Fred and Donna Nives Foundation
The Fred and Donna Nives Foundation is a private foundation based in Stamford, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including animal welfare, guide and service dogs, hearing services, and education and research.
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation at a glance
In short: Fred and Donna Nives Foundation gave $1.8M across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $67K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,800,000
- +120.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +237.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $66,667
- -34.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $32,000
- Total assets
- $65,337,814
- +61.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (28% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Fred and Donna Nives Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co M Meehan 263 Tresser Blvd Fl7, Stamford, CT 06901-3236
Phone: (203) 984-2540
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fred and Donna Nives Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Adopt-a-Dog Inc ($150K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 48 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to New York (28%), Connecticut (20%), and Florida (18%), followed by Virginia (8%) and Utah (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Fred and Donna Nives Foundation gives
- 26% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 2669% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 73% 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 (2025). 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
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2021) to $1.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt-a-Dog Inc Greenwich, CT | General Operating Support. | $150,000 |
| Farm Sanctuary Inc Watkins Glen, NY | General Operating Support. | $150,000 |
| Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Inc Bloomfield, CT | To support the guide dog partnership program to breed, train, and place german shepherd guide dogs with blind clients. | $150,000 |
| Guiding Eyes for the Blind Inc Yorktown Heights, NY | To Support Guide Dog Training Program. | $150,000 |
| People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Inc (Peta) Norfolk, VA | To support the peta community animal project and the mobile clinics division. | $150,000 |
| University of Florida Foundation Inc Gainesville, FL | To Support the University of Florida Veterinary School. | $150,000 |
| Best Friends Animal Society Kanab, UT | To support no-kill adoption center in New York city. | $125,000 |
| K9S for Warriors Inc Ponte Vedra, FL | To support warrior/service dog pairing program and public access training. | $125,000 |
| Animal Legal Defense Fund Sacramento, CA | General Operating Support. | $115,000 |
| Center for Hearing and Communication New York, NY | General Operating Support. | $100,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,337,814 | $23,065,350 | $2,426,403 | $1,800,000 | 27 | $2,000,450 | $2,844,518 | $2,741,049 |
| 2024 | $40,371,286 | $3,239,285 | $1,207,101 | $815,000 | 8 | $912,770 | $1,144,761 | $1,858,698 |
| 2023 | $35,750,962 | $6,505,750 | $389,435 | $85,000 | 5 | $148,925 | $555,330 | $1,384,124 |
| 2022 | $26,137,058 | $21,687,438 | $327,520 | $65,000 | 5 | $91,808 | $346,958 | $1,173,252 |
| 2021 | $7,218,319 | $5,191,502 | $131,424 | $20,000 | 3 | $101,678 | $72,750 | $107,220 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fred and Donna Nives Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied charitable missions. For example, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation says it promotes independence for blind people by providing guide dogs, while Adopt-A-Dog says it works to save, socialize, and find homes for unwanted or abandoned dogs. Farm Sanctuary describes its work as pursuing solutions to end animal agriculture through education and policy advocacy. Center for Hearing and Communication says it provides services to people affected by hearing loss, deafness, or listening challenges. The President and Fellows of Harvard College describes its mission as education and research across academic domains.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $1,800,000. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $150,000, with a median of $32,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $150,000 each to Adopt-A-Dog, Farm Sanctuary, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the University of Florida Foundation. Other grants included $125,000 to Best Friends Animal Society and K9s for Warriors, $115,000 to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and $100,000 to the Center for Hearing and Communication.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Annie Angellino, Andre Bohy, Susan C Frunzi, Linda A Van Kooy, Paul Rampell, and William D Zabel as trustees. William D Zabel’s listing is marked through August 21, 2025.
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andre Bohy
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Annie Angellino
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda A. Van Kooy
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Rampell
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan C. Frunzi
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William D. Zabel
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Fred and Donna Nives Foundation
How much does Fred and Donna Nives Foundation give each year?
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation gave $1.8M across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $815K across 8 grants.
What is Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's typical grant size?
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $32,000, and its average grant was $66,667, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Fred and Donna Nives Foundation give grants?
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's top state is New York, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (20%) and Florida (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greenwich, CT (4 grants), Cambridge, MA (2 grants) and Katonah, NY (2 grants).
Does Fred and Donna Nives Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 44% of Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's largest grantees?
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Adopt-a-Dog Inc ($150,000), Farm Sanctuary Inc ($150,000) and Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Inc ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fred and Donna Nives Foundation?
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation reported $65.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (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 Fred and Donna Nives Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied charitable missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fred and Donna Nives Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's EIN?
Fred and Donna Nives Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7390002. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Fred and Donna Nives Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Fred and Donna Nives Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fred and Donna Nives Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fred-and-donna-nives-foundation-morg_461f3bce7cf04e39aa9aced942248459
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137390002_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fred and Donna Nives Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fred-and-donna-nives-foundation-morg_461f3bce7cf04e39aa9aced942248459},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Fred and Donna Nives 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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