Brown Tassell Foundation
Brown Tassell Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its 2025 filing reports grants to 35 organizations totaling $251,000, including Michigan-based health, human-services, faith-related, and other organizations, as well as recipients in four other states.
Brown Tassell Foundation at a glance
In short: Brown Tassell Foundation gave $251K across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Michigan. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $251,000
- +8.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- +29.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,171
- -16.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $2,848,306
- +2.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (8 of 35, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Brown Tassell Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2353 Cascade Lakes Circle, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-6630
Phone: (616) 682-5262
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Brown Tassell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Corewell Health Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $165K.
Grant Size Distribution
147 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 141 grants of 147 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Michigan recipients received 86% of grant dollars. The remaining shares went to recipients in New York (4%), Arizona (4%), Tennessee (4%), and Florida (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Brown Tassell Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 35 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $162K (2019) to $251K (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $251K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Corewell Health Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $50,000 |
| Saint Mary's Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $20,000 |
| Helen Devos Children's Hospital Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $20,000 |
| Pine Rest Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $15,000 |
| Mel Trotter Ministries Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $10,000 |
| Catholic Charities Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $10,000 |
| World Mission Comstock Park, MI | Operating | $10,000 |
| Tunnel to Tower Foundation Staten Island, NY | Operating | $10,000 |
| Michigan Veterans Home Grand Rapids, MI | Operating | $10,000 |
| Turning Point USA Phoenix, AZ | Operating | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,848,306 | $378,447 | $297,748 | $251,000 | 35 | $251,000 | $52,437 | $234,480 |
| 2024 | $2,767,607 | $157,185 | $269,688 | $231,500 | 27 | $231,500 | $49,680 | $212,768 |
| 2023 | $2,880,110 | $63,241 | $258,542 | $220,000 | 29 | $220,000 | $43,429 | $190,564 |
| 2022 | $3,075,411 | $55,864 | $233,016 | $203,000 | 28 | $203,000 | $50,732 | $200,539 |
| 2021 | $3,252,563 | $107,451 | $210,094 | $197,000 | 28 | $197,000 | $90,111 | $204,709 |
| 2020 | $3,355,206 | $94,641 | $199,688 | $188,000 | 21 | — | $83,164 | $193,073 |
| 2019 | $3,460,253 | $104,032 | $183,830 | $161,750 | 22 | — | $74,263 | $184,239 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brown Tassell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $234K for 2025 — 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 own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. For example, Mel Trotter Ministries says it provides rescue and restoration for people experiencing hunger and homelessness, while Kids’ Food Basket says it nourishes children through food and educational programs. Paws With A Cause describes its work as transforming lives and strengthening communities through custom-trained working dogs. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 35 grants totaling $251,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median of $4,000. The largest listed grants included $50,000 to Corewell Health Foundation; $20,000 each to Saint Mary’s Foundation and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; and $15,000 to Pine Rest. Other listed grants included $10,000 each to Mel Trotter Ministries, Catholic Charities, World Mission, Tunnel to Tower Foundation, Michigan Veterans Home, Turning Point USA, and St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Carolyn Tassell Brown as president and Mark A Brown, Donald E Tassell, and Robert Tassell as trustees.
Brown Tassell Foundation is led by Carolyn Tassell Brown, President on every filing since 2019; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carolyn Tassell Brown
President
On filings since 2019
$400 (2019) → $2K (2025)
Donald E. Tassell
Trustee
On filings since 2019
$400 (2019) → $1K (2025)
Mark A. Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2019
$400 (2019) → $2K (2025)
Robert Tassell
Trustee
On filings since 2019
$400 (2019) → $2K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $2K, to Carolyn Tassell Brown (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Brown Tassell Foundation
How much does Brown Tassell Foundation give each year?
Brown Tassell Foundation gave $251K across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $232K across 27 grants.
What is Brown Tassell Foundation's typical grant size?
Brown Tassell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $7,171, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brown Tassell Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Brown Tassell Foundation give grants?
Brown Tassell Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (25 grants) and Comstock Park, MI (2 grants).
Does Brown Tassell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Brown Tassell Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 35) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Brown Tassell Foundation's largest grantees?
Brown Tassell Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Corewell Health Foundation ($50,000), Saint Mary's Foundation ($20,000) and Helen Devos Children's Hospital ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Brown Tassell Foundation?
Brown Tassell Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $251K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $234K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brown Tassell Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brown Tassell Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brown Tassell Foundation's EIN?
Brown Tassell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4012877. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Brown Tassell Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 31, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Brown Tassell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brown-tassell-foundation-morg_79996b759c8747a38d1cdefa2d53a9d3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204012877_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Brown Tassell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brown-tassell-foundation-morg_79996b759c8747a38d1cdefa2d53a9d3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Tassell Foundation'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.
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