Sparkplug Award

John Merck Fund

The Sparkplug Award was established to honor the late Frank Hatch, chair of the John Merck Fund from 1987 to 2006. It recognizes outstanding leaders whose work has contributed significantly to achieving the purposes of the fund while embodying the extraordinary creativity, dedication and foresight that marked Frank Hatch’s 19 years at JMF’s helm.

The award is made in the form of a grant. Recipients can be at any stage of their career, from formative to mature, and can decide, with JMF consultation, whether the grant funds will go directly to themselves and/or to their organizations. Awardees are selected annually by the JMF Board of Trustees.