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Nicholson Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Nicholson Family Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$902k
Granted FY2024still arriving
156
Grants FY2024still arriving
14
States reached
$62k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0196% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$1.5MEducation$1.0MPhilanthropy$858kHealth$372kEnvironment$342kHousing & Shelter$203kYouth Development$165kHuman Services$152kOther$0
02FY2024 · 156 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k131 grants · $331k
  • $10k–50k23 grants · $448k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $123k
$2,500
Median grant
14
States reached
$15M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
PARK SQUARE THEATER COMPANY$61,687
RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC$61,556
MN HISTORICAL SOCIETY$43,237
COMMONBOND COMMUNITIES$34,401
WILDER FOUNDATION AMHERST H$32,312
METRO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION$29,837
ST PAUL PARKS AND CONSERVANCY$27,750
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY$25,000
LISTENING HOUSE OF ST PAUL$25,000
ALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION$24,467
COMO FRIENDS$19,100
ORDWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ART$18,000
TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC$17,600
HISTORY THEATRE INC$17,500
MOUNDS PARK ACADEMY$16,000
02The need
03

Where the grant dollars land

Across the US and around the world.

Which US states its grants reach

MT
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
OR
IN
OH
NJ
CT
CA
CO
VA
MD
TN
DC
LA
AL
GA
TX
FL
How this is measured
Grants placed by each grantee’s location, read from the 990 filings.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

94%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$4.4M · 204 repeat orgs$295k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +34% since the first grant, against +22% for those funded once.

204 repeat relationships: 143 still active in FY2024, 61 since wound down; 8 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

204
134

Total granted

$4.4M
$256k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+34%
+22%

Still filing today

58%
31%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 96% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $39k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationArts & CultureEnvironmentHuman ServicesHealthCommunity ImprovementOther
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

  • TF
    THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY
    8× · 2017–2024 · $195k · revenue +30%
  • MP
    MOUNDS PARK ACADEMY
    8× · 2017–2024 · $109k · revenue +75%
  • ST PAUL ACADEMY AND SUMMIT SCHOOL
    8× · 2017–2024 · $106k · revenue +26%

Funded once

  • MM
    MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARTgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $100k · revenue +376%
  • HS
    HISTORIC SUMMIT AVENUEgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $15k · revenue +44%
  • MC
    MACALASTER COLLEGE
    one grant, 2017 · $10k
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
Minnesota Business Partnership

The minnesota business partnership's mission is to maintain a high quality of life for all minnesotans by ensuring that the state's economy remains strong, globally competitive and its prospects for growth bright by working with elected…

—
2
Minnesota Medical Association

To be the leading voice of medicine to make minnesota the healthiest state and the best place to practice.

—
3
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The minnesota chamber of commerce proactively leads the business community statewide to: advance pro-business, responsible minnesota public policy that creates jobs and grows the econony; provde member services to address evolving business…

—
4
University of Minnesota Foundation Investment Advisors

To provide the highest level of stewardship for university donors through professional management and oversight of the university of minnesota foundation's assets by creating a focused investment environment with clarity of purpose,…

Education
5
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
6
Augustana College

Rooted in the liberal arts & sciences & lutheran expression of the christian faith, & is committed to offering a challenging education that develops qualities of mind, spirit, & body necessary for a rewarding life of leadership & service…

Education
7
Minnesota State University Student Association Inc

Led by minnesota state university students, we are the inclusive voice for all future, current, and former students. we actively work to represent and support minnesota state university students and advocate at a campus, state, and federal…

Education
8
Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership

The mission of the greater msp partnership is to accelerate regional competitiveness and inclusive economic growth through job creation, capital investment and execution of strategic initiatives. the partnership works to strengthen our…

Community Improvement
9
St Paul Transportation Management Organization

Move minnesota leads the movement for an equitable and sustainable transportation system that puts people first. we are passionate about connecting communities, ending the climate crisis, expanding access to jobs and resources, and…

Environment
10
The Minneapolis Foundation

The foundation cultivates generosity by taking action on the greatest civic, social, and economic needs partnering with nonprofits, facilitating grantmaking, driving research and advocacy, and providing services to donors seeking to make a…

Philanthropy
11
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
12
Minnesota Council on Foundations

MCF is a vibrant philanthropic community connecting, strengthening and mobilizing the power of philanthropy to advance prosperity and equity.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Heritage Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association. 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

181 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. 181 of the 355 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)
36
Early backer (in before they grew)
175/181
Grantees still filing
129/181
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MN HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $207,058 · OtherMN HISTORICAL SOCIETYTHE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY: $194,506 · OtherTHE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARYPARK SQUARE THEATER COMPANY: $142,066 · OtherPARK SQUARE THEATER COMPANYWILDER FOUNDATION AMHERST H: $127,685 · OtherTWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC (82): $123,767 · OtherMETRO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $95,337 · OtherPEOPLE INCORPORATED: $89,500 · Other+110 more: $1,486,144 · Other+110 moreRAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC: $277,105 · Arts & CultureRAMSEY COUNTY HIST…MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART: $99,899 · Arts & CultureMINNESOTA MUSEUM O…NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE UNITED STATES: $93,500 · Arts & CultureNATIONAL TRUST FOR…THE HISTORY THEATRE INC: $92,725 · Arts & CultureTHE HISTORY THEATR…TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC: $51,200 · Arts & CultureTWIN CITIES PUBLIC…SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA: $47,100 · Arts & CultureSCIENCE MUSEUM OF …SCHUBERT CLUB THE: $45,450 · Arts & CultureSCHUBERT CLUB THE+19 more: $142,705 · Arts & Culture+19 moreSAINT PAUL & MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $545,887 · PhilanthropySAINT PAUL & MI…GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY: $122,000 · PhilanthropyGREATER TWIN CI…SAINT PAUL POLICE FOUNDATION: $39,200 · PhilanthropySAINT PAUL POLI…MOUNDS PARK ACADEMY: $108,500 · EducationMOUNDS PARK A…ST PAUL ACADEMY AND SUMMIT SCHOOL: $105,909 · EducationST PAUL ACADE…University of St Thomas: $54,000 · EducationUniversity of…LIBERTY CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $31,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $28,200 · EducationCOLLEGE OF ST SCHOLASTICA INC: $27,000 · EducationDePauw University: $25,500 · EducationThe George Washington University: $25,000 · EducationWESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY: $23,700 · EducationHILLSDALE COLLEGE: $22,000 · EducationVAIL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: $21,000 · Education+15 more: $129,825 · Education+15 moreLISTENING HOUSE OF ST PAUL INC: $50,000 · Human ServicesCANVAS HEALTH INC: $37,500 · Human ServicesPROJECT FOR PRIDE IN LIVING INC: $27,500 · Human ServicesYOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF THE NORTH: $23,500 · Human ServicesUNION GOSPEL MISSION ASSOCIATION OF ST PAUL INC: $20,100 · Human ServicesOUR LADY OF PEACE: $12,500 · Human ServicesLUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICE OF MINNESOTA: $12,000 · Human ServicesUJAMAA PLACE: $12,000 · Human ServicesAMHERST H WILDER FOUNDATION: $9,000 · Human ServicesSolid Ground: $7,550 · Human ServicesAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $7,500 · Human Services+1 more: $2,450 · Human ServicesOceanitesInc: $100,000 · EnvironmentFRIENDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER: $36,000 · EnvironmentLOWER PHALEN CREEK PROJECT: $27,000 · EnvironmentTHE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA: $25,500 · EnvironmentSAINT PAUL GARDEN CLUB: $8,250 · EnvironmentNORTHEASTERN MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS: $7,500 · Environment+3 more: $8,500 · EnvironmentALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION: $55,010 · HealthGillette Children's Hospital Foundation: $29,500 · HealthBREAKTHROUGH T1D: $22,000 · HealthREGIONS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $17,500 · HealthTREEHOUSE INC: $16,800 · Health+2 more: $9,500 · Health
Other$2,466,063Arts & Culture$849,684Philanthropy$707,087Education$601,634Human Services$221,600Environment$212,750Health$150,310

