The John Merck Fund (JMF) is an independent non-profit foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1970, the foundation supports research into children's developmental disabilities, to build supply and demand for clean, renewable energy and reduce reliance on coal-fired power plants to improve the health and vitality of rural communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont by developing a sustainable food systems sector in the region and to eliminate persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals and to encourage comprehensive precaution-based chemicals policy reforms in states to provide both models and upward pressure for eventual reform at the federal level. The assets of the foundation are managed by the board of trustees.The John Merck Fund's investment portfolio is valued at $28.07 million as of December 31, 2018, with investments in private equity, publicly-traded equities, fixed income securities, and cash.