David J Nelson Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Salt Lake City, UT EIN: 46-3510689

The David J Nelson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Utah.

David J Nelson Family Foundation at a glance

In short: David J Nelson Family Foundation gave $22K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $818.222), mostly in Utah. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$22,092
+42.5% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
27
+92.9% vs 2023
Average grant
$818
-26.1% vs 2023
Median grant
$512
Total assets
$562,390
+1.3% vs 2023
Primary geography
Utah (73% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.

How to apply to David J Nelson Family Foundation

How to Apply

The 2024 filing names David J Nelson as the contact. It lists no application form, no deadlines, and no restrictions on awards.

Contact

Application contact: David J Nelson
Mailing address: 815 North Pointe Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Phone: (801) 243-1511

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who David J Nelson Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Habitat for Humanity: $2KHabitat for Humanity$2KRonald McDonald House: $2KRonald McDonald House$2KUtah Food Bank: $2KUtah Food Bank$2KUniversity of Utah: $2KUniversity of Utah$2KThe Children's Center: $1KThe Children's Center$1KPrimary Childrens Hospital: $1KPrimary Childrens Hospital$1KAlzhiemer Association: $1KAlzhiemer Association$1KThe Road Home: $1KThe Road Home$1KShriner's Hospital of Utah: $1KShriner's Hospital of Utah$1KYWCA of Utah: $1KYWCA of Utah$1K

The largest 2024 recipient was Habitat for Humanity ($2K). Together the top 10 received $14K.

Grant Size Distribution

53 grants across all recorded years

53<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 53 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, Utah recipients received 73% of grant dollars. Recipients in Georgia received 9%, while Illinois, New York, and Tennessee each received 5%.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.

Cities

Salt Lake CitySouth Salt Lake CityAmericusChicagoKanabMurrayNew YorkRivertonWest Valley CityDes MoinesFederal WayMemphisWashington

How David J Nelson Family Foundation gives

  • 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 1005% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 70% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K0 grants2019 1 grant2020 2 grants2021 9 grants2022 14 grants2023 27 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2021) to $22K (2024). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $22K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Habitat for Humanity Americus, GACharitable Purposes$2,000
Ronald McDonald House Salt Lake City, UTCharitable Purposes$2,000
Utah Food Bank South Salt Lake City, UTCharitable Purposes$2,000
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UTCharitable Purposes$1,840
The Children's Center West Valley City, UTCharitable Purposes$1,200
Primary Childrens Hospital Riverton, UTCharitable Purposes$1,100
Alzhiemer Association Chicago, ILCharitable Purposes$1,000
The Road Home Salt Lake City, UTCharitable Purposes$1,000
Shriner's Hospital of Utah Salt Lake City, UTCharitable Purposes$1,000
YWCA of Utah Salt Lake City, UTCharitable Purposes$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$562,390$109,122$23,542$22,09227$22,092$3,639$31,448
2023$554,957$113,519$17,959$15,50014$15,500$2,963$21,837
2022$455,296$104,912$6,400$4,8009$4,800$4,226$16,676
2021$280,446$132,001$2,450$2,0002$2,000$14,698$13,395
2020$229,891$67,875$6,100$5,5001—$480$7,825
2019$138,142$30,501$1,200———$501$5,477

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, David J Nelson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $31K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No specific mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including Utah Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, University of Utah, The Children’s Center, and The Road Home.

Grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Habitat for Humanity says it seeks to eliminate poverty housing and make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. The Road Home says its mission is to help individuals and families move out of homelessness and back into the community in Salt Lake County. Best Friends Animal Society describes its work as saving dogs and cats in shelters and making the country no-kill. Girl Scouts of Utah says it builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, while the P.E.O. Foundation says it supports the educational and charitable funds of the P.E.O. Sisterhood and provides scholarships for qualified women.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $22,092. Individual grants ranged from $50 to $2,000, with a median of $512. Among the largest reported grants were $2,000 each to Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, and Utah Food Bank; $1,840 to University of Utah; and $1,200 to The Children’s Center. Other reported grants included $1,100 to Primary Childrens Hospital and $1,000 each to The Road Home, Shriner’s Hospital of Utah, YWCA of Utah, St Judes Hospital, and Alta Club Foundation.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists David J Nelson as president, Molly Nelson as vice-president, and Craig McQuarrie as secretary/treasurer.

David J Nelson Family Foundation is led by David J. Nelson, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • David J. Nelson

    President

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Craig McQuarrie

    Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Molly Nelson

    Vice President

    On filings since 2019

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about David J Nelson Family Foundation

How much does David J Nelson Family Foundation give each year?

David J Nelson Family Foundation gave $22K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $16K across 14 grants.

What is David J Nelson Family Foundation's typical grant size?

David J Nelson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $512, and its average grant was $818, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does David J Nelson Family Foundation give grants?

David J Nelson Family Foundation gives mostly in Utah: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (15 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).

Who are David J Nelson Family Foundation's largest grantees?

David J Nelson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Habitat for Humanity ($2,000), Ronald McDonald House ($2,000) and Utah Food Bank ($2,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is David J Nelson Family Foundation?

David J Nelson Family Foundation reported $562K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $22K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does David J Nelson Family Foundation fund?

No specific mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations including Utah Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, University of Utah, The Children’s Center, and The Road Home. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from David J Nelson Family Foundation?

The 2024 filing names David J Nelson as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is David J Nelson Family Foundation's EIN?

David J Nelson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3510689. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 30, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 30, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 12, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 14, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from David J Nelson Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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