The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Established by William Nelson Cromwell in 1930, it primarily supports the publication of books in American legal history, with particular emphasis on the colonial period.
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation at a glance
In short: The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation gave $162K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), top state Kentucky. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $161,630
- -11.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,508
- -11.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,732,337
- +4.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (31% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation’s published materials invite proposals for grants and direct applicants for prizes and fellowships to follow the procedures on its Prizes, Fellowships and Grants pages. Its 2023 filing says applicants should follow the relevant website procedures and identifies John D. Gordan III as the contact for applications. The filing also states that the Foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The website’s general grant proposal instructions specify submission by September 1; that date has passed for the 2026 cycle. The filing lists June 1 deadlines for the Early Scholar Article, Book, and Dissertation awards; those deadlines have also passed for 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: John D Gordan Iii
Mailing address: 1133 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10128
Phone: (917) 208-9302
Website: http://cromwellfoundation.org/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jane E Calvert - The Dickinson Writings Project ($50K). Together the top 2 received $95K.
Organizations only. It also paid 15 grants to individuals ($66,630), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
76 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 76 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 31% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky, 9% to New Jersey, 6% to California, and 6% to Connecticut. It lists 29% under an unspecified recipient-state entry. The filing also reports a $45,000 grant to the National Archives (U.K.).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $162K (2024) to $201K (2022). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $162K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jane E Calvert - The Dickinson Writings Project Lexington, KY | Grant - The Complete Writings and Selected Correspondence of John Dickinson | $50,000 |
| The National Archives (UK) | Grant - Prize Papers of the American War of Independence | $45,000 |
| 15 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $66,630 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing reports 17 grants; the 2023 filing reports 17, and the 2022 filing reports 15.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,732,337 | $345,073 | $220,940 | $161,630 | 17 | $174,945 | $303,117 | $191,097 |
| 2023 | $2,608,204 | $197,993 | $243,310 | $182,869 | 17 | $199,195 | $155,681 | $178,093 |
| 2022 | $2,653,521 | $101,928 | $269,420 | $200,650 | 15 | $218,008 | $55,325 | $191,687 |
| 2021 | $2,821,011 | $363,685 | $189,366 | $162,000 | 14 | — | $341,502 | $209,079 |
| 2020 | $2,646,693 | $195,316 | $206,477 | $177,068 | 13 | — | $174,209 | $180,914 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $191K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated focus includes historical monographs on major questions in American law and legal development, biographies of important legal figures, and publication of important legal documents. It welcomes digitization proposals for materials important to American legal history, particularly—but not exclusively—materials from the late colonial or early national periods. Digitization projects must meet high scholarly standards and be supervised by a reputable scholarly organization or faculty member.
The Foundation identifies projects involving the Litchfield Law School student notebooks, Revolutionary War prize papers held by the National Archives (U.K.), and records of early New York courts. Its supported works include books on legal history, such as The Complete Writings and Selected Correspondence of John Dickinson.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 17 grants totaling $161,630. Grants ranged from $1,630 to $50,000, with a median of $5,000. The Foundation says its awards are connected to the study of American legal history, with some emphasis on the colonial period, and that awards generally are limited to its available net income.
The largest reported 2024 grants were $50,000 to Jane E. Calvert for *The Complete Writings and Selected Correspondence of John Dickinson* and $45,000 to the National Archives (U.K.) for the Prize Papers of the American War of Independence. Other reported awards included $5,000 prizes for a legal history article, a book, and a dissertation, as well as $5,000 early career scholar awards.
The Foundation’s website says it makes limited awards and should not be considered the sole source of support for a project. Its stated proposal process is to submit a written proposal with a project description and the applicant’s role, an explanation of the project’s importance, information about related work, and a budget and timeline that identify other support. The Foundation’s website says trustees consider proposals once a year, generally in late October.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists the following trustees: H. Rodgin Cohen; John S. Kiernan, Chair; Charles T. Dowling, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary; Robert B. Fiske; John D. Gordan III, Secretary; Professor Sarah Barringer Gordon; Hon. Joseph A. Greenaway; Hon. Caitlin J. Halligan; George A. Davidson; and Professor John H. Langbein.
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation is led by John S Kiernan, Trustee & Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2022); none of the 15 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John S Kiernan
Trustee & Chair
Trustee → Trustee & Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles T Dowling
Trustee, Treasurer & Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George A Davidson
Trustee
Trustee & Chair → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
H Rodgin Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jed S Rakoff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John D Gordan III
Trustee & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph A Greenaway
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen M Sullivan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Reena Raggi
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert B Fiske
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Fabian Witt
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John H Langbein
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Barringer Gordon
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Faiza J Saeed
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caitlin J Halligan
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Jose A Cabranes (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Barbara P Robinson (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Michael B Mukasey (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Professor John Fabian Witt (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Professor John H Langbein (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Professor Sarah Barringer Gordon (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 William Nelson Cromwell Foundation
How much does The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation give each year?
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation gave $162K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $183K across 17 grants.
What is The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation's typical grant size?
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,508, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation give grants?
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation's top state is Kentucky, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Jersey (9%) and California (6%).
Does The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Early Career Scholar Grant" (7 grants) and "Legal History Article of the Year Prize" (3 grants).
How large is The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation?
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $175K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $191K (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 William Nelson Cromwell Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated focus includes historical monographs on major questions in American law and legal development, biographies of important legal figures, and publication of important legal documents. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation?
The Foundation’s published materials invite proposals for grants and direct applicants for prizes and fellowships to follow the procedures on its Prizes, Fellowships and Grants pages. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation's EIN?
The William Nelson Cromwell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6068485. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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