Harry a Merlo Foundation Inc
Hillsboro, OR · EIN 94-3086742. Reported 104 grants totalling $3,111,300 to 77 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Harry a Merlo Foundation Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $25,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $50,000; the smallest was $500 and the largest $125,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Oregon University Foundation | Lagrande, OR | $301,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Catholic Charities | Portland, OR | $250,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| De La Salle North Catholic | Portland, OR | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Eastwood Ranch Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $175,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Eastside Timbers | Gresham, OR | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Hope for the Homeless Foundation | Portland, OR | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Univerity of Portland | Portland, OR | $115,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Providence St Vincent Heart Program | Portland, OR | $102,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| California Water Fowl | Roseville, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Freedom Foundation | Salem, OR | $65,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Alexander Valley Healthcare | Cloverdale, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Body Vox | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Catholic Youth Organization | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Hopewell House | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Imbler Education Foundation | Imbler, OR | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lighthouse Financial Foundation | Vancouver, WA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Paws for Purple Hearts | Penngrove, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Portland Tennis and Education | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Ranger's Scholarship Fund | Fort Benning, GA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Anthony's Catholic School | Tigard, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation | Staten Island, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Univerity of Portland School of Nursing | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Youth Music Project | West Linn, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Music Workshop | Portland, OR | $42,800 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Peaceful Presence Project | Bend, OR | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Great Medorg | Portland, OR | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tunnel to Towers | Staten Island, NY | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| CASA for Children | Portland, OR | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dove Lewis | Portland, OR | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Helping Hands Re-Entry Center | Gearhart, OR | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Rangers Scholarship Fund | Fort Benning, GA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Stirling City Volunteer Department | Stirling City, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Catholic School Endownment Fund | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Clackamas Volunteers in Medicine | Oregon City, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Crossroads Carnegie Art | Baker City, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Junior Achievement of Oregon & Sw Washington Biz Town | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Readin Results | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Reading Results | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Andrew's Nativity School | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Vietnam War Memorial | Boring, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Albertina Kerr Centers | Portland, OR | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Arlington Club Heritage Foundation | Portland, OR | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Carmilite Monastery | Cody, WY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Center for Hope and Safety | Salem, OR | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| New Mount Carmel Foundation Inc | Cody, WY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Rotary Club of Healdsburg Sunrise | Healdsburg, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| My Voice Music | Portland, OR | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Almanor Fishing Association | Chester, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Als Foundation of Oregon & Sw Washington | Portland, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bravo Youth Orchestra | Portland, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Butte Ag Foundation | Durham, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Community Cycling Center | Portland, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Into the Wild Outdoors | Stafford, AZ | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Oregon Historical Society | Portland, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants | Beaverton, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Peace Officers Relief & Education Fund | Sacramento, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spartan Sword | Jacksonville, FL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Mary's Home for Boys | Beaverton, OR | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Youth Villages Oregon | Lake Oswego, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hoyt Arboretium Friends | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hoyt Arboretum | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Impact Nw | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Inga Thompson Foundation | Halfway, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Marietta First Baptist Church | Marietta, SC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| National Smokejumper Association | Missoula, MT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Oregon Consular Corps | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pacific University of Oregon | Forest Grove, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Portland Tennis & Education | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Run-With-Neil | Scappoose, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Russell Museum | Great Falls, MT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Zack Packard Memorial Foundation | Hillsboro, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Windsor Christian Academy | Windsor, CA | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Play It Forward | Portland, OR | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Museum of Flight | Seattle, WA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Providence St Vincent Hospital | Portland, OR | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kids N' Tennis | Milwaukie, OR | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
20 of 77 (26%) received money in more than one year over the 3 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 54%, across 1 year-to-year transition. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Catholic Charities
COMMUNITY HOUSING PROJECTS - Eastern Oregon University Foundation
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AGRICULTURE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT FUND - Hope for the Homeless Foundation
GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT TO SOLVE THE HOMELESS PROBLEM - De La Salle North Catholic
GYMNASIUM CONSTRUCTION 2020-2022 PLEDGE - Eastwood Ranch Foundation
FACILITY CONSTRUCTION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN 2021-2024 PLEDGE - Univerity of Portland
MERLO FIELD IMPROVEMENT FUND, SCHOOL OF NURSING, ATHLETICS GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 55 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29 | $829,500 | $20,000 |
| 2022 | 31 | $1,207,500 | $25,000 |
| 2024 | 44 | $1,074,300 | $17,500 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 76% of this one's giving went to organizations in Oregon. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $25,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Oregon.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Harry a Merlo Foundation Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 3 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 2250 Ne 25TH Avenue, Hillsboro, OR, 97124. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 94-3086742 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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