Nelson Talbott Foundation
The Nelson Talbott Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC, established in July 1949. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a broad geographic reach across the United States. The foundation is managed by a board of trustees who serve without compensation.
Key facts about Nelson Talbott Foundation
- EIN
- 31-6039441
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $270,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 65
- Average grant
- $4,154
- Median grant
- $1,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (27 of 65, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,250,607
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (23% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Nelson Talbott Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Nelson Talbott Foundation's 65 itemized 2025 grants were District of Columbia (23%), New York (21%) and Pennsylvania (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (10 grants), Washington, DC (9 grants), New York, NY (7 grants) and Bala Cynwyd, PA (3 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Nelson Talbott Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 27 of 65 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Nelson Talbott Foundation
- How to evaluate Nelson Talbott Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.3M
-1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$270K
+21.6% YoY
Grant Count
65
-4.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+27.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nelson Talbott Foundation reported a distributable amount of $264K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
**: Awards typically range from $100 to $42,400
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Nelson Talbott Foundation supports a wide geographic area across the United States, including:
- Major urban centers: New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia
- Smaller towns and communities
- States with documented funding activity include: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 65 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2024–2025):
- Total Assets: $3.25–$5.4 million
- Annual Revenue: $86,300–$189,311
- Annual Expenses: $251,863–$252,000
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $200,000–$270,000
The foundation maintains a stable financial position with no outstanding liabilities.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,250,607 | $3,289,646 | $3,352,200 |
| Revenue | $262,915 | $189,311 | $86,272 |
| Expenses | $301,954 | $251,863 | $227,749 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $270,000 | $222,000 | $200,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $230,961 | $159,448 | $58,771 |
| Distributable Amount | $263,860 | $238,537 | $210,262 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
329 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Thisisplace Foundation ($25,000), Conservation Ctr for Art & Historic ($20,150), Horizons Greater Washington ($19,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THISISPLACE FOUNDATION Bethesda, MD | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $25,000 |
| CONSERVATION CTR FOR ART & HISTORIC Philadelphia, PA | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $20,150 |
| HORIZONS GREATER WASHINGTON Washington, DC | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $19,500 |
| NY SOCIETY LIBRARY TRUSTEES New York, NY | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $17,000 |
| SPRINGS FOOD PANTRY East Hampton, NY | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $15,500 |
| WYCK ASSOCIATION Philadelphia, PA | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $12,500 |
| HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL Shaker HTS, OH | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $11,000 |
| BROOKINGS INSTITUTION Washington, DC | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| MARET SCHOOL Washington, DC | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| SUN VALLEY WRITERS CONFERENCE Monterey, CA | GENERAL NEEDS OR PURPOSE | $8,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by the following trustees, all serving without compensation:
- Andrew Fabens III
- EP Talbott
- Mary J Talbott
- Kirk Talbott
- Melissa R Marshall
- Nelson S Talbott III
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Fabens III | Trustee | — | — |
| Ep Talbott | Trustee | — | — |
| Mary J Talbott | Trustee | — | — |
| Kirk Talbott | Trustee | — | — |
| Melissa R Marshall | Trustee | — | — |
| Nelson S Talbott III | Trustee | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Nelson Talbott Foundation?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics: • **Grant Range**: Awards typically range from $100 to $42,400 • **Grant Median**: Approximately $1,000 • **Grant Maximum**: $25,000 • **Annual Distribution**: Recent annual giving totals approximately $200,000–$270,000 • **Grant Count**: The foundation distributed 68 grants in the most recent reporting period The foundation does not maintain a public website or specified subject areas for its funding.
Where does Nelson Talbott Foundation make grants?
The Nelson Talbott Foundation supports a wide geographic area across the United States, including: • Major urban centers: New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia • Smaller towns and communities • States with documented funding activity include: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
What size grants does Nelson Talbott Foundation award?
In 2025, Nelson Talbott Foundation awarded 65 grants totaling $270K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Nelson Talbott Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Nelson Talbott Foundation reported a distributable amount of $264K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Nelson Talbott Foundation's EIN?
Nelson Talbott Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6039441. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.