The Nell Newman Foundation Inc
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Santa Cruz, California. Established in November 2010, it supports humanitarian, scientific, and environmental action intended to foster a resilient and restorative planetary ecology.
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Nell Newman Foundation Inc gave $85K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in California. 60% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $84,500
- +15.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,450
- +4.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $86,480
- -58.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (6 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (63% 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 The Nell Newman Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. It awards grants to organizations identified by the foundation, and grants are only for charitable, tax-exempt organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3263, Santa Cruz, CA 95063
Phone: (831) 316-4574
Website: https://nellnewmanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Nell Newman Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Allwatersorg ($15K). Together the top 10 received $85K.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 130 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in California (63%), Oregon (13%), Washington (12%), and Vermont (12%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Nell Newman Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 10 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 74% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $73K (2024) to $661K (2019). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $85K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Allwatersorg Aptos, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment Oakland, CA | Environment in the public interest for the habitat and watershed caretakers legal fund | $10,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation (Uw Foundation) Seattle, WA | Continue the work of the first national nature assessment | $10,000 |
| Agrarian Land Trust Portland, OR | General Support | $10,000 |
| Food 4 Farmers Burlington, VT | General Support | $10,000 |
| Ron Finley Project Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Planet Walk Inverness, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Friends of the Earth Berkeley, CA | Agtech Strategy Meeting | $6,000 |
| Uc Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | Berkeley food institute co-sponsorship for greening factory farms vs. Agroecology event | $2,500 |
| Wallowa Band NEZ Perce Trail Interpretive Center Inc (DBA NEZ Perce Wallowa Wallowa, OR | General Support | $1,000 |
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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 | $86,480 | $164 | $119,639 | $84,500 | 10 | $108,421 | — | $7,393 |
| 2024 | $205,955 | $-227,694 | $108,642 | $73,000 | 9 | $94,944 | — | $12,708 |
| 2023 | $542,291 | $280,056 | $211,837 | $137,500 | 28 | $175,061 | — | $26,905 |
| 2022 | $705,217 | $3,886 | $490,880 | $328,500 | 46 | $474,245 | — | $33,483 |
| 2021 | $1,192,094 | $4,653 | $390,126 | $272,500 | 37 | $375,060 | — | $54,409 |
| 2020 | $1,587,321 | $133,121 | $541,135 | $395,000 | 45 | — | $8,023 | $63,295 |
| 2019 | $1,738,444 | $38,080 | $821,725 | $660,500 | 62 | — | $14,571 | $95,343 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Nell Newman Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $7K 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
The foundation’s stated mission is to support humanitarian, scientific, and environmental action that fosters a resilient and restorative planetary ecology. Its website lists environment, education, arts and culture, religious or spiritual, scientific, human services, emergency relief, animal welfare, and international affairs among its program areas. It awards grants to charitable, tax-exempt organizations.
Among its 2025 grantees, Food 4 Farmers describes its own mission as helping coffee-growing communities overcome seasonal food insecurity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $84,500. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $15,000, with a median of $10,000. Larger grants included $15,000 to Allwaters.org for general support; $10,000 each to the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, the University of Washington Foundation, Agrarian Land Trust, Food 4 Farmers, the Ron Finley Project, and Planet Walk; and $6,000 to Friends of the Earth for an AgTech strategy meeting.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elinor T. Newman as president, Edward James Cox as secretary and treasurer, and Evelyn Fasheh as administrative director. The foundation’s website identifies Nell Newman as president.
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc is led by Elinor T. Newman, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elinor T. Newman
President
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Evelyn Fasheh
Administrative Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
$14K (2024) → $16K (2025)
Edward James Cox
Secretary & Treasurer
Treasurer → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robert Scowcroft (2019–2023) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $16K, to Evelyn Fasheh (Administrative Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Nell Newman Foundation Inc
How much does The Nell Newman Foundation Inc give each year?
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc gave $85K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $73K across 9 grants.
What is The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $8,450, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Nell Newman Foundation Inc that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Nell Newman Foundation Inc give grants?
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Oregon (13%) and Washington (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Berkeley, CA (2 grants).
Does The Nell Newman Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Allwatersorg ($15,000), Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment ($10,000) and University of Washington Foundation (Uw Foundation) ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Nell Newman Foundation Inc?
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc reported $86K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $108K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Nell Newman Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support humanitarian, scientific, and environmental action that fosters a resilient and restorative planetary ecology. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Nell Newman Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1972605. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Nell Newman Foundation Inc 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 21, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Nell Newman Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Nell Newman Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Nell Newman Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-nell-newman-foundation-inc-morg_02008c8d0cc744619d524acbf14c6383
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_271972605_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Nell Newman Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-nell-newman-foundation-inc-morg_02008c8d0cc744619d524acbf14c6383},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Nell Newman Foundation Inc'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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