In 1954, George W. Merck established the Merck Family Fund with the dual aim of doing good with the resources acquired through the company's success and to assure the family had a regular opportunity to come together. Since 1955, the Merck Family Fund has awarded 1,574 grants totaling over $37 million to 500+ organizations. The Merck Family Fund’s mission is to restore and protect the natural environment, ensure a healthy planet for generations to come, and strengthen the social fabric and the physical landscape of the urban community. Currently, the Fund's programmatic areas include: land conservation in the Southeast, sustainable paper production, reduction in carbon emissions through carbon pricing policies and energy efficiency, and urban farming and youth leadership.