Browning Kimball Foundation
The Browning Kimball Foundation is a private foundation based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that supports charitable organizations working to improve quality of life in Montana. Its stated priorities include sustainable agriculture and the well-being of youth and families.
Browning Kimball Foundation at a glance
In short: Browning Kimball Foundation gave $761K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), mostly in Montana. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $761,186
- -21.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +13.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,388
- -30.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $32,447,913
- +10.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (8 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Montana (90% 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 Browning Kimball Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2025 filing says the application package contains all requirements and lists Kari Blakley as the representative. The foundation’s website lists a letter of inquiry followed by a full application. The filing says there are no stated restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- The published 2026 cycle is past. The foundation’s website listed March 1, 2026, for letters of inquiry and July 15, 2026, for applications; the 2025 filing listed March 1 and July 12, respectively.
- Deadline
- The published 2026 cycle is past.
- Contact
Application contact: Kari Blakley Representative
Mailing address: 1024 E Britton Rd Ste 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73131
Phone: (405) 755-5571
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Browning Kimball Foundation
Who Browning Kimball Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Montana State University Foundation ($95K). Together the top 10 received $439K.
Grant Size Distribution
232 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 220 grants of 232 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Montana as a funding preference. In filing year 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Montana; the remaining reported shares were Florida 3%, Oklahoma 2%, Texas 2% and Pennsylvania 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Browning Kimball Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 34 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 32% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 63% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $761K (2025) to $1.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $761K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montana State University Foundation Bozeman, MT | Bearpaw Excellence in Agriculture SC | $94,737 |
| Friends of the Pool & Park Foundati Chinook, MT | Exempt Purpose | $50,000 |
| Montana FFA Foundation Columbus, MT | Helping Hands Chapter Funding | $46,000 |
| Special K Ranch Columbus, MT | Unrestricted Support | $44,100 |
| Rural Montana Foundation Roy, MT | Save the Cowboy | $40,000 |
| CM Russell Museum Great Falls, MT | Browning Firearms Exhibit | $39,349 |
| Western Sustainability Exchange Livingston, MT | Regenerative Ranching Program | $35,000 |
| Aware Anaconda, MT | General Operations Support | $30,000 |
| Montana Food Bank Network Missoula, MT | Mail-a-Mail - Feeding Rural Montanan | $30,000 |
| Producers Partnership Inc Livingston, MT | Exempt Purpose | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Browning Kimball Foundation?
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 | $32,447,913 | $2,794,630 | $1,083,025 | $761,186 | 34 | $933,005 | $2,645,063 | $1,484,046 |
| 2024 | $29,310,955 | $1,598,533 | $1,283,229 | $964,479 | 30 | $1,148,608 | $1,479,912 | $1,377,007 |
| 2023 | $27,443,496 | $1,466,547 | $1,289,278 | $1,012,612 | 45 | $1,180,244 | $1,361,318 | $1,280,138 |
| 2022 | $25,310,223 | $1,759,225 | $1,453,903 | $1,123,398 | 67 | $1,286,366 | $1,648,688 | $1,346,441 |
| 2021 | $30,298,219 | $3,107,780 | $1,345,540 | $1,021,833 | 56 | $1,176,690 | $2,984,930 | $1,396,983 |
| 2020 | $26,702,499 | $2,009,068 | $1,261,089 | $1,008,686 | 53 | — | $1,902,676 | $1,148,128 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Browning Kimball Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to enhance quality of life in Montana by promoting sustainable agriculture and fostering the well-being of youth and families. Its website lists Montana, youth and families, and sustainable agriculture as funding preferences. Its 2025 awards also covered arts, culture and humanities; community development; education; health and wellness; and human services.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Montana FFA Foundation says it provides agricultural leadership opportunities to Montana FFA members, while Montana Farm Bureau Foundation describes a focus on supporting Montana agriculture through education, research and community support, especially youth development. Montana Food Bank Network says it works to end hunger in Montana through food acquisition and distribution, education and advocacy. Special K Ranch describes providing homes and care on a working ranch for adults with developmental disabilities. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
The foundation’s website requires applicants to have IRS 501(c)(3) designation. A program description also says the foundation may limit grants to four consecutive years and encourages grantees to diversify funding sources.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $761,186. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $94,737, with a median of $20,000. Among the largest reported grants were $94,737 to Montana State University Foundation for “Bearpaw Excellence in Agriculture,” $50,000 to Friends of the Pool & Park Foundation, and $46,000 to Montana FFA Foundation for “Helping Hands Chapter Funding.” Other substantial awards included $44,100 to Special K Ranch, $40,000 to Rural Montana Foundation, and $39,349 to C.M. Russell Museum for a Browning firearms exhibit.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Barbara Cowan, Michelle Cowan, William Cowan, Brett Huestis and Lisa Cowan Huestis as directors. William B. Cowan is listed as president.
Browning Kimball Foundation is led by William B. Cowan, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William B. Cowan
Director & President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Barbara Cowan
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Brett Huestis
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lisa Cowan Huestis
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michelle Cowan
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Browning Kimball Foundation
How much does Browning Kimball Foundation give each year?
Browning Kimball Foundation gave $761K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $964K across 30 grants.
What is Browning Kimball Foundation's typical grant size?
Browning Kimball Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $22,388, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Browning Kimball Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Browning Kimball Foundation give grants?
Browning Kimball Foundation gives mostly in Montana: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Great Falls, MT (6 grants), Bozeman, MT (5 grants), Havre, MT (3 grants) and Ardmore, OK (3 grants).
Who are Browning Kimball Foundation's largest grantees?
Browning Kimball Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Montana State University Foundation ($94,737), Friends of the Pool & Park Foundati ($50,000) and Montana FFA Foundation ($46,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Browning Kimball Foundation?
Browning Kimball Foundation reported $32.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $933K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Browning Kimball Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to enhance quality of life in Montana by promoting sustainable agriculture and fostering the well-being of youth and families. Its website lists Montana, youth and families, and sustainable agriculture as funding preferences. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Browning Kimball Foundation?
The foundation’s 2025 filing says the application package contains all requirements and lists Kari Blakley as the representative. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Browning Kimball Foundation's EIN?
Browning Kimball Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2766079. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Browning Kimball Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Browning Kimball Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Browning Kimball Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/browning-kimball-foundation-morg_4c6e564b16c649b6b72e3f42836f92f4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942766079_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Browning Kimball Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/browning-kimball-foundation-morg_4c6e564b16c649b6b72e3f42836f92f4},
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 Browning Kimball 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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