Brighten Your Future
Brighten Your Future is a private foundation headquartered in Logan, Ohio. Established in 1988, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) entity with a small staff of 3 employees. The foundation is primarily focused on funding scholarships and educational initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.6M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$118K
+2.2% YoY
Grant Count
35
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-12.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brighten Your Future reported a distributable amount of $122K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Brighten Your Future's primary mission centers on educational advancement through scholarship funding. The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education and Education N.E.C., with a particular emphasis on supporting students in Ohio.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded $111,000 in grants in a recent grant cycle. Notable grantees have included Cameron Daubenmire and others in the educational sector.
Average Grant
amount and median grant amount data available through IRS filings
Review Cycle
. Notable grantees have included Cameron Daubenmire and others in the educational sector.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in Ohio, with a particular focus on the Logan area and surrounding regions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (Fiscal Year Ending June 2024):
- Total assets: $2,553,084
- Total revenues: $164,559
- Total expenses: $166,832
- Grants, contributions, and donations: $55,033
- Investment income and dividends: $99,373
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $9,171
- Miscellaneous revenues: $982
Financial Trends (Year-over-Year):
- Total revenues declined 6.9% from FY 2023 ($176,794)
- Grants and contributions decreased 47.2% from FY 2023 ($104,277)
- Investment income increased 32.4% from FY 2023 ($75,029)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,553,084 | $2,452,451 | $2,384,951 |
| Revenue | $164,559 | $176,794 | $214,247 |
| Expenses | $166,832 | $165,460 | $158,461 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $47,850 | $49,118 | $12,352 |
| Net Investment Income | $108,544 | $75,029 | $124,305 |
| Distributable Amount | $121,650 | $117,971 | $124,416 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
172 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Orion Carter ($3,700), Abigail Bias ($3,700), Marissa Brenning ($3,700).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ORION CARTER NELSONVILLE, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| ABIGAIL BIAS LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| ALLISON BIAS LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $237 |
| MARISSA BRENNING LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| BRYON COLBY LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| CAMERON DAUBENMIRE LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| CARMEN SHUTTELWORTH LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| ABIGAEL SMITH LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,700 |
| BRAEDEN SPATAR LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSIP | $3,700 |
| MADISON VISINTAINER LOGAN, OH | SCHOLARSHIP | $1,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Kim Norway serves as Executive Director, with compensation of $12,000 reported as of June 30, 2023.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES ROBINSON | TREASURER | 4 | — |
| JOE MURTHA | V-PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MONTE BAINTER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| CHARLES TAYLOR | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| VAN CARDARAS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DICK BRANT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KENNETH DILLE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM R HEATH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LEE HOWDYSHELL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ROBERT LILLEY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JIM ROUSH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KIM NORWAY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| NANETTE SWINEHART | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| LARRY GERSTNER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| EDGAR PENROD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOE RISCH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JIM ROBINSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ABAGAIL SAVING | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JANEY SAVING | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BJ SMITH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GREG VERMILLION | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Brighten Your Future celebrated 35 years of operation, marking a significant milestone in the organization's history. The foundation continues to be recognized among Ohio's active foundations, ranking among the top funders by total giving in the state.
For A Bright Future Foundation Announces 2025 Single Parent Household & FamiliesFrequently Asked Questions
What does Brighten Your Future fund?
Brighten Your Future's primary mission centers on educational advancement through scholarship funding. The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education and Education N.E.C., with a particular emphasis on supporting students in Ohio.
How do I apply for a grant from Brighten Your Future?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 26 grants in the most recent fiscal year • Total giving: $117,528 (fiscal year ending June 2024) • Typical award range: $107–$5,587 • Average grant amount and median grant amount data available through IRS filings **Recent Grantmaking:** The foundation awarded $111,000 in grants in a recent grant cycle. Notable grantees have included Cameron Daubenmire and others in the educational sector. **Financial Support:** Brighten Your Future itself has received support from ot…
Where does Brighten Your Future make grants?
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in Ohio, with a particular focus on the Logan area and surrounding regions.
What size grants does Brighten Your Future award?
In 2024, Brighten Your Future awarded 35 grants totaling $118K — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Brighten Your Future required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Brighten Your Future reported a distributable amount of $122K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Brighten Your Future's EIN?
Brighten Your Future's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1255015. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Brighten Your Future's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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