The Rona and Randolph M Nelson Foundation gives in a fairly concentrated way, with a major share of support going to Yale University and a small set of education-focused New York nonprofits. Beyond higher education, the foundation appears to care about opportunities for children and young people, especially in New York City, along with a visible commitment to reproductive rights and a modest interest in arts and cultural organizations. Overall, this looks like a foundation that backs a few longstanding priorities rather than spreading funds broadly across many issue areas.
Highly concentrated giving with a few dominant grantees, especially repeated support for Yale University and ExpandEd School, alongside smaller recurring grants to selected NYC nonprofits and advocacy organizations.
Notable grantees: Yale Univ, ExpandEd School, New Yorkers for Children, Abortion Care Network, Footsteps Inc
$520K
$743K
$245K
$526K
Most grants fall between $1K and $10K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$10K
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2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Univ - Pledge | New Haven, CT | $200,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| ExpandEd School | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| New Yorkers for Children | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2024 | Social Ser |
| Footsteps Inc | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Abortion Care Network | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Footsteps Inc | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Nazareth Housing | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Brooklyn Community Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Literacy Inc | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Entertainment Community Fund | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | Arts/Culture |
| Kucelekela Fnd | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | Educational |
| Imagine Scholar | Yakima | $2,500 | 2024 | Educational |
| Many Hopes | New York, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Atlantic Theater Company | New York, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| The Murray Bowen Archives Project | Chattanooga, TN | $1,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| New York University | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| University of the People | Pasadena, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Pan-Mass Challenge (Elizabeth Freem | Needham, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Trial Blazers | Brooklyn, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| Understood for All, Inc | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| ExpandEd School | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | Educational |
| CityLax Inc | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | Charitable |
| National Council of Jewish Women NY | New York, NY | $500 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Make-A-Wish Oklahoma | Oklahoma City, OK | $500 | 2024 | Charitable |
| Yale Univ - Pledge | New Haven, CT | $200,000 | 2023 | Educational |
| ExpandEd School | NY, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | Educational |
| New Yorkers for Children | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2023 | Social Ser |
| Jefferson Italy Center | Philadelphia, PA | $18,000 | 2023 | Educational |
| Global Kids Inc | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | Educational |
| National Network of Abortion Fund | Beaverton, OR | $10,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Abortion Care Network | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Nazareth Housing | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Literacy Inc | New York, NY | $7,500 | 2023 | Educational |
| Nazareth Housing | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Brooklyn Community Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Hudson Guild | NY, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Chamber Music Society of Lincoln | NY, NY | $4,000 | 2023 | Arts/Culture |
| Atlantic Theater Company | New York, NY | $3,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Entertainment Community Fund | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | Arts/Culture |
| JScreen at Emory University | Atlanta, GA | $2,500 | 2023 | Educational |
| Center for Independent Documente | Boston, MA | $2,500 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Imagine Scholar | Yakima | $2,500 | 2023 | Educational |
| Kucelekela Fnd | NY, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | Educational |
| Global Kids Inc | New York, NY | $2,000 | 2023 | Educational |
| Hudson Guild | NY, NY | $1,950 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Global Kids Inc | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Educational |
| Planned Parenthood of New York ( | NY, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| The Jericho Project | NY, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Atlantic Theater Company | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Charitable |
| Worthless Studios | Brooklyn, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Arts/Culture |
Yale Univ - Pledge
$200,000Educational
ExpandEd School
$100,000Educational
Educational
Entertainment Community Fund
$2,500Arts/Culture
Kucelekela Fnd
$2,500Educational
Imagine Scholar
$2,500Educational
Many Hopes
$2,000Charitable
The Murray Bowen Archives Project
$1,000Educational
University of the People
$1,000Educational
Pan-Mass Challenge (Elizabeth Freem
$1,000Charitable
Trial Blazers
$1,000Educational
Understood for All, Inc
$1,000Educational
ExpandEd School
$1,000Educational
CityLax Inc
$1,000Charitable
National Council of Jewish Women NY
$500Charitable
Make-A-Wish Oklahoma
$500Charitable
Yale Univ - Pledge
$200,000Educational
ExpandEd School
$100,000Educational
Jefferson Italy Center
$18,000Educational
National Network of Abortion Fund
$10,000Charitable
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln
$4,000Arts/Culture
Entertainment Community Fund
$2,500Arts/Culture
JScreen at Emory University
$2,500Educational
Center for Independent Documente
$2,500Charitable
Imagine Scholar
$2,500Educational
Kucelekela Fnd
$2,500Educational
Planned Parenthood of New York (
$1,000Charitable
Worthless Studios
$1,000Arts/Culture