The Merck Foundation (NJ) concentrates its giving on large corporate-directed commitments, especially through a substantial direct-match/employee matching program, while also making major gifts to pediatric health-support organizations. The largest identified recipient is The Children’s Inn at NIH, indicating a priority for supporting children receiving medical care and family resources tied to biomedical institutions. Overall, the foundation appears to combine workplace-giving mechanisms with targeted investments in child-centered medical support.
Concentrated, high-value grants: most dollars flow through a direct match/employee giving vehicle (three large 'Various' grants) plus a few substantial single-purpose gifts to recurring health-focused beneficiaries; limited number of distinct grantees.
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation combines a large employee-directed giving engine with major commitments to health access programs. The recent record shows repeated contributions routed through matching and volunteer-linked vehicles, alongside sizable gifts to organizations tied to patient support and biomedical care. One of the clearest examples is The Children's Inn at NIH, which received $2.8 million in both 2024 and 2025, pointing to sustained support for families connected to pediatric medical treatment. Another recurring recipient, American National Red Cross, appears in multiple years at $600,000 levels, reflecting the foundation's use of multi-year contributions to established relief and service organizations. The foundation also backs national and global health initiatives through named partnerships and program commitments. Recent activity includes support for cancer-care access, cardiac care equity, patient navigation, immunization preparedness, and health workforce training. Its giving pattern is not limited to one channel: the portfolio includes direct contributions, direct match, and employee giving programs, plus commitments to multi-site collaborations and product-donation programs. The overall picture is a funder that directs substantial resources toward health systems, patient services, and community-based support, with a mix of recurring institutional grants and programmatic partnerships.
Health access is a central thread in the foundation's grantmaking. It committed $1,000,000 to the United Nations Foundation’s Outbreak Prevention and Preparedness Fund to support immunization efforts and prevent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries. In the U.S., it also supported the Alliance for Equity in Cancer Care, a national multi-site initiative focused on timely access to high-quality, culturally responsive cancer care for underserved communities. Patient navigation is another visible theme. The foundation committed funding to the American Cancer Society’s SPARK Initiative to strengthen and expand patient navigation services in Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria. Workforce development appears as well: Rutgers Global Health Institute’s Go Together alliance received support to train health workers and expand oncology workforce capacity in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia. These grants show an emphasis on access, coordination, and capacity building rather than only direct service delivery.
$29.1M
$337.9M
$33.8M
$30.1M
Most grants fall between $25K and $250K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$250K
About 21% of grants go to recipients in PA.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Merck Foundation A New Jersey Nonprofit.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 231 | $76.4M | 75.5% |
| 2 | Norway |
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Notable grantees: The Children’s Inn at NIH, Employee-designated charities (via Merck Foundation direct match program), Patient support programs affiliated with biomedical institutions (e.g., NIH-related services)
Typical grant size centers on mid-six-figure gifts: the p25 is $25,000, the median is $50,000, and the p75 is $250,000. The recent grant list also shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including large annual commitments and matching-style contributions, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. One active program, Solutions for Healthy Communities, accepts unsolicited proposals; several other listed programs do not.
Grantmaking is national, with the heaviest concentration in New Jersey and 21% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipients also cluster in Washington, DC; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and St Louis, MO, alongside other U.S. cities. Outside the United States, the country distribution points to Norway as the only non-U.S. recipient country listed, with 75 grants, compared with 157 grants in the U.S.
The foundation supports cancer care access, cardiovascular care access, immunization and outbreak prevention, health systems strengthening, patient navigation, oncology workforce training, and product-donation programs for neglected tropical diseases and broader humanitarian health needs.
No. The grant record includes U.S. recipients as well as international activity through programs tied to low- and middle-income countries and specific countries such as Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia.
The typical award sits in the mid-five-figure to mid-six-figure range: p25 is $25,000, median grant size is $50,000, and p75 is $250,000. The recent list also includes multi-million-dollar commitments in some years.
Some programs do, but most listed commitments do not. Solutions for Healthy Communities is marked as accepting unsolicited applications, while programs such as the Outbreak Prevention and Preparedness Fund, the Alliance for Equity in Cancer Care, and the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care are not.
The recent record includes repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including annual contributions and matching-style giving. That pattern suggests a meaningful recurring grantmaking relationship for at least some recipients.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 75 |
| $25.1M |
24.5% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Current and upcoming funding from Merck Foundation A New Jersey Nonprofit that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: The initiative targets organizations and partnerships working to improve timely access to and continuity of high-quality HIV care for people living with HIV in under-resourced U.S. communities. Detailed eligibility requirements are provided in the call for proposals.
Deadline: Call for proposals stated to be open; deadline not specified in the provided content.
Who can apply: Partners must be nonprofit NGOs with proven expertise and success in driving sustainable solutions that expand access to health. Projects may involve community immunization, education, screening, nutrition, prevention tools, outreach, biomedical research, epidemiological studies, workforce training, infrastructure, or health information systems.
Deadline: Application opportunity for 2026 NGO partners is advertised; deadline not specified in the provided content.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partnership for Giving matching gifts | Rahway, NJ | $10,113,892 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| The Childrens Inn at NIH | Bethesda, MD | $2,800,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| University of New MexicoExempt | Albuquerque, NM | $1,899,566 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| United Nations Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $1,000,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| American Cancer Society | Kennesaw, GA | $790,851 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Medical College of Virginia Foundation | Richmond, VA | $657,573 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Johns Hopkins University | Chicago, IL | $627,869 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| American National Red Cross | Washington, DC | $600,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center OSBI | New York, NY | $400,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| University of Kentucky Research Foundation | Lexington, KY | $399,960 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $399,870 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Boston Medical Center Corporation | Boston, MA | $399,864 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology | Alexandria, VA | $388,145 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center | Baton Rouge, LA | $384,953 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Saint Barnabas Health Care System Foundation | West Orange, NJ | $350,210 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Capital Health System Inc | Trenton, NJ | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Georgia State University Research Foundation Inc | Atlanta, GA | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Gallup Community Health | Gallup, NM | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| La Clinica del Pueblo Inc | Washington, DC | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| New Hanover Community Health Center Inc DBA MedNorth Health Center | Wilmington, NC | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Zufall Health Center Inc | Dover, NJ | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Foundation for Black Womens Wellness | Madison, WI | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| UPMC Center for HighValue Health Care | Pittsburgh, PA | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Providence Medical Foundation | Anaheim, CA | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Public Health Institute | Oakland, CA | $350,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Rutgers the State University | Piscataway, NJ | $287,899 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| National Comprehensive Cancer Network Inc | Plymouth Meeting, PA | $266,153 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Cornerstone Christian Academy | Philadelphia, PA | $250,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| New Jersey Performing Arts Center | Newark, NJ | $250,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| New Jersey Symphony Orchestra | Newark, NJ | $200,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| The Foundation for Delaware County | Media, PA | $163,211 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Kimmel Center Inc | Philadlephia, PA | $150,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| I Be Black Girl | Omaha, NE | $150,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| YWCA Northern New Jersey | Hackensack, NJ | $150,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Rutgers the State University | Piscataway, NJ | $150,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Tigerlily Foundation | Stone Ridge, VA | $150,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Community Volunteers in Medicine | West Chester, PA | $147,718 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Trenton Health Team Inc | Trenton, NJ | $145,687 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Trinitas Foundation | Elizabeth, NJ | $135,748 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Medical College of Virginia Foundation | Richmond, VA | $117,569 | 2026 | Bill Better: A Digital Workflow for Principal Illness Navigation |
| Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services | Lorton, VA | $117,024 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| The Childrens Inn at NIH | Bethesda, MD | $100,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Students 2 Science Inc | East Hanover, NJ | $75,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Research & Development Council of New Jersey | CHATHAM, NJ | $60,060 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Growth Philanthropy Network Inc | New York, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Mitzvah Circle Foundation | Lansdale, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| New England Medical Association | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Manna on Main Street | Lansdale, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
| Shenandoah National Park Trust | Charlottesville, VA | $50,000 | 2026 | Contribution provided |
Partnership for Giving matching gifts
$10,113,892Contribution provided
University of New MexicoExempt
$1,899,566Contribution provided
American Cancer Society
$790,851Contribution provided
Contribution provided
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center OSBI
$400,000Contribution provided
Case Western Reserve University
$399,870Contribution provided
Contribution provided
Saint Barnabas Health Care System Foundation
$350,210Contribution provided
Capital Health System Inc
$350,000Contribution provided
Gallup Community Health
$350,000Contribution provided
New Hanover Community Health Center Inc DBA MedNorth Health Center
$350,000Contribution provided
UPMC Center for HighValue Health Care
$350,000Contribution provided
Providence Medical Foundation
$350,000Contribution provided
Rutgers the State University
$287,899Contribution provided
National Comprehensive Cancer Network Inc
$266,153Contribution provided
Kimmel Center Inc
$150,000Contribution provided
YWCA Northern New Jersey
$150,000Contribution provided
Rutgers the State University
$150,000Contribution provided
Tigerlily Foundation
$150,000Contribution provided
Bill Better: A Digital Workflow for Principal Illness Navigation
Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services
$117,024Contribution provided
Research & Development Council of New Jersey
$60,060Contribution provided
New England Medical Association
$50,000Contribution provided