The Louis & Celia Nussman Foundation concentrates almost exclusively on animal welfare, funding shelters, rescue groups and veterinary organizations. They support a mix of local companion animal shelters and organizations focused on wildlife rescue and veterinary relief, including occasional international veterinary assistance. Grants are relatively large and targeted, with several repeat awards to the same animal shelters and rescue groups.
The Louis & Celia Nussman Foundation for the has made animal care the clear center of its giving, with recent grants going to shelters, rescue groups, veterinary organizations, and wildlife rehabilitators. One of the largest awards on file is $41,548 to Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover, NJ, for care of animals, followed by a $30,500 grant to Wildlife Freedom Inc in Wanaque, NJ. Those awards sit within a pattern of repeated support for the same organizations over multiple years, including Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter, Montville Animal Shelter, and Wildlife Freedom Inc. The foundation’s recent awards show a strong preference for direct animal service work rather than broad, general philanthropy. Its recipient list includes local companion-animal shelters, rescue and rehoming organizations, veterinary medical support, and wildlife care. Grants also reach beyond New Jersey when the mission fits, such as support for Misplaced Mutts in Beaufort, NC, Dorset Equine Reserve in East Dorset, VT, and Central Vermont Humane Society in East Montpelier, VT. Across the record on file, the foundation uses relatively focused grants to support care of animals through practical service organizations.
Companion-animal shelters make up a major share of the foundation’s giving. Recent awards include $20,000 to Montville Animal Shelter in Montville, NJ, and $41,548 to Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter in East Hanover, NJ, both for care of animals. That same service-oriented approach appears in support for Funny Farm Animal Rescue in Mays Landing, NJ, which received $5,000 and later $10,000. The foundation also funds wildlife and equine care. Wildlife Freedom Inc in Wanaque, NJ received $30,500 in 2025 and $20,000 in 2026, while Dorset Equine Reserve in East Dorset, VT received $25,000 in 2026. Veterinary support shows up as well: American Veterinary Med Foundation in Schaumburg, IL received $20,000 in 2023. International emergency animal care appears in a $20,000 grant to Worldwide VetsUkraine in 2024.
Typical grants are relatively large and clustered around a few standard amounts: the p25 is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and the p75 is also $20,000. The record shows repeat support to the same groups across multiple years, especially Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter, Montville Animal Shelter, and Wildlife Freedom Inc, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its grantmaking appears to be direct, operating support for animal-care organizations rather than intermediary or investment-style support.
$107K
$1.2M
$32K
$131K
Most grants fall between $10K and $20K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$20K
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Concentrated giving primarily to animal-welfare causes: relatively few, sizable grants with repeat funding to core grantees rather than many small new recipients. Mix of local shelter support and targeted support for veterinary and wildlife relief, including occasional international grants.
Notable grantees: Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter, Wildlife Freedom Inc, American Veterinary Medical Foundation, Misplaced Mutts, Worldwide VetsUkraine
Giving is heavily concentrated in New Jersey: 75% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and NJ is also the top state by grant count. Recent New Jersey recipients include East Hanover, Wanaque, Montville, Mays Landing, and Essex. The foundation also funds a smaller set of out-of-state recipients in North Carolina, Vermont, Illinois, and Maryland. All recorded grants in the file go to US recipients.
It funds animal welfare organizations, especially companion-animal shelters, rescue and rehoming groups, veterinary support organizations, wildlife rehabilitation groups, and some equine care providers. Recent recipients include shelters in Montville and East Hanover, wildlife care in Wanaque, and veterinary support through American Veterinary Med Foundation.
The foundation’s grants are usually in the five-figure range. The p25 is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and the p75 is $20,000, so $20,000 is a common award level.
Yes. While 75% of grants go to recipients in New Jersey, the record also includes grants to Beaufort, North Carolina; East Dorset and East Montpelier, Vermont; Schaumburg, Illinois; and Temple Hills, Maryland.
Several recipients appear in multiple years, which suggests recurring support. Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter, Montville Animal Shelter, and Wildlife Freedom Inc each received more than one grant across the years shown.
No. The foundation funds organizations only and does not make program-related investments.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter | East Hanover, NJ | $41,548 | 2026 | Care of Animals |
| Dorset Equine Reserve | E Dorset, VT | $25,000 | 2026 | Care of Animals |
| Central Vermont Humane Society | E Montpelier, VT | $20,000 | 2026 | Care of Animals |
| Wildlife Freedom Inc | Wanaque, NJ | $20,000 | 2026 | Care of Animals |
| Wildlife Freedom Inc | Wanaque, NJ | $30,500 | 2025 | Care of Animals |
| Misplaced Mutts | Beaufort, NC | $25,500 | 2025 | Care of Animals |
| Montville Animal Shelter | Montville, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | Care of Animals |
| Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter | East Hanover, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | Care of Animals |
| Wildlife Freedom Inc | Wanaque, NJ | $20,000 | 2024 | Care of Animals |
| Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter | East Hanover, NJ | $20,000 | 2024 | Care of Animals |
| Worldwide VetsUkraine | Essex SS JW, NJ | $20,000 | 2024 | Care of Animals |
| Funny Farm Animal Rescue | Mays Landing, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | Care of animals |
| Misplaced Mutts | Beaufort, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Care of Animals |
| Ramsey Research | Temple Hills, MD | $10,000 | 2024 | Care of Animals |
| Montville Animal Shelter | Montville, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | Care of Animals |
| American Veterinary Med Foundation | Schaumburg, IL | $20,000 | 2023 | Care of ANimals |
| Mt Pleasant Animal Shelter | East Hanover, NJ | $20,000 | 2023 | Care of Animals |
| Wildlife Freedom Inc | Wanaque, NJ | $10,000 | 2023 | Care of Animals |
| Montville Animal Shelter | Montville, NJ | $10,000 | 2023 | Care of Animals |
| Funny Farm Animal Rescue | Mays Landing, NJ | $5,000 | 2023 | Care of animals |
Dorset Equine Reserve
$25,000Care of Animals
Central Vermont Humane Society
$20,000Care of Animals
Wildlife Freedom Inc
$20,000Care of Animals
Wildlife Freedom Inc
$30,500Care of Animals
Misplaced Mutts
$25,500Care of Animals
Montville Animal Shelter
$20,000Care of Animals
Wildlife Freedom Inc
$20,000Care of Animals
Worldwide VetsUkraine
$20,000Care of Animals
Funny Farm Animal Rescue
$10,000Care of animals
Misplaced Mutts
$10,000Care of Animals
Ramsey Research
$10,000Care of Animals
Montville Animal Shelter
$10,000Care of Animals
Wildlife Freedom Inc
$10,000Care of Animals
Montville Animal Shelter
$10,000Care of Animals
Funny Farm Animal Rescue
$5,000Care of animals