Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation
The Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Established in 1988, it supports archaeological field research, especially work that advances understanding of early centers of complex culture and civilization.
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation at a glance
In short: Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation gave $41K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), top state Ohio. 73% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $40,500
- +2.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- -15.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,682
- +20.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $587,302
- -5.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 73% first-time grantees (8 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (12% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says applications must be in writing and include a signed statement of purpose. The foundation’s website says the sponsoring institution must apply through the principal investigator. The filing states that most awards are designed for archaeological research.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists December 30 for the following year.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists December 30 for the following year.
- Contact
Application contact: Curtiss T Brennan
Mailing address: 1000 Cordova Place 426, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: (505) 988-3304
Website: https://www.brennanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation
Who Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Cincinnati ($5K). Together the top 10 received $40K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 47 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies archaeological field research in Andean South America and early Mediterranean civilizations. It describes eligible Mediterranean areas and periods as the Bronze Age and earlier in Egypt, Anatolia, the Levant, the Near East, Greece, Crete, Cyprus, Italy, and the Aegean. The 2024 grants also supported research in Mexico, Peru, Honduras, Bolivia, and Crete. Recipient institutions in that year were located in several U.S. states, including Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana, Illinois, Rhode Island, California, New Mexico, and New York; McMaster University and the University of Toronto were also listed as recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation open to new grantees?
73%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 11 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 18% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 575% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 188% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2021) to $41K (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $41K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Archaeological Research at Cakakmul, Mexico | $5,000 |
| The Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia, MO | Archaeological Research at Buena Vista, Chillon Valley, Peru | $5,000 |
| Tulane University New Orleans, LA | Archaeological Research at Knossos, Crete | $5,000 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Archaeological Research in Los Sapos, Copan, Honduras | $5,000 |
| McMaster University | Archaeological Research at Tiwanaku, Bolivia | $5,000 |
| Providence College Providence, RI | Archaeological Research in the Paleolithic Period, Crete | $5,000 |
| The GS UDH Foundation at the California State University of Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Archaeological Research in the Santa River Valley, Peru | $4,700 |
| Blue Skye Foundation Santa Fe, NM | General Support | $2,000 |
| University of Toronto | Archaeological Research in the Jequetepeque Valley, Peru | $1,800 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Support | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $587,302 | $10,372 | $44,194 | $40,500 | 11 | $42,318 | $6,131 | $22,481 |
| 2023 | $624,203 | $16,604 | $45,958 | $39,600 | 13 | $42,168 | $13,742 | $30,594 |
| 2022 | $658,465 | $101,583 | $42,152 | $38,100 | 12 | $39,748 | $100,036 | $31,214 |
| 2021 | $594,418 | $4,276 | $9,924 | $6,000 | 6 | $8,448 | $3,236 | $32,528 |
| 2020 | $596,066 | $32,672 | $21,735 | $17,846 | 5 | — | $30,766 | $29,885 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22K for 2024 — 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 stated purpose is to support archaeological field research, with particular emphasis on regions where early centers of complex culture or civilization originated. Its website identifies the Mediterranean world and Andean South America as areas for its archaeological field-research programs. The website also describes the importance of a project’s contribution to understanding early cultural complexity and civilization, its potential to attract further support, and cooperation with national archaeological institutions.
Applications must be submitted by a sponsoring institution through a principal investigator with a Ph.D. or equivalent. The foundation’s website says grants are limited to tax-exempt nonprofit organizations qualifying under Section 501(c)(3), or non-U.S. institutions able to demonstrate similar qualifications. It excludes individuals, dissertation research, and religious or political organizations.
The 2024 grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations among recipients: the University of Cincinnati says it serves patients, visitors, and staff of University Hospital of Cincinnati; Northwestern University describes a commitment to teaching, research, and student growth; and Blue Skye Foundation says it provides financial assistance to people experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic pain. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $40,500 through 11 grants. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest awards included $5,000 each to the University of Cincinnati for archaeological research at Cakakmul, Mexico; the Curators of the University of Missouri for research at Buena Vista, Peru; Tulane University for research at Knossos, Crete; Northwestern University for research in Los Sapos, Honduras; McMaster University for research at Tiwanaku, Bolivia; and Providence College for research in the Paleolithic period in Crete. Other 2024 recipients included the GS UDH Foundation at California State University of Dominguez Hills ($4,700), Blue Skye Foundation ($2,000), the University of Toronto ($1,800), Doctors Without Borders ($1,000), and the Historic Santa Fe Foundation ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Curtiss T. Brennan as manager and Mary G. Brennan and Eric Swenson as directors.
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mary G. Brennan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Swenson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Curtiss T. Brennan
Manager
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Janice Swenson (2020–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation
How much does Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation give each year?
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation gave $41K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $40K across 13 grants.
What is Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's typical grant size?
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $3,682, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation give grants?
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 12% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Missouri (12%) and Louisiana (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Fe, NM (2 grants).
Does Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 27% of Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's largest grantees?
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Cincinnati ($5,000), The Curators of the University of Missouri ($5,000) and Tulane University ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation?
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation reported $587K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $42K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $22K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support archaeological field research, with particular emphasis on regions where early centers of complex culture or civilization originated. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation?
The 2024 filing says applications must be in writing and include a signed statement of purpose. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's EIN?
Curtiss & Mary Brennan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-0364467. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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