The Wisconsin State Capitol

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 46-5353484

The Merle S Cahn Foundation

A private foundation in Madison, WI. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 17 grants and $675,000 paid in grants.

Tax year 2025 (period ending Feb 28, 2026), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Preselected only

The return checks the box saying the foundation gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets and giving by year

6 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.
  • Tax year 2025

    $675,000

    Grants listed
    17
    Assets, end of year
    $6,973,622
  • Tax year 2024

    $675,000

    Grants listed
    17
    Assets, end of year
    $7,188,986
  • Tax year 2023

    $640,000

    Grants listed
    16
    Assets, end of year
    $7,051,263
  • Tax year 2022

    $635,000

    Grants listed
    16
    Assets, end of year
    $7,579,006
  • Tax year 2021

    $641,000

    Grants listed
    19
    Assets, end of year
    $8,159,315
  • Tax year 2020

    $643,000

    Grants listed
    19
    Assets, end of year
    $8,206,496

Grants paid in 2025

17 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. American Friends of Hebrew UniversityNew York, NY

    Program support

    $125,000
  2. Cancer Research InstituteNew York, NY

    Program support

    $125,000
  3. Fisher Cetner for Alzheimer Research FoundationNew York, NY

    Program support

    $125,000
  4. American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of ScienceNew York, NY

    Program support

    $85,000
  5. Valley of the Sun JCCScottsdale, AZ

    Program support

    $50,000
  6. New Israel FundNew York, NY

    Program support

    $25,000
  7. American Friends of Parents CircleNew York, NY

    Program support

    $25,000
  8. T'ruahNew York, NY

    Program support

    $25,000
  9. American Jewish Joint Distribution CommitteeNew York, NY

    Program support

    $20,000
  10. HiasSilver Spring, MD

    Program support

    $20,000
  11. Workers CircleNew York, NY

    Program support

    $10,000
  12. NPR FoundationWashington, DC

    Program support

    $10,000
  13. Israel Pef Endowments FundsNew York, NY

    Program support

    $10,000
  14. Good People FundMillburn, NJ

    Program support

    $5,000
  15. Encounter ProgramsNew York, NY

    Program support

    $5,000
  16. Friends of RootsEncino, CA

    Program support

    $5,000
  17. Pancreatic Cancer Action NetworkEl Segundo, CA

    Program support

    $5,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. International aid7 grants $185,00053% of the total
  2. Medical research1 grant $125,00036% of the total
  3. Philanthropy and grantmaking1 grant $25,0007% of the total
  4. Arts and culture1 grant $10,0003% of the total
  5. Health1 grant $5,0001% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. New York10 grants $555,000
  2. Arizona1 grant $50,000
  3. Pennsylvania1 grant $25,000
  4. Maryland1 grant $20,000
  5. California2 grants $10,000
  6. District of Columbia1 grant $10,000
  7. New Jersey1 grant $5,000

Officers, directors and trustees

2 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Charles B VetznerTRUSTEE Hours 2Pay $0
  • Stephen M VetznerTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $0

The return

More foundations

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Same main cause (international aid), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.

  1. Jack Deloss Taylor Charitable TrustMadison, WI 26 grants Accepts applications $743,000 giving
  2. The Eric D & Steven D Hovde FoundationMadison, WI 18 grants Preselected only $1,422,108 giving
  3. Hartley Family FoundationMilwaukee, WI 41 grants Accepts applications $641,500 giving
  4. Deena Hatch FoundationNecedah, WI 20 grants Preselected only $759,800 giving
  5. The Victor and Christine Anthony Family Foundation IncWaupaca, WI 44 grants Accepts applications $838,500 giving