The Great Island Foundation is a private foundation based in New York City, established in 1994 in Delaware. It operates as a family foundation with a focus on supporting cultural institutions and community-based organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$99.0M
+225.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.3M
+110.0% YoY
Grant Count
5
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.3M
+194.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation provides giving primarily for art museums and the performing arts, with some funding directed toward education and human services. Recent grantmaking activity indicates expanded focus areas including environmental conservation, renewable energy, marine protection, water resources, and community gardens.
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes substantial annual grants, with total giving of $6,300,000 reported in recent filings. Typical award amounts range from $5,000 to $3,000,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking extends across multiple regions, with documented activity in Texas, Florida, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $99,033,449
- Total Annual Giving: $6,300,000
- EIN: 13-4049061
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $99,033,449 | $30,460,077 | $32,098,117 |
| Revenue | $83,108,364 | $3,016,233 | $1,016,055 |
| Expenses | $9,086,603 | $3,363,181 | $2,334,305 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,300,000 | $3,000,000 | $1,800,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,671,820 | $2,250,270 | $619,166 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,472,588 | $1,992,614 | $2,055,729 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Christian Nolen serves as President of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIOT NOLEN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MALCOLM C NOLEN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTIAN NOLEN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 115 E 69th St, New York City, NY 10021-5004
Telephone: 212-794-6060
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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