731,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,516,218 | $4,904,447 | $7,429,434 |
| Distributable Amount | $12,569,172 | $11,030,323 | $11,188,610 |
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
76 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Milken Institute ($5,600,000), Johns Hopkins University ($2,000,000), University of California - San Diego ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PASADENA, CA | EDUCATION | $400,000 |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BALTIMORE, MD | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $2,000,000 |
| KYLES FAMILY FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | TEACH LIFE SKILLS | $25,000 |
| LOS ANGELES BALLET LOS ANGELES, CA | ARTS & EDUCATIONARTS & EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| MILKEN INSTITUTE FLUSHING, CA | EDUCATION | $5,600,000 |
| PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION SANTA MONICA, CA | MEDICAL AND CANCER RESEARCH | $60,000 |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA OAKLAND, CA | EDUCATION | $150,000 |
| THE HAROLD & CAROLE PUMP FOUNDATION SANTA MONICA, CA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $50,000 |
| THE MAVEN PROJECT SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TELEHEALTH | $300,000 |
| UCLA FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Richard Merkin — President and founder
- Anne Wymer — Secretary/Treasurer
- Alexandra Delgado — Dean
- Justin Shahbaz — Principal
- Esmeralda Bass — Assistant Principal
Both Merkin and Wymer serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD MERKIN | PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| ANNE WYMER | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 4 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has established the Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology, awarded to pioneers in biomedical innovation:
2025 Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology awarded to pioneers of ...**2025 Merkin Prize**: Awarded to Carl June, Bruce Levine, Isabelle Rivière, and Michel Sadelain
Carl June, Bruce Levine, Isabelle Rivi\xE8re, and Michel Sadelain ...**2024 Merkin Prize**: Awarded to F. William Studier in a ceremony at the Broad Institute
2025 Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology awarded to pioneers of ...Recent grant recipients have included Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools and United Friends of the Children.
Contact Information
- Telephone: 661-631-1171
- EIN: 20-0527223
- Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3), tax-exempt since October 2004
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Merkin Family Foundation fund?
The foundation prioritizes funding in the following areas: • **Education** (including higher education) • **Health and medical research** • **The arts** • **Philanthropy and nonprofits** • **Human services** • **Family services** • **Child welfare** • **Biomedicine**
How do I apply for a grant from Merkin Family Foundation?
The foundation made 20 grants in 2023, with total giving of approximately $11.7 million to $12.3 million. Recent notable grants include: • California Institute of Technology: $4,460,000 (Education) • The Broad Institute: $3,000,000 (Medical Research) • Convergent Research: $1,000,000 (Medical Research) The foundation does not provide a clear public avenue for grant applications and has limited web presence, making it challenging for grantseekers to identify application procedures.
Where does Merkin Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple regions of the United States, with particular concentration in: • **California** (especially Los Angeles and Southern California): Primary focus area • **Massachusetts** (Cambridge) • **Maryland** (Baltimore) • **Texas** (Dallas) • **Florida** (Bonita Springs, Laguna Beach) • **Puerto Rico** Additional supported locations include Davis, Flushing, La Jolla, Oakland, Pasadena, San Francisco, San Juan, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, and Westlake Vill…
What size grants does Merkin Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Merkin Family Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $9.2M — an average of about $656K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Merkin Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Merkin Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Merkin Family Foundation's EIN?
Merkin Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0527223. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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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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