The Eric and Jane Nord Foundation concentrates large, transformational gifts on cultural institutions and higher‑education programs — especially museums, performing arts organizations, and art and design schools — with a strong thread of funding for museum conservation, education and endowed centers. Grants are often structured as endowments, named centers or program funds and target institutions in Cleveland and other major cultural centers (Boston, New York), reflecting both regional loyalties and national cultural philanthropy. The foundation favors multi‑million dollar, repeat commitments that build institutional capacity rather than one‑off project support.
The Eric and Jane Nord Foundation 4269-00-43 makes multimillion-dollar commitments that build permanent capacity for museums, orchestras, and art-and-design education. In 2025, it gave $3,000,000 to the Cleveland Museum of Art for conservation and education work and another $3,000,000 to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for MFA Pathways Graduate support. Those grants fit a broader pattern of endowment-style funding, named centers, and program funds rather than short-term project grants. The foundation also backs institutions that connect education with access: Musical Arts Association received $2,000,000 for leadership and internship support, and Case Western Reserve University received $1,600,000 for science and engineering. Across the recent grants list, the foundation returns repeatedly to Cleveland-based cultural institutions while also supporting major museums, universities, and public-serving education programs in other cities. Its giving reflects a preference for institutional infrastructure, fellowships, internships, and education pipelines that can continue beyond a single grant cycle.
Museum conservation and education are central to the foundation’s portfolio. It awarded $3,000,000 to the Cleveland Museum of Art for conservation, education and related work, and another $250,000 to the same institution for fellowship and internship support. Art-school capacity is another clear theme: the Cleveland Institute of Art received $2,000,000 for the Jane B. Nord Center for related programming. The foundation also supports pathways into cultural and academic careers. Pratt Institute received $1,000,000 for a family endowed internship, and Case Western Reserve University received $1,525,000 for the Emerging Scholars Program. Public-facing educational and cultural institutions also appear, including the New York Botanical Garden’s children’s education work and the New York Public Library’s youth education service.
Typical grant size centers on mid- to upper-five-figure support, with p25 at $25,000, a median of $75,000, and p75 at $100,000. The recent record also shows repeated large commitments, including multiple $1,000,000, $2,000,000, and $3,000,000 grants, so the distribution includes both many smaller awards and a set of major institutional gifts. Recipients often appear across multiple years: Cleveland Museum of Art, Musical Arts Association, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and New York Botanical Garden all recur in the recent list. The foundation funds individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$17.4M
$77M
$3.9M
$17.8M
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in OH.
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Concentrated, high‑value grants (multiple $1M–$6M gifts) with several repeat grantees; emphasis on endowments, named centers, and multi‑year program support rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: Musical Arts Association (Cleveland Orchestra), Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Art
Giving is national, but it is heavily concentrated in Ohio, which is the top state by grant count. Cleveland is the main city in the recent grants list, with repeated awards to Cleveland Museum of Art, Musical Arts Association, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Art, and Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Outside Ohio, grants land in Boston, New York, and the Bronx, with other Ohio cities such as Elyria also appearing. All recent grants in the supplied data go to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on museums, performing arts institutions, art and design education, universities, and public-serving education programs. Examples include the Cleveland Museum of Art, Musical Arts Association, Cleveland Institute of Art, Case Western Reserve University, Pratt Institute, and the New York Botanical Garden.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes much larger institutional awards, including $1,000,000, $2,000,000, and $3,000,000 grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Cleveland Museum of Art, Musical Arts Association, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and New York Botanical Garden. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time grants only.
