The Mericos Foundation
Invitation OnlyPasadena, California · EIN 95-3500491 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2024)$3.1M
Organizations funded100
Typical grant$17,000
Total assets$56.3M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $10,000 and $50,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2024 the foundation checked the box saying it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
44% of grants went outside California.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County | Santa Barbara, CA | Camp whittier electrical upgrades | $135,000 |
| Garrett's Space | Ann Arbor, MI | General operating support | $130,000 |
| Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens | Goleta, CA | The center for urban agriculture at fairview gardens re-design/re-build - challenge grant | $100,000 |
| Foodbank of Santa Barbara County | Goleta, CA | Nutritional equity through education | $100,000 |
| Garrett's Space | Ann Arbor, MI | Build garrett's space: bringing hope to life | $100,000 |
| Moxi the Wolf Museum of Exploration Innovation | Santa Barbara, CA | General operating support for accessibility programs | $100,000 |
| New Village Girls Academy | Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $100,000 |
| Union Rescue Mission | Los Angeles, CA | Hope gardens family center - children & youth programs | $100,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Kansas City, MO | Charitable purposes | $85,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Kansas City, MO | Charitable purposes | $85,000 |
| Outward Bound Adventures Inc | Pasadena, CA | Outward bound adventure's youth advisory council | $84,000 |
| Heal the Ocean | Santa Barbara, CA | Challenge grant - summerland oil mitigation study (soms) | $75,000 |
| International Community Foundation | National City, CA | General operating support | $75,000 |
| The Turner Foundation - Since 1958 | Santa Barbara, CA | The community learning centers | $75,000 |
| Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA | Pasadena, CA | General operating support | $70,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Lake County | Waukegan, IL | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Exact path and collegebound/future pathways | $50,000 |
| Door of Hope | Pasadena, CA | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Fulfillment Fund | Los Angeles, CA | Program support for college access and success | $50,000 |
| Heal the Ocean | Santa Barbara, CA | Summerland oil mitigation study | $50,000 |
| Human Resource Development Council (Hrdc) | Bozeman, MT | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Jenesse Center Inc | Los Angeles, CA | Supporting services for under-served children and youth of domestic violence victims and survivors | $50,000 |
| Kids in the Spotlight Inc | Burbank, CA | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Labelle Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Ocean Conservancy Inc | Washington, DC | Global ghost gear initiative | $50,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County | Irvine, CA | Youth educational programming at harvest solutions farm | $50,000 |
| The Trust for Public Land | Los Angeles, CA | Los angeles green schoolyards program | $50,000 |
| Kohl Childrens Museum of Greater Chicago Inc | Glenview, IL | General operating support | $45,000 |
| Moms Against Fluoridation | Asheville, NC | General operating support | $45,000 |
| Power of Polo | Berkshire, UK | General operating support | $44,835 |
| Girls Group | Ann Arbor, MI | General operating support | $40,000 |
| Santa Barbara City College Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | Support for first time college student scholarships | $35,000 |
| Breakthrough T1d (Fka Jdrf) | Hagerstown, MD | For the "improving lives" area of concern for type one diabetes | $30,000 |
| Fractured Atlas Inc | New York, NY | Clapping hands farm | $30,000 |
| Union Station Homeless Services | Pasadena, CA | General operating support | $30,000 |
| Chase Animal Rescue and Sanctuary Inc | Webster, FL | General operating support | $25,000 |
| Hillsides | Pasadena, CA | General operating support | $25,000 |
| Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Inc | Santa Barbara, CA | Botanic garden back country project ($25K per year for 4 years) | $25,000 |
| Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History | Santa Barbara, CA | School and teacher services programs for title 1 schools | $25,000 |
| Santa Barbara Partners in Education | Santa Barbara, CA | Job readiness and training | $25,000 |
| Yosemite Conservancy | San Francisco, CA | Trail rehabilitation and access | $25,000 |
| Beloved Asheville | Asheville, NC | Hurricane helene relief | $20,000 |
| Fluoride Action Network | Essex Junction, VT | General operating support | $20,000 |
| National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | New York, NY | General operating support | $20,000 |
| National Network of Abortion Funds | Beaverton, OR | General operating support | $20,000 |
| North American Society of Laser Therapy Applications | Carsbad, CA | General operating support | $20,000 |
| Northwest Abortion Access Fund | Eugene, OR | General operating support | $20,000 |
| Physicians and Patients Reclaiming Medicine | Berkeley, CA | General operating support | $20,000 |
| Sistersong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective | Atlanta, GA | General operating support | $20,000 |
| Trust Women Foundation Inc | Wichita, KS | General operating support | $20,000 |
| Porch Chapel Hill-Carrboro | Chapel Hill, NC | General operating support | $17,000 |
| American Red Cross | Boone, IA | Hurricane helene relief | $15,000 |
| Arctic Ice Project | Redwood City, CA | General operating support | $15,000 |
| Camp Unalayee | Palo Alto, CA | Governance training | $15,000 |
| Cartoon Art Museum | San Francisco, CA | General operating support | $15,000 |
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | Women of chapman - christmas at the ritz program | $15,000 |
| Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin Inc | Wausau, WI | Coffin family donor advised fund | $15,000 |
| Home Grown Community (Aka Many Hands Lifesharing Community) | Ypsilanti, MI | General operating support | $15,000 |
| Marine Conservation Biology Institute | Seattle, WA | General operating support | $15,000 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund | San Francisco, CA | Charitable purposes | $15,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 100 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outward Bound Adventures Inc | Pasadena, CA | Outward bound adventure's youth advisory council | $168,000 |
| E3m | Monprimblanc, | To support research on ai adjuvant exposure and autophagy impairment | $47,670 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,098,250 | 102 |
| 2023 | $3,389,750 | 84 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Oct 7, 2025 (amended) - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202542809349101204
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 95-3500491
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.