The Merlo Family Foundation concentrates its giving on a small set of relatively large grants that prioritize youth development, higher-education scholarships, disaster response, and regional health care. They show a preference for repeat investments in a few core organizations (notably the University of Pittsburgh and Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence), and give both unrestricted operating support and named scholarship funding. Grants suggest personal or geographic ties to Pittsburgh and Rhode Island alongside a willingness to support national disaster-response work.
Concentrated giving: a few large grants (including repeat grants) rather than many small gifts; mix of unrestricted operating support and purpose‑specific gifts (scholarships, event support).
A $100,000 scholarship fund for the University of Pittsburgh sits at the center of the Merlo Family Foundation’s recent grantmaking, and it shows how closely the foundation ties scholarship support to student leadership. The foundation also made a separate $100,000 unrestricted grant to the same university in 2025, along with a $30,000 designation for the School of Pharmacy in 2023. That combination points to a funder that supports both named educational awards and flexible institutional support. The Merlo Family Foundation also backs youth-serving organizations in Providence, disaster-response work, and health care in Rhode Island. Boys and Girls Clubs of Providence received repeated support across multiple years, including grants of $50,000 in 2024, $50,000 in 2023, and $15,000 in 2025. In Rhode Island health care, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island received a $25,000 unrestricted grant in 2024. The pattern suggests a small number of recurring relationships rather than a broad portfolio of one-time awards.
Student leadership and higher education are among the clearest themes in the foundation’s giving. The University of Pittsburgh received $100,000 for the Larry and LeeAnn Merlo Student Leadership Award Scholarship Fund in 2024, plus $30,000 in 2023 designated for the School of Pharmacy. Youth development is another recurring area. Boys and Girls Clubs of Providence received $50,000 in 2024 and another $50,000 in 2023 for general and unrestricted support, followed by $15,000 in 2025. The foundation also funds community health and response work. Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island received $25,000 in 2024, while All Hands and Hearts Smart Response Inc received $50,000 in 2025 for a charitable event. Smaller grants extend into animal welfare and health-related nonprofits, including Love4paws Inc, the Humane Society of the United States, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To.
Typical grants cluster around a few size points: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. The recent list also includes several larger awards at $50,000 and $100,000, showing that the foundation can step above its usual middle range when it chooses. The same organizations appear across multiple years, especially in Providence and Pittsburgh, which indicates recurring relationships rather than isolated gifts. The foundation also mixes restricted funding, such as scholarship and school-designated support, with general and unrestricted grants. It funds individuals, and the recent grant record suggests direct scholarship-style support alongside institutional giving.
$217K
$4.7M
$242K
$269K
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in RI.
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Notable grantees: University of Pittsburgh, Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, All Hands and Hearts Smart Response, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
Grantmaking is national, but the concentration is clear: Rhode Island is the top state by grant count, and Providence appears repeatedly in the recipient list. Pittsburgh is another repeated destination through University of Pittsburgh and Childrens Hospital Pittsburgh Foundation. Outside those hubs, the foundation’s recent grants also reached Mattapoisett, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, New York, Baltimore, Sarasota, and Santa Monica. All listed grants in the recent sample went to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants show a focus on student leadership and scholarship support, youth development, disaster response, and health care. Specific examples include the University of Pittsburgh scholarship fund, Boys and Girls Clubs of Providence, All Hands and Hearts Smart Response Inc, and Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island.
Yes. Boys and Girls Clubs of Providence appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and the University of Pittsburgh received multiple grants across 2023 through 2025. Love4paws Inc and the Humane Society of the United States also received repeat funding in more than one year.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is centered in the mid-five-figure and low-five-figure range: p25 is $5,000, median is $10,000, and p75 is $25,000. Recent grants also include larger awards of $50,000 and $100,000.
Rhode Island is the top state by grant count, with Providence showing up multiple times in the recent grants list. Pittsburgh is another recurring city, while the recent sample also includes grants to recipients in Mattapoisett, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, New York, Baltimore, Sarasota, and Santa Monica.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ALL HANDS AND HEARTS SMART RESPONSE INC | MATTAPOISETT, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF PROVIDENCE | PROVIDENCE, RI | $15,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LINCOLN SCHOOL | PROVIDENCE, RI | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BOSTON, MA | $6,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LOVE4PAWS INC | SARASOTA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHILDRENS HOSPITAL PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MOVEMBER FOUNDATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | Larry and LeeAnn Merlo Student Leadership Award Scholarship Fund |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF PROVIDENCE | PROVIDENCE, RI | $50,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| WOMEN & INFANTS HOSPITAL OF RHODE ISLAND | PROVIDENCE, RI | $25,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| LINCOLN SCHOOL | PROVIDENCE, RI | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| LOVE4PAWS INC | SARASOTA, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF PROVIDENCE | PROVIDENCE, RI | $50,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $30,000 | 2023 | Designate for the School of Pharmacy |
| LINCOLN SCHOOL | PROVIDENCE, RI | $10,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| LOVE4PAWS INC | SARASOTA, FL | $2,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
LINCOLN SCHOOL
$10,000General & Unrestricted
General & Unrestricted
LOVE4PAWS INC
$5,000General & Unrestricted
Larry and LeeAnn Merlo Student Leadership Award Scholarship Fund
LINCOLN SCHOOL
$10,000General & Unrestricted
LOVE4PAWS INC
$5,000General & Unrestricted
LINCOLN SCHOOL
$10,000General & Unrestricted
LOVE4PAWS INC
$2,000General & Unrestricted
HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
$1,000General & Unrestricted