Ruth and Peter Metz Family Foundation
The Ruth and Peter Metz Family Foundation is a grantmaking nonprofit that donates to abortion groups like Planned Parenthood and the Lilith Fund, and environmentalist groups like Earthjustice and the Natural Resources Defense Council. 1 It also donates to libraries, hospitals, and universities. The Foundation’s assets were valued at over $11.5 million 2 by the end of 2023 with the organization making $591,400 in grants that year. 1
Contents
Background
It was established in 1988 by the businessman Peter Metz Jr. after he sold his precious metal company, Metz Metallurgical Corporation, in 1986. The foundation originally donated to Presbyterian churches and Christian organizations like Habitat for Humanity. 3 The foundation is now run by Metz’s children and grandchildren who have expanded donations into environmentalist and health-care-related fields. 4
Peter Metz Jr. was the founder of the Ruth and Peter Metz Family Foundation. Metz was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1925 and grew up in Nutley, New Jersey. After graduating high school, he served in World War II, fighting in the European theater where he eventually met his wife Ruth. After the war he went to college, earned a degree in mechanical engineering, and moved back to New Jersey to work for his father’s small metal refining company. Metz took over the company and grew it into a precious metals refining company that employed over 200 people. In 1986 he retired and sold the company. 5
With his wealth, Metz started the Ruth and Peter Metz Family Foundation. Metz founded the Community Presbyterian Church of Mountainside in 1954 and the Habitat for Humanity in Plainfield, New Jersey. He created a scholarship fund at the New Jersey Institute of Technology that helped 25 students pay for college. Metz passed away in 2014 leaving his wealth to his children and grandchildren. 5
Grantmaking
Earthjustice
Earthjustice is a public interest law firm that deals with climate and energy policy litigation for organizations like Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and the Environmental Defense Fund. 6 In 2023, it claimed total assets of $297,417,741 7 and reported $139,607013 8 in revenue. It provides litigation for cases which support ending the use of gas and oil, implementing weather dependent energy sources like wind and solar, and maintaining the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. 9 The Ruth and Peter Metz Family Foundation donated $1,750 to Earthjustice in 2023. 1
Lilith Fund
Lilith Fund is an abortion advocacy group that runs a hotline and offers financial aid to women looking to have an abortion. 10 It supports left-wing ideologies, arguing that “white supremacy and anti-Blackness create violence and harm in our society.” 11 In 2023, it claimed $8,361,932 in total assets and $354,605 in net revenue. 12 In 2023 the Ruth and Peter Metz Foundation donated $1,750 to the Lilith Fund. 1
Other Grantees
In 2023, Ruth and Peter Metz Family Foundation’s grantees included Wikimedia Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Earthjustice, Intervale Center, American Whitewater, Natural Resources Defense Council, Lilith Fund, and Partners in Health. 1
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
Highest Earning Employees
| Employee | Title | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas C Phelan | SEC'Y | $2,000 |
| Michael M Metz | CO-PRES/TREAS | $1,250 |
Grant Activity
All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $6,328,829
- Number of Grants: 766
- Number of Recipients: 253
Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years: