The Nicholas B Ottaway Fdn Inc
The Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation (NBO Foundation) is a private 501(c)(3) family foundation established in 1968 and based in New York City. The foundation is committed to improving communities and impacting lives through strategic philanthropic giving across three distinct funding committees.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.2M
-1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$592K
-6.7% YoY
Grant Count
36
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
-11.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to improve communities and impact lives through three unique philanthropic committees:
Education Committee Supports education programs or institutions at all levels that provide educational opportunities for the economically disadvantaged. The committee prioritizes programs that continue to monitor and provide support for students after they begin college, with a focus on reducing dropout rates among disadvantaged first-generation college students.
Journalism Committee Funds journalism programs or projects that improve the quality of journalism in all forms, with primary focus on domestic journalism within local news deserts. The committee also supports efforts to defend freedom of the press.
Community Impact Fund Makes contributions to programs benefiting underserved or disadvantaged communities in the following areas:
- Disaster Relief
- LGBTQ+ Programs and Sexual Abuse Prevention
- Visual Impairment Services
Grantmaking
Typical awards range from $3,000 to $53,460.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds programs in New York, California, and New Jersey, with particular emphasis on domestic initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending May 2025:
- Total Assets: $10,234,801
- Total Revenue: $490,474
- Total Expenses: $673,803
- Net Income: -$183,329
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,234,801 | $10,398,082 | $10,501,971 |
| Revenue | $490,474 | $642,188 | $275,811 |
| Expenses | $673,803 | $701,410 | $716,204 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $595,272 | $637,226 | $646,015 |
| Net Investment Income | $367,275 | $557,485 | $209,908 |
| Distributable Amount | $549,294 | $520,776 | $527,092 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
166 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Nicholas B Ottaway Fdn Inc
NBO Foundation - Community Impact Fund Grants
THE NICHOLAS B OTTAWAY FDN INC
Amount
US $3,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
NBO Foundation - Education Committee Grants
THE NICHOLAS B OTTAWAY FDN INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
NBO Foundation: Journalism Committee Grants
THE NICHOLAS B OTTAWAY FDN INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTOPHER H OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAVID B OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARINA S OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| ALEXANDRA OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROBIN H OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINE SHERER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RUTH O SHERER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AUDRA OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AFRIME OTTAWAY | PRESIDENT (THRU 5/31/2025) | 1 | — |
| RICHARD SHERER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KAILAN OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TORIN OTTAWAY | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER SHERER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERIC B OTTAWAY | TREASURER/ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| ALEX SHERER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JILLIAN OTTAWAY | PRESIDENT (AS OF JUNE 2025) | 1 | — |
| JILLIAN OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BROOKE OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JIM OTTAWAY JR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERIC B OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TORIN OTTAWAY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BROOKE OTTAWAY | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in supporting journalism through the Ottaway Award for the Promotion of International Literature. Recent award recipients have included Christopher Merrill (2025) and Daniel Hahn (2023). The foundation has also provided grants to journalism centers, including support for the Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism.
Bobby Nichols-Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation presents more than $1.5 millionContact Information
- Email: nbofoundation@brownadvisory.com
- Telephone: 845-467-4989
- Address: 12 E 49th St Fl 35, New York City, NY 10017-8276
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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