Clayton Brown Family Foundation
The Clayton Brown Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wheaton, Illinois, established in 1983. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees, functioning as a grantmaking entity that supports qualified nonprofit organizations through investment income and portfolio management.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$71.1M
+6.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+202.7% YoY
Grant Count
18
-28.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$93K
+320.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Clayton Brown Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's program areas center on using dividend earnings to make grants to qualified organizations, with portfolio reallocation designed to assure growth and sustain grant resources.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education (particularly Christian education and secondary/high schools)
- Christian nonprofits and churches
- Human services
- Leadership development
- Church repairs and facilities
Grantmaking
The foundation has also made grants to Family Promise organizations in multiple regions, including grants of $20,000 and $15,000 to support families in the Southeast region.
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
Average Grant
amount and median grant amount data not specified in available sources
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Illinois
- Florida
- Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2025:
- Total assets: $71,113,603
- Total revenues: $6,582,566
- Total expenses: $2,115,474
- Total grants and contributions: $1,054,160
- Investment income and dividends: $2,092,065
Year-over-Year Changes (FY 2025 vs. FY 2024):
- Total grants and contributions decreased 98.2%
- Investment income and dividends increased 142.2%
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $71,113,603 | $66,646,511 | $7,069,456 |
| Revenue | $6,582,566 | $60,324,004 | $499,018 |
| Expenses | $2,115,474 | $746,949 | $695,781 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,725,000 | $550,000 | $594,104 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,138,789 | $2,312,989 | $433,041 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,648,857 | $1,648,917 | $565,295 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Josiah Venture ($200,000), Wheaton Academy ($150,000), Naples Christian Academy ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| By the Hand Club for Kids Chicago, IL | General purposes | $125,000 |
| Compass Church Wheaton, IL | General purposes | $25,000 |
| CRU Orlando, FL | General purposes | $25,000 |
| Dallas Theological Seminary Dallas, TX | General purposes | $100,000 |
| Global Scholars Overland Park, KS | General purposes | $25,000 |
| Josiah Venture Wheaton, IL | General purposes | $200,000 |
| Ligonier Ministries Sanford, FL | General purposes | $125,000 |
| Moody Global Ministries Chicago, IL | General purposes | $125,000 |
| Outreach Community Ministries Wheaton, IL | General purposes | $100,000 |
| Prison Fellowship Merrifield, VA | General purposes | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Clayton F. Brown is identified as the founder and funder of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven C Brown | Pres/Treas | 10 | $30,000 |
| Cari Brown | VP/Sec | 10 | $30,000 |
| Jennifer Brown | Dir | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made recent grants to Family Promise organizations supporting families experiencing homelessness across multiple regions, including the Lower Cape Fear area and Blount County in the Southeast region.
Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear secures $20,000 grant from ClaytonFrequently Asked Questions
What does Clayton Brown Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's program areas center on using dividend earnings to make grants to qualified organizations, with portfolio reallocation designed to assure growth and sustain grant resources. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education (particularly Christian education and secondary/high schools) • Christian nonprofits and churches • Human services • Leadership development • Church repairs and facilities
How do I apply for a grant from Clayton Brown Family Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Activity:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $200,000 • Total giving: $1,665,000 (most recent fiscal year) • Average grant amount and median grant amount data not specified in available sources **Recent Grants (Fiscal Year 2025):** • Josiah Venture: $200,000 (General Purposes) • Naples Christian Academy: $150,000 (General Purposes) • Wheaton Academy: $150,000 (General Purposes) • Additional 7 grants made (specific details not provided) The foundation has also made gra…
Where does Clayton Brown Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Illinois • Florida • Virginia
What size grants does Clayton Brown Family Foundation award?
In 2025, Clayton Brown Family Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $93K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Clayton Brown Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Clayton Brown Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Clayton Brown Family Foundation's EIN?
Clayton Brown Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3250579. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Clayton Brown Family Foundation'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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