Brownstein Family Foundation
Brownstein Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Rockville, Maryland. In its 2025 filing, it reported 17 grants totaling $37,500 to charitable organizations.
Brownstein Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Brownstein Family Foundation gave $38K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Rhode Island. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $37,500
- +4.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -19.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,206
- +28.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $493,150
- -4.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (3 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (20% 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 Brownstein Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6515 Old Farm Lane, Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: (301) 881-8446
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Brownstein Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Island Free Library ($5K). Together the top 10 received $31K.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 75 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Rhode Island (20%), Washington (19%), the District of Columbia (17%), Maryland (15%), and New York (12%). Listed recipients were also located in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Brownstein Family Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 17 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 838% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 123% 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 $4K (2022) to $62K (2019). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $38K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Island Free Library Block Island, RI | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Washington Progress Fund Seattle, WA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Amalgamated Foundation Washington, DC | General Purpose | $4,500 |
| ACLU Foundation New York, NY | General Purpose | $3,500 |
| House with a Heart Gaithersburg, MD | General Purpose | $3,000 |
| Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue Winchendon, MA | General Purpose | $2,000 |
| Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Washington, DC | General Purpose | $2,000 |
| Newhouse Wildlife Rescue Chelmsford, MA | General Purpose | $2,000 |
| Sanca Seattle, WA | General Purpose | $2,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Rhode Island Block Island, RI | General Purpose | $2,000 |
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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 | $493,150 | $19,316 | $39,814 | $37,500 | 17 | $37,500 | $19,316 | $30,534 |
| 2024 | $513,648 | $136,432 | $41,216 | $36,000 | 21 | $36,000 | $136,432 | $31,109 |
| 2023 | $418,432 | $20,745 | $30,230 | $24,000 | 18 | $24,000 | $20,745 | $29,660 |
| 2022 | $427,917 | $21,554 | $9,775 | $4,000 | 6 | $4,000 | $21,554 | $27,050 |
| 2021 | $416,138 | $49,665 | $41,672 | $36,000 | 13 | $36,000 | $49,665 | $27,647 |
| 2020 | $408,145 | $19,770 | $48,123 | $42,800 | 16 | — | $19,770 | $25,525 |
| 2019 | $436,498 | $21,698 | $67,516 | $62,140 | 22 | — | $23,605 | $28,660 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brownstein Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $31K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as social change, animal rescue and welfare, wildlife rehabilitation, and racial justice. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $37,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest grants included $5,000 each to Friends of Island Free Library and Washington Progress Fund, and $4,500 to Amalgamated Foundation. Other listed grants included $3,500 to ACLU Foundation, $3,000 to House With a Heart, and $2,000 each to Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, SANCA, and The Nature Conservancy Rhode Island. The grants were listed for general purposes.
Among the grantees, Washington Progress Fund describes its mission as building a lasting social-change movement in Washington state. Ahimsa Haven Animal Rescue says it works to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome companion animals; Newhouse Wildlife Rescue says it protects and heals injured and orphaned wildlife and promotes respect for the natural world. Montgomery County Humane Society describes its work as ending animal homelessness through adoptions, education, and outreach. Southern Poverty Law Center says it works with communities to advance racial justice and human rights.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael Brownstein, Eva Mezey, Alice Brownstein, Sarah Brownstein, and Anna Brownstein as trustees.
Brownstein Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alice Brownstein
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna Brownstein
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eva Mezey
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Brownstein
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Brownstein
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Brownstein Family Foundation
How much does Brownstein Family Foundation give each year?
Brownstein Family Foundation gave $38K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $36K across 21 grants.
What is Brownstein Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Brownstein Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,206, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brownstein Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Brownstein Family Foundation give grants?
Brownstein Family Foundation's top state is Rhode Island, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (19%) and District of Columbia (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Block Island, RI (3 grants), Seattle, WA (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Brownstein Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Brownstein Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Brownstein Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Brownstein Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Island Free Library ($5,000), Washington Progress Fund ($5,000) and Amalgamated Foundation ($4,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Brownstein Family Foundation?
Brownstein Family Foundation reported $493K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $38K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brownstein Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as social change, animal rescue and welfare, wildlife rehabilitation, and racial justice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brownstein Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Brownstein Family Foundation's EIN?
Brownstein Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2613056. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Brownstein Family 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 4, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 29, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
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