The Nelson Foundation
The Nelson Foundation is a private foundation based in Shreveport, Louisiana. In its 2025 filing, it reported 34 grants totaling $39,232 to organizations in Louisiana and other states.
The Nelson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Nelson Foundation gave $39K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Louisiana. 65% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $39,232
- +20.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +78.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,154
- -32.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $400
- Total assets
- $465,022
- -1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 65% first-time grantees (22 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (85% 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 Nelson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 5, Shreveport, LA 71161
Phone: (318) 588-8004
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Nelson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of Northwest Louisiana ($10K). Together the top 10 received $32K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 91 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Louisiana recipients received 85% of grant dollars. Recipients in Arkansas received 8%, California 3%, and the District of Columbia and Massachusetts 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Nelson Foundation open to new grantees?
65%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 22 of 34 grantees (65%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $441; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 29% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 84% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $12K (2019) to $39K (2025). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $39K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Northwest Louisiana Shreveport, LA | To Further Community Enhancement | $10,100 |
| St Mark's Episcopal Cathedral Shreveport, LA | To Further Church Ministries | $9,300 |
| Ronald McDonald House Little Rock, AR | To reduce financial burden for families with sick children | $3,332 |
| Centenary College Shreveport, LA | To Further Higher Education | $3,300 |
| Community Renewal International Shreveport, LA | To Create Safe Communities | $1,000 |
| Community Foundation of North Louisiana Shreveport, LA | To Create Positive Change | $1,000 |
| Holy Angels Shreveport, LA | To Provide Housing and Support for Developmental Disabled | $1,000 |
| The Arc of Caddo Bossier Foundation Shreveport, LA | To Provide Funding for Developmentally Disabled | $1,000 |
| Shreveport Symphony Orchestra Shreveport, LA | To further community enhancementto provide artistic community programs and education | $1,000 |
| Sea Crest School Half Moon Bay, CA | To Further Childhood Education | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Nelson 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 | $465,022 | $37,836 | $44,080 | $39,232 | 34 | $39,232 | $37,513 | $46,523 |
| 2024 | $471,266 | $115,036 | $34,570 | $32,484 | 19 | $32,484 | $114,781 | $37,183 |
| 2023 | $390,800 | $25,716 | $35,095 | $32,619 | 13 | $32,619 | $23,426 | $32,497 |
| 2022 | $400,179 | $-2,974 | $34,441 | $32,900 | 13 | $32,900 | $11,939 | $32,588 |
| 2021 | $437,594 | $19,661 | $30,927 | $29,200 | 12 | $29,200 | $18,386 | $35,655 |
| 2020 | $448,860 | $254,001 | $17,136 | $15,779 | 9 | — | $7,153 | $24,976 |
| 2019 | $211,995 | $8,953 | $13,709 | $12,200 | 12 | — | $7,518 | $15,779 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Nelson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $47K 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 grantees represent a range of activities. United Way of Northwest Louisiana describes its mission as addressing health, education, financial stability, and essential needs in the community. Community Foundation of North Louisiana says it works to strengthen the community through philanthropy. Sea Crest School describes a focus on innovative education, while St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical says it provides free preventive screenings, basic health care, patient education, and referrals to underserved people in northwest Louisiana.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 34 grants totaling $39,232. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $10,100, with a median of $400. The largest awards were $10,100 to United Way of Northwest Louisiana for community enhancement, $9,300 to St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral for church ministries, $3,332 to Ronald McDonald House to reduce the financial burden for families with sick children, and $3,300 to Centenary College for higher education.
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists George D. Nelson Jr. as president/treasurer and Clare M. Nelson as vice president/secretary.
The Nelson Foundation is led by George D. Nelson Jr., President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
George D. Nelson Jr.
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clare M. Nelson
V.p. & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Nelson Foundation
How much does The Nelson Foundation give each year?
The Nelson Foundation gave $39K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $32K across 19 grants.
What is The Nelson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Nelson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $400, and its average grant was $1,154, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Nelson Foundation that year got $441 on average.
Where does The Nelson Foundation give grants?
The Nelson Foundation gives mostly in Louisiana: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Arkansas (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Shreveport, LA (26 grants).
Does The Nelson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Nelson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Further Higher Education" (4 grants), "To Further Church Ministries" (4 grants) and "To Further Community Enhancement" (4 grants).
Who are The Nelson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Nelson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of Northwest Louisiana ($10,100), St Mark's Episcopal Cathedral ($9,300) and Ronald McDonald House ($3,332), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Nelson Foundation?
The Nelson Foundation reported $465K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $39K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47K (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.
What does The Nelson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees represent a range of activities. United Way of Northwest Louisiana describes its mission as addressing health, education, financial stability, and essential needs in the community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Nelson Foundation?
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 Nelson Foundation's EIN?
The Nelson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-0579110. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Nelson 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Nelson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Louisiana
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
United Way Worldwide
Alexandria, VA
United Way Worldwide funds community programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, education, and disaster relief, with 2024 grants made across multiple U.S. states and internationally. Its 209 reported grants ranged from $5,100 to $736,333, with a median of $22,675. It does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$68.0M
Grants
209
Total Given
$11.4M
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte, NC
The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce and local economic development, disaster resilience, conservation, clean water, and economic opportunity in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000; applications for grants of $20,000 or less are accepted year-round, after applicants discuss proposals with a state representative.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
41
Total Given
$25.6M
Lumen Clarke M Williams Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The foundation supports employee giving and volunteer programs, as well as K–12 classroom technology through its Teachers and Technology program. That program offers grants of up to $5,000 to eligible schools in 10 states; 2024 giving had a median grant of $6,110 and was concentrated in Delaware. It generally funds preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests, though eligible teachers could apply for the announced Teachers and Technology round.
Assets
$12.1M
Grants
4
Total Given
$971K
Synchrony Foundation
Stamford, CT
In 2024, Synchrony Foundation supported charitable organizations across workforce development, education, financial assistance, and giving, with grants ranging from $150 to $2.6 million and a median of $10,000. Its largest shares of grant funding went to Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina, followed by the District of Columbia and New Jersey; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$72.3M
Grants
394
Total Given
$20.5M
The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
New Orleans, LA
The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund primarily supports higher education, research, student aid, and public service, with grants also reported to education and research organizations. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,005 to $643,695, with a median of $16,445; Louisiana received the largest share of funding, though grants went to organizations in multiple states. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$4.6B
Grants
891
Total Given
$25.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Louisiana
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Nelson 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.
The Nelson Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?