The Meier and Linnartz Family Foundation concentrates funding on land/water conservation and educational opportunity, with a pronounced regional interest in the Lowcountry (Beaufort, SC) and several tropical marine conservation commitments. They also support independent and higher education (scholarships and boarding/private schools) and some healthcare and biomedical research. Grants are often mid-sized and awarded repeatedly to the same organizations, indicating multi-year or multi-project relationships rather than one-off gifts.
A repeated pattern of general-support grants to land, water, and marine conservation groups defines The Meier and Linnartz Family Foundation c/o John Linnartz. In the recent grant list, Spring Island Trust, Turneffe Atoll Trust, and The Nature Conservancy each appear more than once, showing an emphasis on ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. The foundation also backs educational institutions and scholarship-oriented organizations, including Denison University, Bucknell University, School of the Holy Child, and A Better Chance Inc of New Canaan. Its portfolio reaches beyond those core areas into healthcare and children’s services in the Lowcountry, with gifts to Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation and Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center. Another recurring thread is support for research and higher education, including Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the University of Rhode Island Foundation. The pattern is broad in topic but consistent in method: multi-year general support to organizations working in conservation, education, and community services. Grants of $50,000 and above recur across several recipients, and the same names often return in multiple years, suggesting continuing program or organizational support.
Conservation is the clearest theme in the recent grants. The foundation gave $80,000 to Spring Island Trust for general support and also supported The Nature Conservancy at $50,000 in 2023, $50,000 in 2024, and $40,000 in 2025. Marine and coastal work is also present: Turneffe Atoll Trust received $75,000 in 2023, $60,000 in 2024, and $50,000 in 2025. On the education side, Denison University received $66,000 in 2024, $65,000 in 2023, and $51,000 in 2025, while Bucknell University received $52,000 in 2023, $51,000 in 2024, and $50,000 in 2025. The foundation also funds local community organizations, including A Better Chance Inc of New Canaan for general support.
The typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $20,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also shows a second tier of larger, repeated awards at $40,000 to $80,000. Recurrence is a defining feature: several grantees appear in multiple years, including Denison University, Bucknell University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Spring Island Trust, Turneffe Atoll Trust, and The Nature Conservancy. The foundation funds individuals is false, and the grants are framed primarily as general support. The data does not show an application process, so the pattern is best read as relationship-based grantmaking.
$868K
$25.9M
$5.7M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $5K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
About 19% of grants go to recipients in SC.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Meier and Linnartz Family Foundation C/O John Linnartz.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 221 | $3.3M | 99.1% |
| 2 |
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Moderately concentrated: many repeat grants to a core set of organizations with mid-size awards (typical gifts in the $10k–$190k range), a blend of conservation, education, and local health charities, favoring sustained multi-year relationships over one-off donations.
Notable grantees: Spring Island Trust, Turneffe Atoll Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Denison University, Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation
The foundation gives nationally, with 99.1% of grants going to U.S. recipients and 0.9% to the UK. By grant count, DC is the top state of recipient location, but the recent list also places several awards in South Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio. Named recipient cities include Washington, DC; Beaufort, Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, Okatie, and New Canaan in the South; and Granville, Lewisburg, Rye, Millbrook, and Cold Spring Harbor in the Northeast and Midwest. The HQ state, Connecticut, accounts for 18% of grants, but giving extends well beyond it.
The recent grants center on conservation, education, and community services. Conservation recipients include Spring Island Trust, Turneffe Atoll Trust, and The Nature Conservancy. Education grants go to universities and schools such as Denison University, Bucknell University, and School of the Holy Child. The list also includes community health and children’s organizations in the Lowcountry.
The pattern is ongoing. Several recipients appear in multiple years: Denison University in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Bucknell University in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Spring Island Trust in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and The Nature Conservancy in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a 75th percentile of $20,000. The recent list also includes larger general-support gifts, often in the $40,000 to $80,000 range.
The foundation gives nationally. U.S. recipients make up 99.1% of grants, with 0.9% going to the UK. DC is the top state by grant count, and Connecticut recipients account for 18% of grants.
It funds organizations only. The data says funds individuals is false, and the recent grants list is made up of universities, trusts, foundations, and nonprofits rather than individual recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 2 |
| $8K |
0.9% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DENISON UNIVERSITY | GRANVILLE, OH | $51,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | $50,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HPU FUND FOR EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION | HIGH POINT, NC | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPRING ISLAND TRUST | OKATIE, SC | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TURNEFFE ATOLL TRUST | Bozeman, MT | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY | LEWISBURG, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BIRTHDAY BUDDIES | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD | RYE, NY | $32,455 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | BEAUFORT, SC | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST | CHARLESTON, SC | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LUCY BECKHAM PTSO | MOUNT PLEASANT, SC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOULTRIE MIDDLE SCHOOL | MT PLEASANT, SC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | New York, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | Alzheimer's disease research |
| AMERICAN RIVERS | WASHINGTON, DC | $17,543 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MILLBROOK SCHOOL | Millbrook, NY | $16,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOLDS OF HONOR SCHOLARSHIPS | OWASSO, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PROJECT MAIN STREET | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL | HUNTINGTON, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOL RELIEF INC | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH | CHARLESTON, SC | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BEAUFORT COUNTRY OPEN LAND TRUST | BEAUFORT, SC | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| A BETTER CHANCE INC OF NEW CANAAN | NEW CANAAN, CT | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY | NEWPORT, RI | $12,070 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STAMFORD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | STAMFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FILLING IN THE BLANKS | NORWALK, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MYSTIC SEAPORT | Mystic, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | To support ongoing educational programs at Mystic Seaport |
| OLDFIELDS SCHOOL | SPARKS GLENCOE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICARES | SANFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HORIZONS AT ASHLEY HALL | CHARLESTON, SC | $8,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAIL TO PREVAIL | NEWPORT, RI | $8,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOOVER INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICA'S VETDOGS | SMITHTOWN, NY | $5,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE CAUMSETT FOUNDATION INC | HUNTINGTON, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY | STAMFORD, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GIBBES MUSEUM OF ART | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOS LOWCOUNTRY | MT PLEASANT, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOW COUNTRY FOOD BANK | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY | NORTH CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GLENADA CASINO FOUNDATION | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF NEW CANAAN | NEW CANAAN, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OPERATION HOME | NORTH CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WINDWARD SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW CANAAN FOOD PANTRY | NEW CANAAN, CT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE | GREENWICH, CT | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL SAILING HALL OF FAME | NEWPORT, RI | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
HPU FUND FOR EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPRING ISLAND TRUST
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TURNEFFE ATOLL TRUST
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
BIRTHDAY BUDDIES
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD
$32,455GENERAL SUPPORT
BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LUCY BECKHAM PTSO
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MOULTRIE MIDDLE SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$20,000Alzheimer's disease research
HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOL RELIEF INC
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BEAUFORT COUNTRY OPEN LAND TRUST
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
A BETTER CHANCE INC OF NEW CANAAN
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY
$12,070GENERAL SUPPORT
STAMFORD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MYSTIC SEAPORT
$10,000To support ongoing educational programs at Mystic Seaport
AMERICARES
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HORIZONS AT ASHLEY HALL
$8,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAIL TO PREVAIL
$8,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOOVER INSTITUTE
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICA'S VETDOGS
$5,500GENERAL SUPPORT
THE CAUMSETT FOUNDATION INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GIBBES MUSEUM OF ART
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOS LOWCOUNTRY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GLENADA CASINO FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF NEW CANAAN
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW CANAAN FOOD PANTRY
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL SAILING HALL OF FAME
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT