Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc
The Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Oakland, Nebraska, established in 2005. The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation with a focus on community development and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.4M
-16.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+38.8% YoY
Grant Count
12
+9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$155K
+27.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Community development
- Human services
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Education
Grantmaking
The foundation has made 81 grants totaling $5 million across available records. Annual giving has grown from $851,000 in 2020 to $2.4 million in 2022. The foundation reported total giving of $1,074,003 in recent filings.
Average Grant
amount: $61,000
Review Cycle
, or restrictions are publicly listed. The foundation appears possibly open to applications based on available indicators.
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides funding primarily in:
- Nebraska (concentrated grantmaking)
- Georgia
- Oklahoma
The foundation has supported 51 unique organizations across these states, with notable funding in cities including Omaha, Fremont, and Oklahoma City.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $16,532,670 to $19,604,858 (varies by reporting date)
- Assets have grown from $7.7 million in 2010 to $19.6 million in 2022
Annual Activity:
- Total giving: $1,074,003 (recent filing)
- Annual income: $9.9 million
- Recent expenses: $1,498,722
- Recent revenue: Negative $189,676
Contact Information:
- Address: PO Box 62, Oakland, NE 68045-0062
- Phone: 402-685-5647
- EIN: 20-2629290
- IRS Ruling Year: 2006
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,366,332 | $19,604,858 | $21,327,552 |
| Revenue | $1,898,030 | $-189,676 | $706,254 |
| Expenses | $2,035,271 | $1,498,722 | $1,378,501 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,860,060 | $1,340,500 | $1,207,278 |
| Net Investment Income | $646,592 | $629,746 | $804,069 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,046,056 | $1,087,109 | $1,177,453 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include City of West Point Ne ($1,000,000), Midlands Community Foundation ($200,000), Cuming County Economic Development Inc ($175,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RELAY FOR LIFE KENNESAW, GA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| WEST POINT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WEST POINT, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| TEKAMAH-HERMAN PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION TEKAMAH, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| HARTINGTON-NEWCASTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL HARTINGTON, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $26,460 |
| NEBRASKA STATE PATROL FOUNDATION LINCOLN, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $39,100 |
| OAKLAND HEIGHTS OAKLAND, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $48,000 |
| WALTHILL VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE DEPARTMENT WALTHILL, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| CITY OF LYONS NE LYONS, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $110,000 |
| UEHLING FIRE DISTRICT UEHLING, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| CUMING COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INC WEST POINT, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $175,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Clarence Mock - Director and President (5 hours per week, $31,500-$32,000 annual compensation)
- Sara A. Neilson / Sara J Rief - Director and Vice President (1 hour per week, $1,700 annual compensation)
- Jeff Baldwin - Director, Secretary, and Treasurer (1 hour per week, $10,000 annual compensation)
The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees with limited paid staffing.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLARENCE MOCK | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT | 5 | $31,500 |
| SARA J RIEF | DIRECTOR/VP | 1 | $1,667 |
| JEFF BALDWIN | DIRECTOR/SEC/TREASUR | 1 | $10,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Community development • Human services • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Education
How do I apply for a grant from Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,500 to $1,000,000 • Median grant amount: $62,000 • Average grant amount: $61,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $1,000 to $536,000 **Recent Activity:** The foundation has made 81 grants totaling $5 million across available records. Annual giving has grown from $851,000 in 2020 to $2.4 million in 2022. The foundation reported total giving of $1,074,003 in recent filings. **Application Process:** No formal application guidelines, deadline…
Where does Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation provides funding primarily in: • Nebraska (concentrated grantmaking) • Georgia • Oklahoma The foundation has supported 51 unique organizations across these states, with notable funding in cities including Omaha, Fremont, and Oklahoma City.
What size grants does Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc awarded 12 grants totaling $1.9M — an average of about $155K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc's EIN?
Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2629290. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Donald E Nielsen Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.