Merck Family Fund
/OVERVIEW: The Merck Family Fund focuses its conservation efforts on ecologically valuable land, and its climate change grantmaking on reducing CO2 emissions through the promotion and implementation of energy efficiency policies and carbon pricing mechanisms. It also supports community food efforts that engage youth.
IP TAKE: This funder’s various programs prioritize different states and geographic areas within the United States. Grantseekers need to be sure the program they are approaching does indeed support their region.
This is an accessible and approachable environmental funder. It likes to support its grantees in a variety of ways provided that they share the fund’s mission.
PROFILE: Established in 1954 by George W. Merck, then president of Merck & Co., Inc., the Merck Family Fund (MFF) broadly seeks to “to do good with resources acquired through the company’s success.” Specifically, the fund supports organizations restoring and protecting the natural environment and those strengthening urban communities. MFF works toward these goals through its grant programs of Conserving Ecologically Valuable Land, Reducing CO2 Emissions through Energy Efficiency and Carbon Pricing, Urban Farming and Youth Leadership and Making Paper Production Sustainable.
Grants for the Environment
The Merck Family Fund supports a range of environment and conservation organizations and programs across several focus areas.
Grants for Environmental Conservation
MFF’s conservation-related grants focus on urban sprawl, resource extraction, environmental protections, clean air, clean water, land conservation, land protections and sustainable forestry and farming management. MFF works toward these goals through two grant programs.
The Conserving Ecologically Valuable Land program seeks proposals that “advocate for and secure public financial resources and commitments to land protection” It also prioritizes proposals that “demonstrate community engagement and certified sustainable management of land particularly concerning forestry and farming.” The program’s geographic focus supports the American Southeast,” with priority given to the Southern Appalachians and the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia.”
Making Paper Production Sustainable program’s “goal is to increase the rates of recycled paper in large paper sectors, reduce sourcing from endangered forests, and maximize clean production.” As of 2019, Merck has scaled back this program’s grantmaking considerably, and will only provide support to a few longtime grantees. It remains to be seen going forward whether this program will be eliminated entirely, or whether the fund’s trustees will discover a renewed interest in the funding area.
To learn more about the types of conservation organizations MFF supports and at what level, grantseekers can review its Grants History.
Grants for Climate Change and Clean Energy
Reducing CO2 Emissions through Energy Efficiency and Carbon Pricing supports “efficiency policies and implementation efforts in the Northeast and Southeast.” Specifically, the fund supports a price on carbon emissions and “the development of political and economic drivers at the state and federal level to establish or expand carbon pricing mechanisms.” According to the foundation, “Without a price on carbon emissions, the cheapest and fastest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is through energy efficiency.” Other areas of interest include sustainable financial models for capital investments, utility-based efficiency programs, carbon pricing alternatives, residential and commercial codes and standards for energy efficiency.
To learn more about the types of climate change and clean energy organizations MFF supports and at what level, review its Grants History.
Grants for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Merck supports sustainable agriculture and food systems through its Urban Farming and Youth Leadership program. The fund views growing food in a community as essential for health and nutrition, job training, environmental sustainability, and the creation of social capital. It funds “programs in low-income urban areas that are harnessing the power of young people to create urban farms and local markets.” It seeks proposals that “provide high quality leadership development and employment for youth, support highly productive urban farming projects and increase local access to fresh food, and engage residents in food access and food security issues in the community.” For this program, Merck prioritizes projects focused in Massachusetts, New York City, and Philadelphia.
To learn more about the types of agriculture and food systems organizations MFF supports and at what level, review its Grants History.
Important Grant Details:
Grants typically range from $10,000 to $100,000. MFF accepts letters of inquiry on a rolling basis. Submissions are typically due around the middle of January and July for decisions made in the following grant cycles.
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