Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy Independent Grants
Patient Advocacy and Fundraising Charitable Grants for U.S.-Based Patient Organizations
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy offers independent grants to eligible U.S.-based nonprofit organizations working to improve patient health, health care quality, disease awareness, patient education, access to medicines and vaccines, and health equity. The program includes two types of support: Patient Advocacy Grants and Fundraising Charitable Grants.
Organization: Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy
Support Type: Independent grants; patient advocacy grants; fundraising charitable grants
Geographic Focus: United States
About the Funder
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy supports nonprofit organizations that help patients, caregivers, and communities better understand diseases, access education, and navigate health-related challenges. The program follows internal and external compliance guidelines, rules, and regulations, and funding is reviewed independently based on eligibility and alignment with Merck’s areas of interest.
What This Program Supports
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy offers two types of independent grant support:
Patient Advocacy Grants
Patient Advocacy Grants may support U.S.-based nonprofit patient organizations focused on improving patient health and health care quality through education and selected activities.
Grant-supported activities may focus on:
Increasing disease awareness
Improving patient education and patient care
Improving societal access to medicines and vaccines
Reducing health disparities
Merck will consider programmatic and educational activities that align with one of its therapeutic areas of interest.
Examples of eligible activities may include:
Live and virtual programs or symposiums
Podcasts
Webcasts
Newsletters
Print materials
Social media
Website content
Videos
In some cases, Merck may provide a submission code to help direct the request during the application process.
Fundraising Charitable Grants
Fundraising Charitable Grants may support U.S.-based nonprofit charitable organizations or institutions raising funds for U.S. healthcare-related charitable causes or other community-based charitable fundraising initiatives.
Merck will consider fundraising requests that support U.S. healthcare-based programs or events aligned with one of its therapeutic areas of interest.
Examples of fundraising events may include:
Runs
Walks
Galas
In some cases, Merck may provide a submission code to help direct the request during the application process.
Eligible Support Types
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy grants may support:
Patient advocacy programs
Patient education initiatives
Disease awareness activities
Health care quality improvement education
Health disparity reduction initiatives
Healthcare-related charitable fundraising events
Community-based charitable fundraising initiatives
Eligibility & Preferences
Patient Advocacy Grants
Eligible applicants may include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations registered as 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organizations, including:
Patient and advocacy organizations
Professional societies conducting patient advocacy programs
Eligible organizations must have a demonstrated track record of successfully implementing patient advocacy activities similar to the work for which they are requesting funding.
Fundraising Charitable Grants
Eligible applicants may include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations registered as 501(c)(3) organizations.
Applicants should be patient or advocacy organizations whose primary purpose is to raise funds to support the charitable mission of the organization.
Ineligible Requests
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy provides additional guidance on what may disqualify Patient Advocacy Grant and Fundraising Charitable Grant requests. Applicants should carefully review the current eligibility and disqualification criteria before applying.
Requests must comply with applicable internal and external compliance guidelines, rules, and regulations.
Funding Amounts
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy does not publish standard award amounts for these grant types. Funding amounts may vary based on the request type, activity, eligibility, alignment with Merck’s therapeutic areas of interest, and compliance review.
Timeline & Review
📅 Application Timeline: Not specified
📅 Review Type: Independent grant review
📅 Submission Notes: Some applicants may receive a submission code to help direct their request
Applicants should review Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy’s grant guidance before applying to confirm the appropriate grant type, eligibility requirements, and submission process.
Application / Request Process
Applicants should determine whether their request is best categorized as a Patient Advocacy Grant or a Fundraising Charitable Grant before beginning the application process.
Strong requests should clearly demonstrate:
Alignment with one of Merck’s therapeutic areas of interest
A clear patient advocacy, patient education, healthcare, or charitable fundraising purpose
Eligible U.S.-based nonprofit status
A demonstrated track record of related work
Compliance with Merck’s grant guidelines and requirements
Apply / Learn More:
➡️ Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy Grant Types
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Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.
Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit
This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:
Focus on patient advocacy or patient education
Serve patients, caregivers, or healthcare communities in the United States
Work to increase disease awareness or improve patient care
Address access to medicines, vaccines, or healthcare information
Seek to reduce health disparities
Raise funds for healthcare-related charitable causes
Have a strong track record of implementing similar programs or fundraising activities
Merck U.S. Patient Advocacy Independent Grants are best suited for established U.S.-based patient advocacy organizations, professional societies, and healthcare-related charitable organizations with programs aligned to Merck’s therapeutic areas of interest.
Corporate Grants Guide Notes
Review Type: Independent grant review
Typical Lead Time: Review current Merck USPA guidance before applying; timelines are not specified
Best Suited For: U.S.-based patient advocacy organizations, professional societies, and healthcare-related charitable organizations