Nielsen Scholarship Fund
Nielsen Scholarship Fund is a private foundation based in Spearman, Texas. It annually awards scholarships to high school graduates who have been accepted to an approved form of education beyond high school.
Nielsen Scholarship Fund at a glance
In short: Nielsen Scholarship Fund gave $3K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $281), mostly in Nebraska. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,372
- +40.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $281
- -6.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $246
- Total assets
- $121,985
- +1.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (58% 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 Nielsen Scholarship Fund
- How to Apply
-
Application requirements can be obtained from the individual identified in the filing. A recipient must graduate from the applicable school and be accepted to an approved form of education beyond high school.
- Review Cycle
- Deadlines vary to allow scholarships to be awarded before graduation.
- Deadline
- Deadlines vary to allow scholarships to be awarded before graduation.
- Contact
Application contact: Mr James Layman
Mailing address: 403 E 11Th Street, Spearman, TX 79081
Phone: (806) 659-2584
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Nielsen Scholarship Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Katie Sigala ($355). Together the top 10 received $3K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 52 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing shows that 58% of grant dollars went to recipients in Nebraska and 42% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
How Nielsen Scholarship Fund gives
- Giving fell 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 72% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2024) to $7K (2021). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $3K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Katie Sigala Gruver, TX | Education | $355 |
| Sage Gaillard Gruver, TX | Education | $355 |
| Stephen Cowan Gruver, TX | Education | $347 |
| Max Wright Spearman, TX | Education | $347 |
| Colten Miller Tekamah, NE | Education | $249 |
| Emma Anderson Tekamah, NE | Education | $246 |
| Alexander Timm Lynon, NE | Education | $246 |
| Jake Christiansen Lyons, NE | Education | $246 |
| Matthew Olson Tekamah, NE | Education | $246 |
| Keira Pensyl Tekamah, NE | Education | $245 |
Ready to take the next step with Nielsen Scholarship Fund?
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 | $121,985 | $6,652 | $5,136 | $3,372 | 12 | $4,240 | $6,606 | $5,860 |
| 2024 | $120,469 | $3,697 | $4,968 | $2,400 | 8 | $4,146 | $3,605 | $5,941 |
| 2023 | $121,740 | $3,631 | $2,211 | — | — | — | $3,631 | $5,960 |
| 2022 | $120,320 | $1,810 | $9,894 | $4,571 | 12 | $8,077 | $362 | $6,138 |
| 2021 | $128,404 | $2,564 | $7,550 | $6,565 | 20 | $7,487 | $2,516 | $6,501 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nielsen Scholarship Fund reported a distributable amount of $6K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the fund awarded 12 scholarships totaling $3,372. Awards ranged from $245 to $355, with a median of $246. The filing lists education as the purpose of each award.
The largest listed awards were $355 and $347 each to four individual recipients in Gruver and Spearman, Texas. Other listed awards included $249 to an individual recipient in Tekamah, Nebraska, and awards of $245–$246 to individual recipients in Tekamah and Lyons, Nebraska.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists First State Bank as trustee.
Nielsen Scholarship Fund's only listed officer is First State Bank, Trustee on every filing since 2021 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
First State Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$970 (2021) → $914 (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $914, to First State Bank (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Nielsen Scholarship Fund
How much does Nielsen Scholarship Fund give each year?
Nielsen Scholarship Fund gave $3K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2K across 8 grants.
What is Nielsen Scholarship Fund's typical grant size?
Nielsen Scholarship Fund's median grant in 2025 was $246, and its average grant was $281, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Nielsen Scholarship Fund give grants?
Nielsen Scholarship Fund gives mostly in Nebraska: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (42%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tekamah, NE (6 grants) and Gruver, TX (3 grants).
Does Nielsen Scholarship Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Nielsen Scholarship Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (12 grants).
Who are Nielsen Scholarship Fund's largest grantees?
Nielsen Scholarship Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Katie Sigala ($355), Sage Gaillard ($355) and Stephen Cowan ($347), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Nielsen Scholarship Fund?
Nielsen Scholarship Fund reported $122K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6K (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.
How do I apply for a grant from Nielsen Scholarship Fund?
Application requirements can be obtained from the individual identified in the filing. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Nielsen Scholarship Fund's EIN?
Nielsen Scholarship Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2065409. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Nielsen Scholarship Fund funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Nielsen Scholarship Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Similar funders in Texas
Communities Foundation of Texas Inc
Dallas, TX
Communities Foundation of Texas funds a broad range of community needs, including health, education, housing, and community development, primarily in North Texas and across Texas. Its 2025 grants had a median of about $18,800, though amounts varied widely; nearly all opportunities are by invitation, with some specific programs open for applications.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
2,209
Total Given
$209.2M
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Houston, TX
The Foundation makes grants through donor-advised and other donor-established funds for public benefit, human services, education, and health, including initiatives addressing economic mobility and poverty in Harris County. In 2024, its median grant was $25,000; it serves Greater Houston, while grants also go to recipients elsewhere in Texas and beyond. It does not accept proposals for the upcoming High-Impact Grantmaking cycle and plans to invite selected organizations or collaboratives to apply.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,724
Total Given
$232.3M
BNSF Railway Foundation
Fort Worth, TX
The BNSF Railway Foundation funds civic, cultural, education, health and human services, environmental, and youth programs, including operating costs and specific projects. Its 2025 median grant was $2,500, though awards ranged from $100 to $500,000; it supports eligible organizations serving communities near BNSF rail lines across its 28 operating states. The foundation provides an online application process, but whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$23.0M
Grants
993
Total Given
$7.0M
Baker Hughes Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
990
Total Given
$3.2M
Community Foundation of North Texas (Tax
Fort Worth, TX
The foundation supports nonprofits and community projects in areas including animal welfare, nonprofit capacity building, first responders, land conservation, neighborhood development, opportunity and access, and scholarships. In 2024, grants ranged from $5,100 to $1.5 million, with a median of $14,250; its service area covers 11 North Texas counties. It accepts applications for some competitive grant programs through its online portal, but donor-advised grants are not open to nonprofit applications.
Assets
$544.9M
Grants
872
Total Given
$41.3M
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Austin, TX
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation funds education, health, jobs and livelihoods, and family economic stability, with its deepest U.S. focus in Texas and additional work across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024 it awarded 835 grants totaling about $164.6 million; grants ranged from $75 to $50 million, with a median of $19,324. It accepts unsolicited requests through its online application process.
Assets
$7.8B
Grants
835
Total Given
$164.6M
More similar funders
More Funders in Texas
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Nielsen Scholarship Fund'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.
Nielsen Scholarship Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?