Merchants Foundation Inc | Foundation Profile

GrantBay analyzes IRS Form 990-PF data to help grant seekers find fit funders like Merchants Foundation Inc. Data shown is extracted from Form 990-PF filings.

EIN: 88-1340802

Foundation Overview

Based in Carmel, IN, Merchants Foundation Inc has awarded 45 grants totaling $657,066 to organizations in Indiana, District of Columbia and 6 other states across the US. Individual grants range from $563 to $90,000, with a median award of $5,000.

Latest Tax Year
2024
Total Giving (all years)
$657,066
Total Assets
$500
Median Grant (all grants)
$5,000

Latest Form 990-PF Snapshot

Total Grants
35
Median Grant
$5,000
% No Significant Change
0% (vs previous year)
Data extracted from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Last filing year: February 2026

Foundation Intelligence

Advanced analytics and strategic insights to help nonprofit organizations assess grant opportunities and optimize their application strategies

New Applicant Friendliness
Emerging Foundation: 100%

35 of 35 recipients (100%) were new grantees. Recent establishment means most partnerships are naturally new. Pattern may not reflect long-term preferences.

Geographic Focus
Indiana

73% of all grants are concentrated in Indiana, demonstrating highly focused geographic giving. This foundation prioritizes deep community impact in its primary service area. Within Indiana, funding concentrates in Indianapolis (82%), Carmel (6%), Bloomington (6%).

Funding Trajectory
+333%

Strong 333% growth in annual giving over 1 years indicates expanding philanthropic capacity and increasing opportunities for grant seekers. This upward trajectory suggests growing foundation resources and commitment.

Program Areas
Community Projects + 2 others

Diversified giving across multiple program areas with primary emphasis on community projects (50%). This broad approach suggests openness to various causes and innovative cross-sector solutions.

Where is The Money Going?

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Grants & Funding

Analyzing past grantees provides valuable insights into Merchants Foundation Inc's funding preferences, organizational priorities, and grant making patterns. This historical data helps potential applicants understand the foundation's strategic focus and identify successful funding approaches.

Name Amount Location Purpose Year
A Kid Again - Indiana Chapter $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Alzheimer's Association Of Greater Indiana $1,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Capital Area Food Bank Inc $638 Washington, DC, US General Support 2024
Catch The Stars Foundation $10,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Churches Of Mercer County Food Pantry $648 Aledo, IL, US General Support 2024
Coalition For Homelessness Intervention And Prevention (Chip) $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Coburn Place $50,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Community Foundation Of Randolph County $10,000 Winchester, IL, US General Support 2024
Dove Recovery House For Women $10,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Dream Alive Inc $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
First Baptist Athletics $20,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Food Bank Of South Jersey Inc $900 Pennsauken, NJ, US General Support 2024
Foster Success $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Gateway Hunger Relief Center $687 Richmond, IN, US General Support 2024
Gleaner's Food Bank $2,340 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Greater Indianapolis Habitat For Humanity $50,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Hands Of Christ Food Pantry $635 Paxton, IL, US General Support 2024
Indiana University Foundation Inc $90,000 Bloomington, IN, US General Support 2024
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Lisc) Indiana $20,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Lynn Community Food Pantry $777 Lynn, IN, US General Support 2024
Million Meal Movement $7,020 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
New York Common Pantry Inc $563 New York City, NY, US General Support 2024
Partners In Housing $10,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Paws Pantry At Iupui $597 Bloomington, IN, US General Support 2024
Providence Cristo Rey High School $32,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Rdoor - Fka (Merchants Affordable Housing Corp) $75,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Saint Francis House Inc $587 Boston, MA, US General Support 2024
Second Helpings $13,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Seeds Of Hope $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
St Petersburg Free Clinic Inc $644 St Petersburg, FL, US General Support 2024
The Arc Minnesota $10,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General Support 2024
The O'connor House $1,000 Washington, DC, US General Support 2024
The Open Door $984 Eagan, MN, US General Support 2024
Twin Cities Habitat For Humanity $3,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General Support 2024
Village Of Merici $2,500 Indianapolis, IN, US General Support 2024
Fields Market Garden $81,273 Carmel, IN, US Community And Development 2023
Catch The Stars $7,500 Indianapolis, IN, US Event Sponsorship And Scholarship Aid 2023
Gennesaret Free Clinics $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Purpose 2023
Neighborlink Indianapolis Foundation $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Purpose 2023
Brightlane Learning $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Purpose 2023
Fields Market Garden $81,273 Carmel, IN, US Community And Development 2023
Catch The Stars $7,500 Indianapolis, IN, US Event Sponsorship And Scholarship Aid 2023
Gennesaret Free Clinics $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Purpose 2023
Neighborlink Indianapolis Foundation $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Purpose 2023
Brightlane Learning $5,000 Indianapolis, IN, US General Purpose 2023

Foundations Similar to Merchants Foundation Inc

Discover 5 foundations with comparable assets ($265-$636), similar grant patterns, and geographic focus in IN that may also align with your organization's funding needs and grant seeking strategy.

Foundation Name Total Assets Typical Grant Size Service Area Similarity Match

EIN: 46-4387880 | 7 grants awarded
$555
(≈ Similar)
$6,628
median grant
Mishawaka, IN
Same state
95%
Excellent match

EIN: 35-2128383 | 11 grants awarded
$636
(↑ Larger)
$7,179
median grant
Evansville, IN
Same state
86%
Excellent match

EIN: 88-3042043 | 23 grants awarded
$335
(↓ Smaller)
$10,000
median grant
Mishawaka, IN
Same state
84%
Excellent match

EIN: 20-1697938 | 1 grants awarded
$265
(↓ Smaller)
$3,500
median grant
Columbus, IN
Same state
76%
Good match

EIN: 30-0580920 | 19 grants awarded
$500
(≈ Similar)
$5,000
median grant
Houston, TX
70%
Good match

Contact Information

Official contact details for Merchants Foundation Inc as registered with the IRS. These details are essential for grant applications, correspondence, and due diligence processes.

EIN 88-1340802
Website http://www.merchantsfoundation.org
Address 410 MONON BLVD Carmel, IN 46032-2345

Key People (6)

Board members, trustees, and key staff who oversee Merchants Foundation Inc's grant making decisions and strategic direction. Understanding leadership composition can provide insights into foundation priorities and potential networking opportunities.

Exec Director, President Julia L Kaercher
Director Michael Dury
Director Michael Petrie
Director Michael Dunlap
Secretary Terry Oznick

Forms 990-PF

IRS Form 990-PF filings provide comprehensive financial information, grant details, and operational data. These documents are essential resources for understanding foundation capacity, giving patterns, and strategic priorities.

Form 990-PF Research Tips
  • Review Part XV for detailed grant recipient information and funding purposes
  • Check Part I for total assets, annual giving amounts, and payout requirements
  • Examine Part VIII for key personnel compensation and board structure
  • Look for trends across multiple years to understand giving patterns

About This Foundation Profile

This comprehensive foundation profile for Merchants Foundation Inc is powered by Grant Bay's advanced foundation research platform. Our system analyzes IRS Form 990-PF filings, grant histories, and philanthropic patterns to provide nonprofit organizations with actionable intelligence for grant seeking success.

Data Sources & Accuracy

All information is derived from official IRS filings and public records. Grant Bay processes thousands of Form 990-PF documents to extract grant details, financial data, and organizational information. Data accuracy depends on foundation reporting quality and IRS filing completeness.

Research Applications

Use this profile for prospect research, grant strategy development, application preparation, and relationship building. Combine this data with additional research on foundation priorities, application processes, and board member backgrounds for comprehensive grant seeking strategies.

Data Currency: Last updated February 2026 based on IRS Form 990-PF filings. Foundation information reflects most recent available tax year data.