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Nelson Family Foundation at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Private foundation

Nelson Family Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$105k
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$50k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0190% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2025.

Religion$456kInternational$291kHousing & Shelter$291kEducation$91kHealth$85kCivil Rights$72kHuman Services$33kYouth Development$28kOther$0
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k7 grants · $20k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $35k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $50k
$5,405
Median grant
1
States reached
$1.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
New Story Inc$50,000
The Freedom Story$25,000
Arrabon$10,000
Mercy and Grace Ministries$6,000
Flourish Collective$5,405
Tri Valley Seek Save$5,000
Asante Africa Foundation$2,000
Path Light International$1,000
Cross Winds Church$500
Discovery Counseling Center$200
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY19–25, $242k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 99% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%Bay Area Rescue Mission: $3k → 9%Flow Loves You Foundation: $2k → 13%New Story Inc: $60k → 13%Flow Loves You Foundation: $2k → 13%New Story Inc: $50k → 13%Mobilize Love: $3k → 10%Charity Water: $157 → 17%Mobilize Love: $1k → 10%Mobilize Love: $500 → 10%Compass Family Services SF: $216 → 10%New Story Inc: $51k → 10%New Story Inc: $50k → 10%New Story Inc: $10k → 10%Goodness Village: $10k → 10%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
ID
MN
IL
MI
NY
NJ
CA
CO
KY
MD
AZ
TN
DC
GA
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

81%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.2M · 32 repeat orgs$290k to everyone else

32 repeat relationships: 9 still active in FY2025, 23 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

32
49

Total granted

$1.2M
$280k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+12%
+14%

Still filing today

50%
33%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 90% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $10k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’24’25
Human ServicesInternationalHealthReligionEducationYouth DevelopmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • NS
    NEW STORY INC
    5× · 2019–2025 · $221k · revenue +0%
  • TF
    The Freedom Story
    7× · 2018–2025 · $132k · revenue +186%
  • PI
    PathLight International Inc
    6× · 2019–2025 · $66k · revenue +64%

Funded once

  • CF
    Charities Funded by Flourish Collec
    one grant, 2021 · $80k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2022 · $50k
  • TC
    The Career Gem LLC
    one grant, 2022 · $18k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Zoe Empowers

Zoe Empowers is a global network of local organizations throughout Africa and India providing a replicable and scalable framework whereby youth led or resourced families are provided the training, resources, and community support to become…

International
2
Visionsynergy

Our mission is to accelerate the great commission by equipping leaders, developing networks, and catalyzing collaboration toward spiritual breakthroughs among the least reached peoples and places of the world.

International
3
Twelve21 Global Inc

We engage the far-off, forgotten, abandoned people-the least of these-by building genuine trust through relationships and sharing Christs gospel of grace and great hope. We come alongside and support local churches that disciple their…

Religion
4
Counterpart International Inc

For over 60 years, counterpart international has partnered with communities worldwide to turn local ideas into lasting solutions, connecting local vision with global opportunity. (continued on schedule o)we believe people closest to the…

International
5
Redeem International

Redeem's mission is to protect widows and orphans from violent abuse and exploitation.

International
6
Compassion International Incorporated

Compassion exists to release children from poverty in Jesus' name. Compassion serves all children, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

International
7
Empowering Lives International

Empowering Lives International (ELI) ignites world changers. We equip families and orphans to crush poverty, embrace Christ, and share their transformation with others through their God-honoring income, their deepening relationship with…

Religion
8
Go On the Mission

GO equips impoverished children to conquer the cycle of poverty through holistic Christ-centered care, enabling them to become followers of Christ who bring hope and healing to their worlds.

Religion
9
World Hope International Inc

The purpose of world hope international, inc. (whi) includes providing assistance to economically disadvantaged people through long-term social transformation projects, including anti-trafficking protection, clean water, economic…

International
10
Bibleproject

Bibleproject's mission is to help people experience the bible as a unified story that leads to jesus. this is achieved by creating biblical videos to be regularly released on a newly-created youtube channel. (continued on schedule o.)each…

Religion
11
Global Outreach International Inc

To get the good news to every nation this generation by showing and sharing god's love by providing opportunities and supporting christian missionaries in over fifty seven countries around the world.

International
12
Children's HopeChest

Inspired by Christ's love, Children's HopeChest releases the potential existing within vulnerable communities, starting with the children.

International
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Pencils of Promise Incorporated; the most unlike its peers is Flourish Collective. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

34 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 34 of the 82 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
32/34
Grantees still filing
21/34
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

CROSSWINDS CHURCH: $392,500 · OtherCROSSWINDS CHURCHCharities Funded by Flourish Collec: $79,973 · OtherCharities Funded by Flourish CollecIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientTri Valley Seek Save: $32,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $30,500 · Other+57 more: $296,916 · Other+57 moreNEW STORY INC: $221,000 · Human ServicesNEW STORY INCGOODNESS VILLAGE: $10,000 · Human Services+5 more: $11,373 · Human ServicesThe Freedom Story: $131,523 · InternationalThe Freedom Stor…PathLight International Inc: $66,103 · InternationalPathLight Intern…EXTOLLO INTERNATIONAL: $10,000 · InternationalAsante Africa Foundation Inc: $10,000 · International+2 more: $6,500 · InternationalBIOLA UNIVERSITY INC: $65,000 · Education+1 more: $1,000 · EducationFLOURISH COLLECTIVE: $65,405 · Civil RightsMERCY AND GRACE MINISTRIES inc: $16,000 · ReligionMIO Frontiers: $15,000 · ReligionWESTERN STATES FELLOWSHIP INC: $2,000 · ReligionShepherds Gate: $25,000 · Housing & Shelter
Other$881,889Human Services$242,373International$224,126Education$66,000Civil Rights$65,405Religion$33,000Housing & Shelter$25,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetNEW STORY INC: $221,000 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetThe Freedom Story: $131,523 over 7y, 6.4% of budgetPathLight International Inc: $66,103 over 6y, 2.5% of budgetFLOURISH COLLECTIVE: $65,405 over 2y, 17% of budgetBIOLA UNIVERSITY INC: $65,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetShepherds Gate: $25,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetCADENCE INTERNATIONAL: $25,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetCHOOSE 180: $17,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetMERCY AND GRACE MINISTRIES inc: $16,000 over 3y, 3.3% of budgetMIO Frontiers: $15,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFOOD BANK OF CONTRA COSTA AND SOLANO: $14,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetEXTOLLO INTERNATIONAL: $10,000 over 2y, 1.0% of budgetAsante Africa Foundation Inc: $10,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetGOODNESS VILLAGE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetYOUNG LIFE: $5,521 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetHope & Future International: $5,250 over 2y, 4.1% of budgetTelos Group Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetPARTNERS RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMOTIVATING INSPIRING SUPPORTING AND SERVING SEXUALLY EXPLOITED YOUTH: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMOBILIZE LOVE: $4,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetFlowlovesyou Foundation: $4,000 over 2y, 1.4% of budgetBAY AREA RESCUE MISSION: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHAVE A BALL FOUNDATION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetWESTERN STATES FELLOWSHIP INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetPENCILS OF PROMISE INCORPORATED: $1,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCollege is Real Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBREAST CANCER PREVENTION PARTNERS: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOMPASS FAMILY SERVICES: $216 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $204 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCHARITY GLOBAL INC: $157 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOptions Health: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNMDP FOUNDATION: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds NEW STORY INC ↗
  • Who funds The Freedom Story ↗
  • Who funds PathLight International Inc ↗
  • Who funds FLOURISH COLLECTIVE ↗
  • Who funds BIOLA UNIVERSITY INC ↗
  • Who funds Shepherds Gate ↗
  • Who funds CADENCE INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds CHOOSE 180 ↗
  • Who funds MERCY AND GRACE MINISTRIES inc ↗
  • Who funds MIO Frontiers ↗
  • Who funds FOOD BANK OF CONTRA COSTA AND SOLANO ↗
  • Who funds EXTOLLO INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds Asante Africa Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds DIG DEEP ↗
  • Who funds GOODNESS VILLAGE ↗
  • Who funds YOUNG LIFE ↗
  • Who funds Hope & Future International ↗
  • Who funds Telos Group Inc ↗
  • Who funds PARTNERS RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Morgan Stanley Global…Christian Community F…Natl Christian Charit…Servant FoundationSilicon Valley Commun…American Endowment Fo…American Online Givin…Raymond James Charita…Donor Advised Charita…National Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…The Blackbaud Giving …
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncIN11.9× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Christian Community Foundation Inc · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · Servant Foundation · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · American Endowment Foundation · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · The Blackbaud Giving Fund

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Nelson Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Nelson Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%10%20%30%40%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–40%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 82 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Nelson Family’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home