Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation
The Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1999 and based in Providence, Rhode Island. Located at 50 Kennedy Plaza, 18th Floor, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors and geographic regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$179.5M
+3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.8M
+124.3% YoY
Grant Count
14
-41.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$630K
+284.5% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Higher education
- The arts
- Health
- Children, youth, and social services
- Education
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation made 43 grants in 2023. Notable recent grants include:
Average Grant
amount: $382,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Rhode Island
- New York
- Massachusetts
These three states account for approximately 88% of all grants. The foundation's grantmaking also reaches organizations across six states total, including New Jersey, California, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (Most Recent Data):
- Total assets: $179,534,729 (2024)
- Total assets: $174,217,203 (2023)
- Total revenues: $16,217,563 (2024)
- Total revenues: $9,396,755 (2023)
- Total giving: $8,814,750 (2024)
- Total expenses: $10,700,000 (2024)
- Total expenses: $5,874,911 (2023)
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $33.3 million in 2011 to $179.5 million in 2024, demonstrating significant growth in the foundation's endowment.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $179,534,729 | $174,217,203 | $180,007,191 |
| Revenue | $16,217,563 | $9,396,755 | $36,284,929 |
| Expenses | $10,705,620 | $5,874,911 | $7,915,050 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,814,750 | $3,930,250 | $6,010,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,975,073 | $2,740,129 | $26,955,325 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,496,378 | $9,100,929 | $8,531,686 |
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
94 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Institute for Advanced Study ($3,550,000), The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund ($2,300,000), The Rockefeller University ($2,100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALTA COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT ALTA, UT | PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS IN ALTA, UTAH. | $1,000 |
| 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 |
| FOUNDATION TO COMBAT ANTISEMINISM FOXBOROUGH, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| HARC FOUNDATION MARINA DEL REY, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CAMBRIDGE, MA | EDUCATIONAL - TO SUPPORT STUDENTS NEEDS | $200,000 |
| 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 |
| MALARIA NO MORE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| RHODE ISLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY PROVIDENCE, RI | SERVES THE COMMUNITY AS A RESOURCE FOR EDUCATION, CONSERVATION AND RECREATION. | $2,500 |
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jonathan M Nelson is the founder and CEO of Providence Equity Partners. He has committed to The Giving Pledge, pledging to give away at least half of his wealth to philanthropy.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JONATHAN M NELSON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DAVID K DUFFELL | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JANE S NELSON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
- Phone: 401-751-1700
- Address: 50 Kennedy Plaza, 18th Floor, Providence, RI 02903-2393
- EIN: 05-0504814
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Higher education • The arts • Health • Children, youth, and social services • Education • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $250 to $6,000,000 • Average grant amount: $382,000 • Median grant amount: $23,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 43 grants in 2023. Notable recent grants include: • New York-Presbyterian Fund: $1,000,000 • The Rockefeller University: $625,000 • Brown University: $500,000 The foundation has supported 25 unique organizations across its grantmaking history.
Where does Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Rhode Island • New York • Massachusetts These three states account for approximately 88% of all grants. The foundation's grantmaking also reaches organizations across six states total, including New Jersey, California, and Virginia.
What size grants does Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $8.8M — an average of about $630K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jonathan M Nelson Family Foundation'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.
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