Inspire Brands Foundation Inc
The Inspire Brands Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The foundation operates through multiple brand divisions: the Arby's Foundation, Buffalo Wild Wings Foundation, SONIC Foundation, and Jimmy John's Foundation. The organization works to ignite and nourish change for good across communities throughout the United States, with a team of twelve employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$14.3M
-15.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.0M
-16.7% YoY
Grant Count
306
-5.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
-12.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Inspire Brands Foundation exists to ignite and nourish change for good. The organization operates with four core aspirations:
- Elevate the communities served and play a valuable role in their growth
- Invest in and partner with organizations dedicated to providing food to children who need it most
- Unleash the next generation of leaders by helping young people build the skills and confidence they need to succeed
- Inspire youth to realize their full potential and chart their path to a successful career
The foundation focuses on three primary pillars:
Childhood Hunger — Addressing the fact that childhood hunger affects more than 12 million U.S. children, which can prevent them from performing their best. The foundation provides food through investments in local and national partners to fuel potential.
Youth Leadership — Supporting transformative experiences that build confidence in young people, whether through team environments, meaningful relationships, or new ways of thinking, to help unleash leaders within the next generation.
Career Readiness — Building partnerships within communities across America to help youth develop basic job skills, see their full potential, and chart a path to successful careers.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests. All grantees are nominated by members of the Inspire Brands community.
Ready to take the next step with Inspire Brands Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida, though the organization supports both national and local partnerships across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024):
- Total Assets: $14,349,733
- Total Revenue: $14,984,452
- Total Expenses: $16,926,907
- Total Giving: $13,791,344
2023:
- Total Assets: $16.9 million
- Total Revenue: $17.5 million
- Total Expenses: $17.1 million
- Total Liabilities: $2.17 million
The organization reported conflict of interest transactions in its December 2023 tax filing.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $14,349,733 | $16,889,623 | $15,019,799 |
| Revenue | $14,984,452 | $17,489,190 | $12,653,183 |
| Expenses | $16,926,907 | $17,086,165 | $11,511,452 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,006,579 | $365,825 | $104,340 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Inspire Brands Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees:
- Kate Jaspon — Chairman, Chief Financial Officer, Inspire Brands, Inc.
- Courtney Lowe — Vice Chairman/Treasurer, Vice President – Treasury, Inspire Brands, Inc.
- John Kelly — Chief Company Restaurant Officer, Inspire Brands, Inc.
- David Graves — Brand President, Arby's
- John Bowie — Brand President, Buffalo Wild Wings
- James North — Brand President, Jimmy John's
- Ted Tetrick — VP, Financial Management, SONIC Drive-in
- Ed Baker — Executive in Residence, Georgia State University (Independent Trustee)
- Bill Bolling — Founder, Atlanta Community Food Bank; Sr. Consultant, Georgia Food Bank Association (Independent Trustee)
- Renee Ducre — VP, Enterprise Technology, Business Strategy & Operations, UNCF (Independent Trustee)
- Marshall Freeman — Chief Administrative Officer, Atlanta Police Department (Independent Trustee)
- Charlie Morgan — Partner, Alston & Bird (Independent Trustee)
- David Powell — Chief Revenue Officer, Liongard (Independent Trustee)
- Steak Shapiro — Founder, CEO, Bread N Butter Content Studio (Independent Trustee)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Brown | Executive Director | 40 | $263,062 |
| Ryan Van Sickle | Sr. Director of Operations | 40 | $166,200 |
| Emily Crawford | Director of Impact | 40 | $171,711 |
| KRISTIN LUTCH | Accounting Manager | 40 | $150,556 |
| Catherine Stranberg | Impact Manager | 40 | $123,410 |
| COURTNEY LOWE | Vice Chairman/Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Christian Charnaux | Chairman | 2 | — |
| Chris Held | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Patty Tucker | Trustee | 1 | — |
| David Powell | Trustee | 1 | — |
| James North | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Marshall Freeman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Ed Baker | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bill Bolling | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Charlie Morgan | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Renee Ducre | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Karen Bremer | Trustee | 1 | — |
| John Bowie | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Tanishia Beacham | Trustee | 1 | — |
| John Kelly | Trustee | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several recent initiatives:
The Inspire Brands Foundation announced a $1 million donation to support workforce readiness
Dunkin\u2019 Joy in Childhood Foundation Set to Award More Than $10 Million\The foundation launched an initiative to support the workforce of tomorrow
Inspire Brands Foundation Announces $1 Million Donation to Support WorkforceThe foundation hosted a second SPARK event to rally support for empowering young people
Inspire Brands Foundation Announces $1 Million Donation to Support WorkforceHoliday giving initiatives supporting community causes
The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, also part of the Inspire Brands family, announced plans to award more than $10 million in 2025 grants to support nonprofits nationwide.
Dunkin\u2019 Joy in Childhood Foundation Set to Award More Than $10 Million\Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Rhedcloud Foundation Inc
DECATUR, GA
Assets
$6K
Grants
1
Total Given
$13K
Atlanta Committee for Progress Inc
ATLANTA, GA
Assets
$2.1M
Grants
1
Total Given
$15K
Atlanta Postal Credit Union
ATLANTA, GA
Assets
$2.4B
Grants
4
Total Given
$308K
Justice for Children Foundation Inc
SAVANNAH, GA
Assets
$24K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Southeast Area Blood Bankers
PEACHTREE CITY, GA
Assets
$33K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Courts Foundation Inc
ATLANTA, GA
Assets
$38.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$1.6M
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Inspire Brands Foundation Inc on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities