The Ann A Mergens Foundation concentrates its giving on local Vermont nonprofits, with a strong emphasis on one-off and repeat operating support for a few mission-driven organizations. The foundation’s largest investments go to a single health/wellness–oriented nonprofit, while significant support also targets farm education and experiential programming and language/special-education services. Overall, the foundation appears to favor practical, program- and operations-focused grants to community institutions rather than broad national initiatives.
Ann a Mergens Foundation Inc’s recent giving is anchored by major operating support for Live Like Jake Foundation, including grants of $145,000 and $110,000 in 2025 after $100,000 awards in 2024 and 2023. That repeated pattern shows a funder willing to sustain a nonprofit over multiple years rather than rely on one-time awards. Beyond that core relationship, the foundation supports a small set of Vermont institutions with practical grants for operations, programming, and facilities. Shelburne Farms received $40,000 in 2023 for its farm barn facility and programming, followed by operating grants of $40,000 in 2025 and $35,000 in both 2024 and 2025. The Stern Center for Language and Learning also appears repeatedly, including operating support and a $30,000 Neil Shapiro Scholarship Fund grant in 2023. The foundation’s overall pattern points to hands-on support for community institutions, especially those serving health and wellness, education, and local programming needs.
Health and wellness support is a clear theme in the foundation’s recent grants. Live Like Jake Foundation received four large operating grants across 2023 to 2025, including $145,000 and $110,000 in 2025. In farm-based education, Shelburne Farms received $40,000 in 2023 for its farm barn facility and programming, followed by additional operating support in 2024 and 2025. Language development and learning services also appear in the grant record: Stern Center for Language and Learning received operating support in 2024 and 2025, along with a $30,000 grant in 2023 for the Neil Shapiro Scholarship Fund. The foundation also backs community arts and local programming, as shown by support for Burlington City Arts and the Center for Creative Education.
The typical grant size sits in a fairly narrow band: p25 is $11,250, median is $20,000, and p75 is $28,750. At the top end, the foundation makes much larger multi-year operating grants to a small number of organizations, while many other awards cluster around $15,000 to $25,000. The recent record shows repeat support to the same recipients across multiple years rather than only one-off gifts. The foundation is an independent private foundation, not a fund for individuals, and it does not make program-related investments.
$345K
$6.2M
$513K
$466K
Most grants fall between $11K and $29K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$29K
About 50% of grants go to recipients in FL.
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Concentrated giving: a small number of mid-to-large grants with repeated support to a few core local grantees (notably one dominant recipient that receives the majority of funds), combining multi-grant relationships and general operating support rather than many small, dispersed grants.
Notable grantees: Live Like Jake Foundation, Shelburne Farms, Stern Center for Language and Learning
Grantmaking is heavily regional and centered in Vermont, which accounts for 50% of grants by recipient location. Burlington, Williston, Shelburne, and other Vermont communities appear repeatedly in the recent grants list. Outside Vermont, the foundation gives in Florida, with recipients in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, and Tequesta. All recent grants in the provided sample went to U.S. recipients.
Recent grants show support for health and wellness, farm education and visitor programming, language and learning services, scholarship support, community arts, and local operating needs. Examples include operating grants to Live Like Jake Foundation, Shelburne Farms, and the Stern Center for Language and Learning, plus scholarship support for the Neil Shapiro Scholarship Fund.
Yes. The same organizations appear across multiple years in the recent grant list. Live Like Jake Foundation received awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Shelburne Farms and the Stern Center for Language and Learning also received repeated support over more than one year.
The foundation’s grant size distribution is fairly concentrated: p25 is $11,250, median grant size is $20,000, and p75 is $28,750. Many recent awards fall in the $15,000 to $25,000 range, while a smaller number reach $100,000 or more.
Vermont is the top state by grant count, and 50% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Vermont. Recent Vermont recipients include organizations in Burlington, Shelburne, and Williston.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION | PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL | $145,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| SHELBURNE FARMS | SHELBURNE, VT | $40,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE AND LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $30,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER | JUNO BEACH, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| JUPITER HILLS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TEQUESTA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY | JUPITER, FL | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| BURLINGTON CITY ARTS | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION | PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL | $110,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| SHELBURNE FARMS | SHELBURNE, VT | $35,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE AND LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $30,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER | JUNO BEACH, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| JUPITER HILLS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TEQUESTA, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| BURLINGTON CITY ARTS | BURLINGTON, VT | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY | JUPITER, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION | PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL | $100,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| SHELBURNE FARMS | SHELBURNE, VT | $35,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE AND LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $25,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER | JUNO BEACH, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| JUPITER HILLS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TEQUESTA, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE | BURLINGTON, VT | $10,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| BURLINGTON CITY ARTS | BURLINGTON, VT | $10,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY | JUPITER, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| Live Like Jake Foundation | West Palm Beach, FL | $100,000 | 2023 | General OperatingSupport |
| Shelburne Farms | Shelburne, VT | $40,000 | 2023 | Farm Barn Facilityand Programming |
| Stern Center | Williston, VT | $30,000 | 2023 | Neil ShapiroScholarship Fund |
| Center for Creative Education | West Palm Beach, FL | $25,000 | 2023 | General OperatingSupport |
| Loggerhead Marine Life Center | North Palm Beach, FL | $20,000 | 2023 | CapitalCampaign |
| Greater Burlington YMCA | Burlington, VT | $15,000 | 2023 | CapitalCampaign |
| Jupiter Hills Community Foundation | Tequesta, FL | $15,000 | 2023 | General OperatingSupport |
| Champlain College | Burlington, VT | $15,000 | 2023 | General OperatingSupport |
| Burlington City Arts | Burlington, VT | $10,000 | 2023 | Art from theHeart Program |
| Busch Wildlife Sanctuary | Jupiter, FL | $10,000 | 2023 | General OperatingSupport |
LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION
$145,000OPERATIONS
SHELBURNE FARMS
$40,000OPERATIONS
STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE AND LEARNING
$30,000OPERATIONS
LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER
$25,000OPERATIONS
JUPITER HILLS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$25,000OPERATIONS
CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION
$20,000OPERATIONS
BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
$15,000OPERATIONS
GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA
$15,000OPERATIONS
CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE
$15,000OPERATIONS
BURLINGTON CITY ARTS
$15,000OPERATIONS
LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION
$110,000OPERATIONS
SHELBURNE FARMS
$35,000OPERATIONS
STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE AND LEARNING
$30,000OPERATIONS
LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER
$20,000OPERATIONS
CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION
$20,000OPERATIONS
JUPITER HILLS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$20,000OPERATIONS
GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA
$15,000OPERATIONS
CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE
$15,000OPERATIONS
BURLINGTON CITY ARTS
$10,000OPERATIONS
BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
$10,000OPERATIONS
LIVE LIKE JAKE FOUNDATION
$100,000OPERATIONS
SHELBURNE FARMS
$35,000OPERATIONS
STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE AND LEARNING
$25,000OPERATIONS
LOGGERHEAD MARINE LIFE CENTER
$20,000OPERATIONS
CENTER FOR CREATIVE EDUCATION
$20,000OPERATIONS
GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA
$15,000OPERATIONS
JUPITER HILLS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$10,000OPERATIONS
CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE
$10,000OPERATIONS
BURLINGTON CITY ARTS
$10,000OPERATIONS
BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
$10,000OPERATIONS
Live Like Jake Foundation
$100,000General OperatingSupport
Shelburne Farms
$40,000Farm Barn Facilityand Programming
Stern Center
$30,000Neil ShapiroScholarship Fund
Center for Creative Education
$25,000General OperatingSupport
Loggerhead Marine Life Center
$20,000CapitalCampaign
Greater Burlington YMCA
$15,000CapitalCampaign
Jupiter Hills Community Foundation
$15,000General OperatingSupport
Champlain College
$15,000General OperatingSupport
Burlington City Arts
$10,000Art from theHeart Program
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary
$10,000General OperatingSupport