The Donna and Dave Nelson Family Foundation focuses its giving on Catholic faith-based institutions, primarily supporting parish and school capital projects and arts initiatives as well as a Catholic university with general operating support. Grants are targeted and sizable relative to the portfolio, often directed to a small set of repeat beneficiaries involved in Catholic education, worship arts, and campus needs. Although the foundation is based in Wilmington, DE, its grants in this dataset concentrate on Catholic organizations in the St. Louis/Midwest region and at least one Catholic higher-education institution.
Concentrated giving with a small number of relatively large grants and repeat support to the same faith-based organizations; funding is project- and capital-focused (capital campaigns, campus/arts improvements) rather than many small awards.
The Donna and Dave Nelson Family Foundation shows a clear preference for Catholic education and parish life, with its largest recent grants going to Christian Brothers University in Memphis for general and unrestricted support in both 2023 and 2024. That pattern points to a funder that backs Catholic institutions with flexible dollars, not just project-specific funding. In the recent grant record, Christian Brothers La Salle High School appears repeatedly as well, suggesting sustained support for Catholic secondary education alongside higher-education giving. The foundation also funds physical improvements tied to worship and school life. St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School received support for a capital campaign toward the Courtyard Stage, and Saint Louis Catholic Church received grants for the St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project in consecutive years. Those awards sit alongside smaller operating gifts to a handful of Memphis-area nonprofits, showing a mix of larger institutional commitments and modest community support. Across the dataset, its grantmaking is concentrated enough to reveal repeated beneficiaries and a strong faith-based identity, with Catholic schools, churches, and related organizations receiving the bulk of attention.
Catholic education is a core theme. Christian Brothers University received $100,000 in 2023 and again in 2024 for general and unrestricted support, and Christian Brothers La Salle High School received $12,500 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation also supports school facilities and campus improvements. St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School got $25,000 in 2025 for St. Paul’s Capital Campaign toward the Courtyard Stage, while St. Agnes Academy - St. Dominic School received $2,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for general and unrestricted support. Arts-related church projects are another visible thread. Saint Louis Catholic Church was awarded $22,500 in 2024 and again in 2025 for the St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project. Outside Catholic education, Christian Brothers University also received $10,000 in 2023 for the McLaughlin Social Justice Institute.
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure and low-five-figure range, with a p25 of $1,875, a median of $12,500, and a p75 of $15,000. The portfolio includes both large anchor grants and a series of smaller awards, down to $500. Repeat awards are a clear pattern: several recipients appear across multiple years, including Christian Brothers University, Christian Brothers La Salle High School, Page-Robbins Adult Day Services Inc, Collierville Partners in Education, and Saint Louis Catholic Church. The foundation is a family foundation and does not fund individuals. No application process is described in the data.
$101K
$850K
$109K
$128K
Most grants fall between $2K and $15K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$15K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in TN.
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Notable grantees: Christian Brothers University, Saint Louis Catholic Church, St Paul the Apostle Catholic School
Grants are geographically concentrated in Tennessee, which accounts for the top share of grant count. Memphis is the main recipient city, with awards also landing in Collierville, Bartlett, and other Tennessee locations. The dataset shows 100% of grants going to U.S. recipients, and 0% to recipients in Delaware despite the foundation’s Wilmington headquarters. The pattern is regional rather than national.
Its recent grants center on Catholic faith-based institutions, especially Catholic schools and parishes. The record also includes support for a Catholic university, a social justice institute at that university, and a small number of Memphis-area community organizations.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Christian Brothers University in 2023 and 2024, Christian Brothers La Salle High School in 2023 through 2025, and Saint Louis Catholic Church in 2024 and 2025. That suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
The distribution is centered around low-to-mid five figures: p25 is $1,875, median grant size is $12,500, and p75 is $15,000. The recent record also includes larger outliers at $100,000 and smaller awards at $500.
Most grants go to Tennessee recipients, with Memphis appearing frequently and additional awards in Collierville and Bartlett. The dataset shows no grants to recipients in Delaware, even though the foundation is headquartered in Wilmington.
Yes. Alongside Catholic education, it has funded parish arts and facility projects such as the St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project and the Courtyard Stage capital campaign, plus support for the McLaughlin Social Justice Institute and small community organizations in Memphis-area neighborhoods.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST PAUL THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | St. Paul's Capital Campaign towards the Courtyard Stage |
| SAINT LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $22,500 | 2025 | St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project |
| PAGE-ROBBINS ADULT DAY SERVICES INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $16,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLLIERVILLE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $12,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AVE MARIA HOME | BARTLETT, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $2,500 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| ST AGNES ACADEMY - ST DOMINIC SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| JUNIOR LEAGUE OF MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY | MEMPHIS, TN | $100,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| SAINT LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $22,500 | 2024 | St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project |
| COLLIERVILLE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| PAGE-ROBBINS ADULT DAY SERVICES INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $12,500 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| ST AGNES ACADEMY - ST DOMINIC SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $1,500 | 2024 | Charitable Event |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY | MEMPHIS, TN | $100,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLLIERVILLE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| PAGE-ROBBINS ADULT DAY SERVICES INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $12,500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2023 | McLaughlin Social Justice Institute |
| COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $2,500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| YMCA OF MEMPHIS & THE MID-SOUTH | MEMPHIS, TN | $1,500 | 2023 | Annual Fund |
| COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $1,500 | 2023 | Charitable Event |
| LE BONHEUR CLUB INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
ST PAUL THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$25,000St. Paul's Capital Campaign towards the Courtyard Stage
SAINT LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH
$22,500St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project
PAGE-ROBBINS ADULT DAY SERVICES INC
$16,000General & Unrestricted
COLLIERVILLE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
$15,000General & Unrestricted
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
$12,500General & Unrestricted
General & Unrestricted
COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$2,500Charitable Event
ST AGNES ACADEMY - ST DOMINIC SCHOOL
$2,000General & Unrestricted
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY
$100,000General & Unrestricted
SAINT LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH
$22,500St. Louis Choir Loft Art Project
COLLIERVILLE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
$15,000General & Unrestricted
PAGE-ROBBINS ADULT DAY SERVICES INC
$15,000General & Unrestricted
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
$12,500General & Unrestricted
ST AGNES ACADEMY - ST DOMINIC SCHOOL
$2,000General & Unrestricted
COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$1,500Charitable Event
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY
$100,000General & Unrestricted
COLLIERVILLE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
$15,000General & Unrestricted
PAGE-ROBBINS ADULT DAY SERVICES INC
$15,000General & Unrestricted
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
$12,500General & Unrestricted
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY
$10,000McLaughlin Social Justice Institute
COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$2,500General & Unrestricted
COLLIERVILLE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$1,500Charitable Event
LE BONHEUR CLUB INC
$500General & Unrestricted