Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation
The Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in child and youth services, mental health, research, public media, and the arts.
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation gave $158K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in California. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $158,194
- +40.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +15.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,273
- +21.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,042,479
- +25.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (8 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: C/O Phillips Gold 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 730-1112
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was KPBS ($10K). Together the top 10 received $84K.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 122 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in California (55%) and New York (28%). Other reported recipient-state shares were Virginia (6%), Washington, DC (4%), and New Jersey (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 30 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 125% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $73K (2020) to $158K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $158K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KPBS San Diego, CA | Promote Charity | $10,000 |
| Friends of Vista Hill San Diego, CA | Promote Charity | $10,000 |
| Child Mind Institute San Mateo, CA | Promote Charity | $10,000 |
| Anti Defamation League New York, NY | Promote Charity | $10,000 |
| Brain & Behavior Research Foundation New York, NY | Promote Charity | $10,000 |
| National Alliance on Mental Illiness Arlington, VA | Promote Charity | $10,000 |
| San Diego Center for Children San Diego, CA | Promote Charity | $7,500 |
| The Old Globe San Diego, CA | Promote Charity | $6,000 |
| Serra Center Union City, CA | Promote Charity | $5,000 |
| Voices for Children San Diego, CA | Promote Charity | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation?
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 | $3,042,479 | $812,794 | $172,058 | $158,194 | 30 | $158,194 | $279,158 | $126,312 |
| 2024 | $2,433,465 | $226,597 | $114,951 | $113,002 | 26 | $113,002 | $475,100 | $110,446 |
| 2023 | $2,286,047 | $367,159 | $91,564 | $85,448 | 21 | $85,448 | $107,851 | $94,367 |
| 2022 | $2,056,852 | $169,015 | $116,725 | $112,060 | 23 | $112,060 | $166,395 | $94,003 |
| 2021 | $1,974,662 | $301,959 | $104,698 | $103,450 | 22 | $103,450 | $46,133 | $89,211 |
| 2020 | $1,757,401 | $787,410 | $73,183 | $73,183 | 19 | — | $84,010 | $58,961 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $126K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include organizations whose stated missions address children’s behavioral health and education, advocacy for abused children, Type 1 diabetes research, youth mental health and suicide prevention, cultural programming, and public-interest journalism. These are grantee missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
For example, San Diego Center for Children says it provides therapeutic and educational services to youth and families with behavioral health needs; Voices for Children says it provides court-appointed special advocates for abused children; and Diabetes Research Connection says it connects donors with early-career scientists conducting peer-reviewed Type 1 diabetes research. The JED Foundation describes its mission as protecting emotional health and preventing suicide among teens and young adults, while La Jolla Music Society describes its work as presenting cultural programming and supporting an inclusive performing arts hub.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $158,194. Grants ranged from $50 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest reported grants were $10,000 each to KPBS, Friends of Vista Hill, Child Mind Institute, Anti-Defamation League, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Other reported grants included $7,500 to San Diego Center for Children and $5,000 each to Voices for Children, Diabetes Research Connection, Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation, The JED Foundation, La Jolla Music Society, and National Public Radio. Active Minds received $2,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Joyce Nelson as president, Ronald Nelson as treasurer, and Jessica Fields as secretary.
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation is led by Joyce Nelson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joyce Nelson
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jessica Fields
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ronald Nelson
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation
How much does Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation give each year?
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation gave $158K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $113K across 26 grants.
What is Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,273, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation give grants?
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (28%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (9 grants), San Diego, CA (8 grants), La Jolla, CA (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Promote Charity" (27 grants).
Who are Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include KPBS ($10,000), Friends of Vista Hill ($10,000) and Child Mind Institute ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation?
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $158K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $126K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's EIN?
Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3282652. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ron and Joyce Nelson Family 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 May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ron-and-joyce-nelson-family-foundation-morg_7aaae58ea8b140ea98977825b415a6a6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_843282652_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ron-and-joyce-nelson-family-foundation-morg_7aaae58ea8b140ea98977825b415a6a6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Ron and Joyce 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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