Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation
The Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Providence, Rhode Island. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations working in areas that include scholarship and research, education, the arts, and community services.
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation gave $8.8M across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $630K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,814,750
- +124.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -41.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $629,625
- +284.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $179,534,729
- +3.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (50% 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 Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Jonathan M Nelson as the contact, says there is no standard format for applications, and reports no restrictions on awards. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- No deadlines are listed.
- Deadline
- No deadlines are listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Jonathan M Nelson
Mailing address: C/O Providence Equity Partners Inc, 50 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 751-1700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Institute for Advanced Study ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $8.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
94 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 94 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were reported as 50% to recipients in New York, 40% in New Jersey, 8% in Massachusetts, 1% in California, and less than 1% in Rhode Island. The reported grants also included recipients in Washington, DC, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation gives
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 717% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 84% 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2021) to $8.8M (2024). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $8.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, NJ | The institute exists to encourage and support fundamental scholarship the original, often speculative, thinking that produces advances in knowledge that change the way we understand the world. | $3,550,000 |
| The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund New York, NY | To foster innovative ideas, solving economic and social issues, and enabling progress in underserved communities globally. | $2,300,000 |
| The Rockefeller University New York, NY | To Support Annual Fund | $2,100,000 |
| Foundation to Combat Antiseminism Foxborough, MA | General Support | $500,000 |
| Harvard Business School Cambridge, MA | Educational - to Support Students Needs | $200,000 |
| Harc Foundation Marina Del Rey, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Malaria No More Washington, DC | General Support | $25,000 |
| Trinity Repertory Company Providence, RI | To promote the appreciation of theatre through theatrical production that stimulate, educate and engage the community. | $15,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | To provide education and prepare students to serve the community, nation and the world by communicating and preserving knowledge | $10,000 |
| Community Word Project New York, NY | To Support Arts in Education | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $179,534,729 | $16,217,563 | $10,705,620 | $8,814,750 | 14 | $8,814,750 | $14,975,073 | $10,496,378 |
| 2023 | $174,217,203 | $9,396,755 | $5,874,911 | $3,930,250 | 24 | $3,930,250 | $2,740,129 | $9,100,929 |
| 2022 | $180,007,191 | $36,284,929 | $7,915,050 | $6,010,000 | 2 | $6,010,000 | $26,955,325 | $8,531,686 |
| 2021 | $156,185,249 | $81,812,729 | $2,277,081 | $1,078,500 | 11 | $1,078,500 | $58,389,847 | $8,436,277 |
| 2020 | $90,197,114 | $26,450,466 | $5,671,193 | $5,469,159 | 43 | — | $6,349,544 | $5,717,461 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for research and higher education, arts and education, and other organizations. The Institute for Advanced Study describes itself as a center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry; Rockefeller University describes its work as research and graduate education in the biomedical sciences and other fields. Trinity Repertory Company says it uses dramatic art and education programs to engage its community, while the Rhode Island Zoological Society describes its work as education, conservation, and recreation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $8,814,750. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $3,550,000, with a median of $20,000. Among its largest reported grants were $3,550,000 to the Institute for Advanced Study, $2,300,000 to the Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund, and $2,100,000 to Rockefeller University. Other reported grants included $500,000 to the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, $200,000 to Harvard Business School, and $100,000 to HARC Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jonathan M Nelson as director and David K Duffell and Jane S Nelson as trustees.
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David K. Duffell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jane S. Nelson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jonathan M. Nelson
Director
Trustee → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation
How much does Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation give each year?
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation gave $8.8M across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 24 grants.
What is Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $629,625, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation give grants?
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (40%) and Massachusetts (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Providence, RI (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 36% of Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Institute for Advanced Study ($3,550,000), The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund ($2,300,000) and The Rockefeller University ($2,100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 90% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation?
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation reported $179.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $10.5M (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 Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for research and higher education, arts and education, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation?
The filing lists Jonathan M Nelson as the contact, says there is no standard format for applications, and reports no restrictions on awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's EIN?
Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-0504814. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jonathan-m-nelson-family-foundation-morg_92dbd4a4ea3f42e5a8049221f64317fa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_050504814_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jonathan-m-nelson-family-foundation-morg_92dbd4a4ea3f42e5a8049221f64317fa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Jonathan M 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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