Harry a Merlo Foundation Inc
Hillsboro, OR · EIN 94-3086742. Reported 133 grants totalling $4,115,242 to 87 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. 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 $35,000; the smallest was $500 and the largest $200,000. 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. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Oregon University Foundation | Lagrande, OR | $401,000 | 5 | 4 | 2025 |
| Catholic Charities | Portland, OR | $260,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Hope for the Homeless Foundation | Portland, OR | $250,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| De La Salle North Catholic | Portland, OR | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital | Santa Rosa, CA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Body Vox | Portland, OR | $181,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Eastwood Ranch Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $175,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Eastside Timbers | Gresham, OR | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| 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 |
| Lighthouse Financial Foundation | Vancouver, WA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Paws for Purple Hearts | Penngrove, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Ranger's Scholarship Fund | Fort Benning, GA | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Freedom Foundation | Salem, OR | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| St Anthony's Catholic School | Tigard, OR | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Music Workshop | Portland, OR | $70,600 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Great Medorg | Portland, OR | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Alexander Valley Healthcare | Cloverdale, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Catholic School Endownment Fund | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| 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 |
| Junior Achievement of Oregon & Sw Washington Biz Town | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Portland Tennis and Education | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| 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 |
| The Peaceful Presence Project | Bend, OR | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Tunnel to Towers | Staten Island, NY | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dove Lewis | Portland, OR | $33,325 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Carmilite Monastery | Cody, WY | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| CASA for Children | Portland, OR | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Helping Hands Re-Entry Center | Gearhart, OR | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| My Voice Music | Portland, OR | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Rangers Scholarship Fund | Fort Benning, GA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Stirling City Volunteer Department | Stirling City, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Clackamas Volunteers in Medicine | Oregon City, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Crossroads Carnegie Art | Baker City, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friend Firefighter International | Blodgett, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ohsu Foundation | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Oregon Jouralism Project | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| 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 |
| Center for Hope and Safety | Salem, OR | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community for a Thriving Oregon | Portland, OR | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| New Mount Carmel Foundation Inc | Cody, WY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Oregon Historical Society | Portland, OR | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Rotary Club of Healdsburg Sunrise | Healdsburg, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Play It Forward | Portland, OR | $13,317 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| 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 Society of Certified Public Accountants | Beaverton, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Our Giving Table | Portland, OR | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Peace Officers Relief & Education Fund | Sacramento, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sonoma Valley Fire District | Sonoma, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spartan Sword | Jacksonville, FL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Mary's Home for Boys | Beaverton, OR | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Sunrise Rotary Club of Healdsburg Foundation | Healdsburg, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| 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 |
| Porter Billups Leadership Academy | Denver, CO | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| 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 |
| Scappoose High School | Scappoose, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Zack Packard Memorial Foundation | Hillsboro, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Windsor Christian Academy | Windsor, CA | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Museum of Flight | Seattle, WA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Kids N' Tennis | Milwaukie, OR | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Providence St Vincent Hospital | Portland, OR | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
31 of 87 (36%) received money in more than one year over the 4 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 46%, across 2 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
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.
- Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN PLEDGE 2025-2029 - Body Vox
PROGRAM OPERATIONS FOR CHILDREN'S LOW COST DANCE CLASSES - 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
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 71 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
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 |
| 2025 | 29 | $1,003,942 | $25,000 |
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
73% of its giving went to organizations in Oregon. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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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 a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $25,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- 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 4 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
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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