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSAINT PAUL & MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $545,887 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetRAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC: $277,105 over 8y, 5.5% of budgetTHE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY: $194,506 over 8y, 1.8% of budgetGREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY: $122,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetMOUNDS PARK ACADEMY: $108,500 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetST PAUL ACADEMY AND SUMMIT SCHOOL: $105,909 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetOceanitesInc: $100,000 over 4y, 18% of budgetMINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART: $99,899 over 1y, 4.7% of budgetNATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE UNITED STATES: $93,500 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetTHE HISTORY THEATRE INC: $92,725 over 7y, 0.7% of budgetPEOPLE INCORPORATED: $89,500 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetCOMMONBOND COMMUNITIES: $80,571 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetCOMO FRIENDS: $70,357 over 8y, 0.4% of budgetALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION: $55,010 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetUniversity of St Thomas: $54,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetNORTHERN STAR COUNCIL: $53,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetTWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC: $51,200 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetLISTENING HOUSE OF ST PAUL INC: $50,000 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetBOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE TWIN CITIES: $49,500 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetSCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA: $47,100 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetSCHUBERT CLUB THE: $45,450 over 8y, 0.4% of budgetSAINT PAUL POLICE FOUNDATION: $39,200 over 7y, 2.4% of budgetCANVAS HEALTH INC: $37,500 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER: $36,000 over 8y, 0.4% of budgetLIBERTY CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $31,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetGillette Children's Hospital Foundation: $29,500 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetNEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE: $29,500 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $28,200 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetPROJECT FOR PRIDE IN LIVING INC: $27,500 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetLOWER PHALEN CREEK PROJECT: $27,000 over 8y, 1.2% of budgetCOLLEGE OF ST SCHOLASTICA INC: $27,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetDePauw University: $25,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetTHE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA: $25,500 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetThe George Washington University: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY: $23,700 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetYOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF THE NORTH: $23,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetBREAKTHROUGH T1D: $22,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetHILLSDALE COLLEGE: $22,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetVAIL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: $21,000 over 7y, 0.5% of budgetUNION GOSPEL MISSION ASSOCIATION OF ST PAUL INC: $20,100 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetPHILLIPS EYE INSTITUTE FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 4y, 0.9% of budgetSTEPPING STONE THEATER CO: $20,000 over 4y, 1.0% of budgetJEREMIAH PROGRAM: $19,500 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetMINNEAPOLIS SOCIETY OF FINE ARTS DBA MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS: $18,500 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetHOPE ACADEMY INC: $17,625 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetORDWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: $17,575 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetREGIONS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $17,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetTREEHOUSE INC: $16,800 over 5y, 0.1% 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 SAINT PAUL & MINNESOTA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC ↗
  • Who funds THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY ↗
  • Who funds GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY ↗
  • Who funds MOUNDS PARK ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds ST PAUL ACADEMY AND SUMMIT SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds OceanitesInc ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE UNITED STATES ↗
  • Who funds THE HISTORY THEATRE INC ↗
  • Who funds PEOPLE INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds COMMONBOND COMMUNITIES ↗
  • Who funds COMO FRIENDS ↗
  • Who funds ALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds University of St Thomas ↗
  • Who funds NORTHERN STAR COUNCIL ↗
  • Who funds TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION INC ↗
  • Who funds LISTENING HOUSE OF ST PAUL INC ↗
  • Who funds BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE TWIN CITIES ↗
  • Who funds SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA ↗
  • Who funds SCHUBERT CLUB THE ↗
  • Who funds SAINT PAUL POLICE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds CANVAS HEALTH INC ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ↗
  • Who funds LIBERTY CLASSICAL ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds Gillette Children's Hospital Foundation ↗
  • Who funds NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE ↗

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.

Saint Paul & Minnesot…Hardenbergh FoundationFr Bigelow FoundationXcel Energy FoundationThe Minneapolis Found…Otto Bremer TrustThe Hubbard Broadcast…Hrk FoundationFred C and Katherine …Osilas FoundationThe K FoundationTarget Foundation
Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationMN86.7× affinity66 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation · Hardenbergh Foundation · Fr Bigelow Foundation · Xcel Energy Foundation · The Minneapolis Foundation · Otto Bremer Trust · The Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation · Hrk Foundation · Fred C and Katherine B Andersen Foundation · Osilas Foundation · The K Foundation · Target Foundation

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 Nicholson Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Nicholson Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • Lewis & Clark College: 2% of income from government
  • Connecticut College: 0% of income from government
  • The Rectory School Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
41report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
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.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Nicholson Family Foundation?

Find your warmest path to Nicholson Family Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

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 355 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Nicholson 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