Merck Family Fund (MFF)

Background

George W. Merck established the Merck Family Fund in 1954. The family hired professional staff to run the organization, including its first executive director, in 1993. Early grants supported conservation in northeastern ecosystems, while a shift towards “socially responsible investing” came in the late 1990s and a “fossil fuel divestment” strategy came in 2013. A new strategic plan focused on “racial justice and equity” was launched in 2020. ¹

Programs and Advocacy

The Merck Family Fund’s mission is centered around an “intersectional” approach to “achieve environmental, social, and economic justice,” funding programs and outside groups to address “systemic inequalities.” ⁴

The Merck Family Fund’s Gateway Cities program targets Holyoke and New Bedford, Massachusetts, funding local projects and policy changes related to “climate change,” “health equity,” transportation, housing, and civic engagement. Trustees decided grants on November 8, 2025, allocating at least $450,000 per city ($900,000 total) to nonprofits. ⁵

The Merck Family Fund’s Massachusetts State Wide System Change program, launched in 2020, funds invitation-only statewide efforts to boost “justice and equity” in climate, housing, transportation, “health equity,” and democratic participation. The program is designed to build local advocacy capacity in Gateway Cities, expand voter engagement, ballot access, and representation for “historically underrepresented communities.” ⁶

The Merck Family Fund’s Effective Climate New York Coalitions program funds groups focused on “environmental and climate justice.” Coalitions use advocacy, organizing, and civic engagement for policy changes toward a “just and healthy, fossil free future.” It supports NY Renews and the Peak Coalition, with expansion planned. ⁷

The Merck Family Fund joined over 500 nonprofits in a July 16, 2025, letter opposing Congressional inquiries into groups receiving federal grants, calling them attempts to “weaponize” power against organizations that promote policies in opposition to the second Trump administration. ^{8  9}

Financials

In 2023, the Merck Family Fund reported total revenue of $2,856,107, driven largely by sales of assets ($1,688,126, or 59.1 percent) and dividends ($972,513, or 34.1 percent). Contributions received totaled $97,705 (3.4 percent), while interest revenue was $94,660 (3.3 percent). Expenses reached $4,031,536, with charitable disbursements of $4,119,946. Net income was -$1,175,429. Total assets stood at $62,426,771, liabilities at $441,765, and net assets at $61,985,006.

In 2023, the Merck Family Fund reported a $100,000 grant to the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), a left-of-center litigation group that opposes energy infrastructure projects in the United States. ^{10  11}

In 2023, the Merck Family Fund reported a $100,000 grant to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), a nonprofit organization that promotes weather-dependent energy sources and opposes nuclear power in the United States. ^{10  12}

In 2023, the Merck Family Fund reported a $90,000 grant to the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, a left-of-center nonprofit that advocates for left-of-center civil rights and economic positions through litigation. ^{10  13}

People

As of November 2025, Ruth Goldman was the executive director of the Merck Family Fund. Before taking over the executive director role in 2023, Goldman served as the program officer for 18 years, leading the youth, urban land, and democracy strategies. She is also a founder of the Funders’ Collaborative for Youth Organizing and Community Food Funders, and has previously served on the Newton School Committee. ^{14  15}

George W. Merck, heir to a family of chemists and pharmacists spanning three centuries, joined Merck & Co. in 1914. He worked across departments and became president in 1925. Merck established the Merck Family Fund as a private foundation in 1954. In 1929, he established an in-house research laboratory. He was director of the American Cancer Society, the American Forestry Association, the American Foundation for Tropical Medicine, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Save-the-Redwood League. ¹⁶