The John and Judith Nelson Family Foundation focuses on unrestricted general‑purpose support for local institutions in the Boston area, with an emphasis on higher education, healthcare, and services for children with special needs. Grants are commonly directed to established organizations (hospitals, universities, and disability/child‑serving nonprofits) rather than start‑ups or advocacy groups. Repeated gifts to the same recipients suggest ongoing relationships and core support rather than one‑off project funding.
The John and Judith Nelson Family Foundation’s recent grantmaking is marked by repeated general-purpose support to the same Boston-area institutions, especially Northeastern University, Lahey Clinic, The Small World, and the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. That pattern points to a funder that favors ongoing relationships over one-time project grants and uses unrestricted gifts as its main tool. The foundation’s largest recent awards went to Lahey Clinic and Northeastern University, both for general purpose support, while smaller repeat gifts extended the same approach to child-focused, healthcare, and disability-serving organizations. Its portfolio shows a steady emphasis on established nonprofits rather than startups or advocacy groups. Higher education appears through Northeastern University and Boston University. Healthcare shows up through Lahey Clinic and other medical or patient-support organizations. The foundation also funds services for children and people with developmental disabilities, including organizations connected to Down syndrome support and wish-granting for seriously ill children. Across the recent grants list, the consistent thread is flexible operating support for institutions already embedded in the communities they serve.
Higher education is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $25,000 in both 2023 and 2024 to Northeastern University for general purpose support, and it also gave $10,000 to The Trustee of Boston University in 2023. Healthcare is another major area. In 2023, Lahey Clinic received $30,000 for general purpose support, followed by another $16,000 in 2024. The foundation also made smaller health-related gifts to Susan G Komen Foundation for $2,000 and to Alzheimers Association for $1,500. Support for children and families appears through The Small World, which received $12,500 in 2023 and $18,500 in 2024, both for general purpose support. The foundation also gave $22,700 to Make-a-wish Foundation in 2023 and $1,000 to Andrew Mcdonough B Positive Foundation in 2024.
Typical gifts cluster in the low-thousands, with a p25 of $1,625, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $14,375. That distribution sits alongside a few larger general-purpose awards, which suggests a mix of core support and smaller supplemental grants. The recent record shows repeat giving to several recipients across multiple years, including Northeastern University, Lahey Clinic, The Small World, Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, and Manna Food Bank. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants are recorded as general-purpose support rather than a formal open application program.
$126K
$1.2M
$38K
$134K
Most grants fall between $2K and $14K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$14K
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Moderate number of mid‑sized unrestricted grants, with repeat funding to a small set of established local grantees; emphasis on sustaining institutional capacity rather than project‑restricted or broad geographic giving.
Notable grantees: Northeastern University, Lahey Clinic, Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, Make‑A‑Wish Foundation, The Small World
Giving is concentrated in Massachusetts, which accounts for 57% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Boston appears repeatedly through recipients such as Northeastern University, Make-a-wish Foundation, The Trustee of Boston University, and Susan G Komen Foundation. Other Massachusetts recipients include Burlington, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Newton, Taunton, and Hudson. Outside Massachusetts, the foundation gave to organizations in Asheville, New York City, Washington, DC, Wilmington, Jersey City, Ann Arbor, DeLand, and Lincoln, but every recent grant in the dataset went to a US recipient.
Its recent grants favor established nonprofits in higher education, healthcare, and services for children and people with developmental disabilities. Examples include Northeastern University, Lahey Clinic, The Small World, and Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, all funded for general purpose support.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Northeastern University, Lahey Clinic, The Small World, Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, and Manna Food Bank. That pattern suggests ongoing support rather than isolated one-time awards.
The grant-size distribution centers in the low thousands: p25 is $1,625, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $14,375. Recent gifts range from $500 to $30,000 in the provided list.
Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, with 57% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Boston-area organizations appear often, alongside recipients in Burlington, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Newton, Taunton, and Hudson.
The recent grants are mostly general-purpose awards rather than restricted project grants. The foundation also does not fund individuals 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SMALL WORLD | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS DOWN SYNDROME CONGRESS | BURLINGTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LAHEY CLINIC | BURLINGTON, MA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $11,250 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BELKNAP HOUSE | LACONIA, NH | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $6,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PLEDGE THE PINK FOUNDATION | BLUFFTON, SC | $4,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HEIFER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $3,750 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PANTHERA CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MANNA FOOD BANK | ASHEVILLE, NC | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW ENGLAND DISABLED SPORTS | LINCOLN, NH | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| OCEAN CONSERVANCY | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WORLD WILDLIFE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,250 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CHILDREN OF HEROS UKRAINE FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $1,250 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MARA ELEPHANT PROJECT | CARMEL, IN | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| POLAR BEARS INTERNATIONAL | BOZEMAN, MT | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE | SAN ANGELO, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LITTLE LONGEARS MINIATURE DONKEY RESCUE | NEW OXFORD, PA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WINNISQUAM WATERSHED NETWORK | WINNISQUAUM, NH | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE B FOUNDATION | WILMINGTON, DE | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM | MONTEREY, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST JUDE'S HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NATIONAL WILDLIFE FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $750 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NATIONAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE SMALL WORLD | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS DOWN SYNDROME CONGRESS | BURLINGTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SMILE TRAIN | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ASHVILLE AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | ASHEVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BELKNAP HOUSE | LACONIA, NH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PLEDGE THE PINK FOUNDATION | BLUFFTON, SC | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MANNA FOOD BANK | ASHEVILLE, NC | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ISAIAH 61 CAF | LACONIA, NH | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CAJUN NAVY RELIEF | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW ENGLAND DISABLED SPORTS | LINCOLN, NH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GLOBAL GIVING | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE B FOUNDATION | WILMINGTON, DE | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE SMALL WORLD | JAMAICA PLAIN, MA | $18,500 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| LAHEY CLINIC | BURLINGTON, MA | $16,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS DOWN SYNDROME CONGRESS | BURLINGTON, MA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN | ROXBURY, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
THE SMALL WORLD
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
LAHEY CLINIC
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BELKNAP HOUSE
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$7,500GENERAL PURPOSE
PLEDGE THE PINK FOUNDATION
$4,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NEW ENGLAND DISABLED SPORTS
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CHILDREN OF HEROS UKRAINE FOUNDATION
$1,250GENERAL PURPOSE
WINNISQUAM WATERSHED NETWORK
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE B FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
$750GENERAL PURPOSE
NATIONAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
THE SMALL WORLD
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ASHVILLE AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BELKNAP HOUSE
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
PLEDGE THE PINK FOUNDATION
$4,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ISAIAH 61 CAF
$3,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CAJUN NAVY RELIEF
$3,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NEW ENGLAND DISABLED SPORTS
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GLOBAL GIVING
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE B FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE SMALL WORLD
$18,500GENERAL PURPOSE