Ohio is the top state by grant count, and Cleveland appears frequently in the recent grants list. The foundation’s grants also reach Boston, New York, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Elyria, showing a national footprint with a strong Ohio concentration.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, and the recent grants list includes support tied to fellowships, internships, and scholar programs such as MFA Pathways Graduate support, the Emerging Scholars Program, and a family endowed internship.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | $3,000,000 | 2025 | CONSERVATION, EDUCATION AND |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston | Boston, MA | $3,000,000 | 2025 | MFA PATHWAYS GRADUATE |
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | $3,000,000 | 2025 | CONSERVATION, EDUCATION AND |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston | Boston, MA | $3,000,000 | 2025 | MFA PATHWAYS GRADUATE |
| Musical Arts Association | Cleveland, OH | $2,000,000 | 2025 | LEADERSHIP AND INTERNSHIP |
| Musical Arts Association | Cleveland, OH | $2,000,000 | 2025 | LEADERSHIP AND INTERNSHIP |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $1,600,000 | 2025 | SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $1,525,000 | 2025 | EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM |
| Lorain County Community College Foundation | Elyria, OH | $1,000,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE CENTER FUND |
| New York Botanical Garden | Bronx, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT FOR CHILDREN'S |
| Pratt Institute | Brooklyn, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | FAMILY ENDOWED INTERNSHIP |
| Pratt Institute | Brooklyn, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | FAMILY ENDOWED INTERNSHIP |
| Lorain County Community College Foundation | Elyria, OH | $1,000,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE CENTER FUND |
| The Frick Collection | New York, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | LEGACY ENDOWMENT |
| Cleveland Museum of Natural History | Cleveland, OH | $1,000,000 | 2025 | THE ERIC & JANE NORD FAMILY |
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | $250,000 | 2025 | FELLOWSHIP AND INTERNSHIP |
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | $250,000 | 2025 | NORD FAMILY FELLOWSHIP AND |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $125,000 | 2025 | EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston | Boston, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | LIFE AFTER THE CLUB/READY |
| TreePeople Inc | Beverly Hills, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | BUILDING COMMUNITY |
| TreePeople Inc | Beverly Hills, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | BUILDING COMMUNITY |
| West End House Boys & Girls Club | Allston, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | LEADERSHIP & CAREER |
| West End House Boys & Girls Club | Allston, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | LEADERSHIP & CAREER |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston | Boston, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | LIFE AFTER THE CLUB/READY |
| Legal Aid Society of Cleveland | Clevland, OH | $85,000 | 2025 | IMPROVING ACCESS TO |
| Legal Aid Society of Cleveland | Clevland, OH | $85,000 | 2025 | ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR |
| WGBH Educational Foundation | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | GBH NEWS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM |
| United Way of Greater Lorrain County | Lorain, OH | $75,000 | 2025 | KINDERGARTEN READINESS |
| Boston Public Library Fund | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | AUTHOR EVENTS |
| United Way of Greater Lorrain County | Lorain, OH | $75,000 | 2025 | KINDERGARTEN READINESS |
| WGBH Educational Foundation | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | GBH NEWS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM |
| Boston Public Library Fund | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | AUTHOR EVENTS |
| The New York Public Library | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | YOUTH EDUCATION SERVICES |
| Cambridge Public Library Foundation Inc | Cambridge, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY |
| Cambridge Public Library Foundation Inc | Cambridge, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY |
| Lenox Hill Neighborhood House | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, THE |
| New York Botanical Garden | Bronx, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S EDUCATION |
| Front Exhibition Company | Cleveland, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | CLEVELAND TRIENNIAL FOR |
| Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc | South Wellfleet, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | AUDUBON CAPE COD EDUCATION |
| Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc | South Wellfleet, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | AUDUBON CAPE COD EDUCATION |
| Lenox Hill Neighborhood House | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, THE |
| Cleveland Institute of Art | Cleveland, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | JANE B. NORD CENTER FOR |
| The New York Public Library | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | YOUTH EDUCATION SERVICE |
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | JANE B. NORD CENTER FOR |
| New York Botanical Garden | Bronx, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S EDUCATION |
| Firelands Association for the Visual Art | Oberlin, OH | $35,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION |
| Firelands Association for the Visual Art | Oberlin, OH | $27,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORT. |
| Greater Boston Food Bank | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | HUNGER RELIEF IN EASTERN |
| Greater Boston Food Bank | Boston, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | HUNGER RELIEF IN EASTERN |
| Firelands Association for the Visual Art | Oberlin, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | MATCHING GRANT FOR JANE |
Cleveland Museum of Art
$3,000,000CONSERVATION, EDUCATION AND
Cleveland Museum of Art
$3,000,000CONSERVATION, EDUCATION AND
LEADERSHIP AND INTERNSHIP
Case Western Reserve University
$1,600,000SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Case Western Reserve University
$1,525,000EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Pratt Institute
$1,000,000FAMILY ENDOWED INTERNSHIP
Pratt Institute
$1,000,000FAMILY ENDOWED INTERNSHIP
The Frick Collection
$1,000,000LEGACY ENDOWMENT
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
$1,000,000THE ERIC & JANE NORD FAMILY
Cleveland Museum of Art
$250,000FELLOWSHIP AND INTERNSHIP
Cleveland Museum of Art
$250,000NORD FAMILY FELLOWSHIP AND
Case Western Reserve University
$125,000EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The New York Public Library
$50,000YOUTH EDUCATION SERVICES
Cambridge Public Library Foundation Inc
$50,000CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Cambridge Public Library Foundation Inc
$50,000CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Front Exhibition Company
$50,000CLEVELAND TRIENNIAL FOR
The New York Public Library
$50,000YOUTH EDUCATION SERVICE
Cleveland Museum of Art
$50,000JANE B. NORD CENTER FOR
Firelands Association for the Visual Art
$35,000SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION
Firelands Association for the Visual Art
$27,000EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORT.
Firelands Association for the Visual Art
$20,000MATCHING GRANT FOR JANE