The Maroon Bells above a meadow and lake near Aspen, Colorado
Foundation Lookup

Form 990-PFTax year 2024EIN 84-1232001

The Merlin Foundation

A private foundation in Boulder, CO. Its return for tax year 2024 lists 27 grants and $3.9 million paid in grants.

See which foundations fund work like yours Matching by cause, place and grant size

Tax year 2024 (period ending Nov 30, 2025), 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

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.

  • Tax year 2024

    $3,876,000

    Grants listed
    27
    Assets, end of year
    $8,864,134

  • Tax year 2023

    $5,110,000

    Grants listed
    28
    Assets, end of year
    $12,329,121

  • Tax year 2022

    $3,530,000

    Grants listed
    17
    Assets, end of year
    $15,646,516

  • Tax year 2021

    $7,800,000

    Grants listed
    22
    Assets, end of year
    $11,755,104

  • Tax year 2020

    $6,127,000

    Grants listed
    26
    Assets, end of year
    $9,456,079

  • Tax year 2019

    $3,353,000

    Grants listed
    25
    Assets, end of year
    $12,645,953

  • Tax year 2018

    $3,815,000

    Grants listed
    16
    Assets, end of year
    $8,666,999

  • Tax year 2017

    $1,840,956

    Grants listed
    18
    Assets, end of year
    $1,244,634

Grants paid in 2024

27 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. World Wildlife FundWashington, DC

    General purpose

    $1,100,000
  2. The Nature ConservancyArlington, VA

    General purpose

    $1,000,000
  3. Earthjustice League Defense FundSan Francisco, CA

    General purpose

    $250,000
  4. The Wilderness SocietyWashington, DC

    General purpose

    $250,000
  5. Heroes ProjectWashington, DC

    General purpose

    $180,000
  6. Alaska Conservation FoundationAnchorage, AK

    General purpose

    $100,000
  7. Aspen Center for Environmental StudiesAspen, CO

    General purpose

    $100,000
  8. OceanaWashington, DC

    General purpose

    $100,000
  9. Outdoor AfroOakland, CA

    General purpose

    $100,000
  10. Save the Redwoods LeagueSan Francisco, CA

    General purpose

    $100,000
  11. Wildlife Conservation SocietyBronx, NY

    General purpose

    $100,000
  12. Alaska Wilderness LeagueWashington, DC

    General purpose

    $50,000
  13. American RiversWashington, DC

    General purpose

    $50,000
  14. Eo Wilson Biodiversity FoundationHillsborough, NC

    General purpose

    $50,000
  15. Wilderness Land TrustHelena, MT

    General purpose

    $50,000
  16. Wilderness WorkshopCarbondale, CO

    General purpose

    $50,000
  17. Open Space InstituteNew York, NY

    General purpose

    $30,000
  18. Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT

    General purpose

    $30,000
  19. American Friends of the Oxford Philharmonic OrchestraNew York, NY

    General purpose

    $25,000
  20. Colorado Open LandsLakewood, CO

    General purpose

    $25,000
  21. Conservacion AmazonicaLima, Peru

    General purpose

    $25,000
  22. Monterey Bay AquariumMonterey, CA

    General purpose

    $25,000
  23. Natura ArgentinaBuenos Aires, Argentina

    General purpose

    $25,000
  24. One Percent of the PlanetBurlington, VT

    General purpose

    $25,000
  25. Thorne Nature ExperienceBoulder, CO

    General purpose

    $25,000
  26. Xerces SocietyPortland, OR

    General purpose

    $10,000
  27. Early Learning Center of AspenAspen, CO

    General purpose

    $1,000

Where the money goes

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

  1. Environment13 grants $2,105,00094% of the total
  2. Animals2 grants $110,0005% of the total
  3. Arts and culture1 grant $25,0001% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. District of Columbia6 grants $1,730,000
  2. California5 grants $1,475,000
  3. Colorado5 grants $201,000
  4. New York3 grants $155,000
  5. Alaska1 grant $100,000
  6. North Carolina1 grant $50,000
  7. Washington1 grant $50,000
  8. Connecticut1 grant $30,000
  9. Vermont1 grant $25,000
  10. Oregon1 grant $10,000

Officers, directors and trustees

3 people as filed

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

  • Thomas A BarronPRESIDENT Hours 10Pay $0
  • Currie C BarronDIRECTOR Hours 10Pay $0
  • Jana LynnDIRECTOR Hours 3Pay $0

The return

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