Brown S & S Fdn
Brown S & S Fdn is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2025 filing says its exempt purpose is to support public charities and promote charitable purposes designed to benefit residents of Robertson County, Tennessee, and surrounding communities.
Brown S & S Fdn at a glance
In short: Brown S & S Fdn gave $290K across 16 grants in 2026 (avg $18K), mostly in Tennessee. 13% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $290,300
- +12.1% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 16
- +23.1% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $18,144
- -8.9% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $4,550,603
- +2.4% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 16, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (98% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Brown S & S Fdn
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says the application form is available from Regions Bank Trustee and should be submitted before the stated deadline. The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its stated restrictions are that awards support public charities and charitable purposes designed to benefit residents of Robertson County, Tennessee, and surrounding communities.
- Review Cycle
- The 2025 filing says to submit the application form prior to August 1. That filing’s stated deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The 2025 filing says to submit the application form prior to August 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Regions Bank Trustee
Mailing address: 150 4Th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219
Phone: (615) 748-2922
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Brown S & S Fdn funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Mr J Stokes Brown Public Library ($50K). Together the top 10 received $235K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 58 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 filing identifies Robertson County, Tennessee, and surrounding communities as the intended beneficiaries of its charitable purposes. In filing year 2026, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee and 2% to recipients in Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Brown S & S Fdn open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 2 of 16 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $14K repeat.
- 81% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $196K (2021) to $290K (2026). In 2026 it made 16 grants totaling $290K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mr J Stokes Brown Public Library Springfield, TN | General Operating | $50,000 |
| Willow Oak Center for Springfield, TN | General Operating | $45,000 |
| Springfield First United Methodist Springfield, TN | General Operating | $35,300 |
| Robertson County Senior Center Springfield, TN | General Operating | $20,000 |
| Open Door Pregnancy & Resource Center Springfield, TN | General Operating | $20,000 |
| Alive Hospice Nashville, TN | General Operating | $15,000 |
| CASA of Robertson County Inc Springfield, TN | General Operating | $15,000 |
| Eddies Haven Springfield, TN | General Operating | $12,000 |
| My Fathers House Springfield, TN | General Operating | $12,000 |
| Robertson County History Museum Springfield, TN | General Operating | $11,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Brown S & S Fdn?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,550,603 | $465,477 | $358,628 | $290,300 | 16 | $301,436 | $416,404 | $276,128 |
| 2025 | $4,444,088 | $703,170 | $318,579 | $259,050 | 13 | $269,668 | $353,312 | $258,183 |
| 2024 | $4,258,019 | $166,188 | $308,150 | $253,911 | 12 | $263,957 | $122,381 | $239,502 |
| 2023 | $4,400,324 | $100,876 | $280,738 | $222,087 | 10 | $232,997 | $70,257 | $247,021 |
| 2022 | $4,584,016 | $504,955 | $290,714 | $222,300 | 7 | $233,763 | $451,972 | $286,910 |
| 2021 | $4,371,291 | $288,396 | $256,071 | $195,521 | 7 | — | $240,803 | $250,305 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brown S & S Fdn reported a distributable amount of $276K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes its purpose as supporting public charities and promoting charitable purposes benefiting residents of Robertson County, Tennessee, and surrounding communities.
Grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the kinds of organizations it supports. CASA of Robertson County says it provides court-appointed special advocates to child victims of abuse and neglect, with a vision of a safe, permanent, loving home for every child it serves. Community Spirit Inc. says it preserves and celebrates the history and folklore of Robertson County and the Black Patch Region through arts and education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation gave $290,300 through 16 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $12,000. Listed grants included:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Regions Bank Trustee as trustee. It lists Virginia Sory Brown, Evelyn A Smith, Joe Gaston, and William R Goodman III as advisory committee members.
Brown S & S Fdn's 2026 filing lists 5 officers; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Regions Bank Trustee
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$46K (2021) → $51K (2026)
Evelyn A. Smith
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Gaston
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Virginia Sory Brown
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William R. Goodman III
Advisory Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $51K, to Regions Bank Trustee (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Brown S & S Fdn
How much does Brown S & S Fdn give each year?
Brown S & S Fdn gave $290K across 16 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $259K across 13 grants.
What is Brown S & S Fdn's typical grant size?
Brown S & S Fdn's median grant in 2026 was $12,000, and its average grant was $18,144, across 16 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brown S & S Fdn that year got $8K on average.
Where does Brown S & S Fdn give grants?
Brown S & S Fdn gives mostly in Tennessee: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Springfield, TN (12 grants) and Nashville, TN (2 grants).
Does Brown S & S Fdn give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Brown S & S Fdn's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Brown S & S Fdn's largest grantees?
Brown S & S Fdn's largest 2026 grantees include Mr J Stokes Brown Public Library ($50,000), Willow Oak Center for ($45,000) and Springfield First United Methodist ($35,300), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Brown S & S Fdn?
Brown S & S Fdn reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $301K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $276K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brown S & S Fdn fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its purpose as supporting public charities and promoting charitable purposes benefiting residents of Robertson County, Tennessee, and surrounding communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brown S & S Fdn?
The 2025 filing says the application form is available from Regions Bank Trustee and should be submitted before the stated deadline. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brown S & S Fdn's EIN?
Brown S & S Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0110679. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS June 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Brown S & S Fdn funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Brown S & S Fdn's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Bryant Family Foundation
Nashville, TN
The Bryant Family Foundation funds charitable organizations working in areas including education, conservation, food access, social services, and the arts, with most of its giving in Tennessee. Its 2025 grants ranged from $100 to $32,360, with a median of $1,000. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$209K
Grants
21
Total Given
$91K
United Way of Middle Tennessee Inc
Nashville, TN
United Way of Middle Tennessee funds nonprofit programs in education, financial stability, and health, especially those serving low-income families and vulnerable children and adults; it also supports HIV care and disaster recovery. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,015 to $697,309, with a median of $22,500. Its Community Impact Funding serves nine Middle Tennessee counties, while some programs serve people statewide; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$68.1M
Grants
347
Total Given
$19.7M
Memorial Foundation Inc
Madison, TN
Memorial Foundation Inc funds nonprofit work in health care, human and social services, education, senior enrichment, youth development, substance abuse, and community services, primarily serving Davidson, Sumner, and Robertson counties in Tennessee. Its 2024 grants ranged from $2,000 to $200,000, with a median of $15,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; organizations must contact the Foundation to discuss eligibility before applying.
Assets
$135.1M
Grants
182
Total Given
$4.4M
Life Extension Foundation Inc
Harrison, NY
The foundation supports kidney and dialysis care, nephrology and cardiology, patient assistance, and science and STEM education. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000, and went to organizations in several states, mainly Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
15
Total Given
$174K
Fort Foundation TCH
Orlando, FL
The foundation supports a range of charitable organizations, including healthcare, education, hospice, environmental, religious, arts, and community groups. Its 2025 grants were typically $12,360–$30,900, with a median of $15,450, and went mainly to Tennessee, with some funding in Kentucky and Washington, D.C. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$5.9M
Grants
17
Total Given
$309K
Irvin and Beverly Small Foundation
Nashville, TN
Assets
$2K
Grants
6
Total Given
$61K
More similar funders
More Funders in Alabama
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Brown S & S Fdn funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brown-s-and-s-fdn-morg_0d223227934447c69721e76834b04532
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260110679_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Brown S \& S Fdn funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brown-s-and-s-fdn-morg_0d223227934447c69721e76834b04532},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Brown S & S Fdn's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Brown S & S Fdn down — hundreds of funders to go?