John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund
The John B. & Brownie Young Memorial Fund is a private foundation based in Owensboro, Kentucky. Established in 1961 by Senator Gates F. Young to honor his parents, it provides scholarships to eligible high school seniors from specified Owensboro-area school districts who plan to attend college or vocational/technical school.
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund at a glance
In short: John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund gave $894K across 392 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Kentucky. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $894,318
- +36.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 392
- -1.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,281
- +38.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $13,499,508
- -1.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (76% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund
- How to Apply
-
The fund’s website says eligible students are notified by their high school guidance counselor and receive application information from Independence Bank. The filing lists a completed application and transcript of grades as required materials. The website also requests a FAFSA Submission Summary and a student award letter for calculating remaining need. It lists May 15 on one page and May 24 on another as application deadlines; both dates have passed for the 2026 cycle.
- Contact
Application contact: Independence Bank
Mailing address: PO Box 948, Owensboro, KY 42302-0948
Phone: (270) 689-9861
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Daviess County Board of Education ($2K). Together the top 4 received $6K.
Organizations only. It also paid 388 individual scholarships ($887,918), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,298 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,297 grants of 2,298 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Scholarship eligibility is limited to students attending high schools in the Owensboro Independent, Daviess County, McLean County, or Owensboro Catholic Diocese school districts in Kentucky. In filing-year 2025 grant data, 76% of grant dollars went to Kentucky recipients, 11% to Indiana, 4% to Tennessee, 3% to Ohio, and 2% to Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 392 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+20%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $392K (2020) to $1.0M (2023). In 2025 it made 392 grants totaling $894K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $500,648 |
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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 | $13,499,508 | $760,443 | $1,008,988 | $894,318 | 392 | $967,306 | $675,269 | $1,040,587 |
| 2024 | $13,724,244 | $542,752 | $776,860 | $655,340 | 398 | $725,804 | $447,824 | $970,950 |
| 2023 | $13,924,618 | $505,043 | $1,111,688 | $1,010,347 | 750 | $1,077,590 | $413,678 | $821,897 |
| 2022 | $14,522,767 | $437,858 | $850,271 | $745,397 | 753 | $801,560 | $370,205 | $846,723 |
| 2021 | $14,911,979 | $1,293,247 | $878,098 | $785,000 | 5 | $843,178 | $1,258,921 | $951,287 |
| 2020 | $14,431,363 | $777,414 | $510,188 | $392,238 | 5 | — | $688,290 | $802,488 |
| 2019 | $14,141,913 | $912,059 | $984,084 | $861,107 | 62 | — | $820,142 | $749,767 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund reported a distributable amount of $1.0M 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 fund was established to provide scholarships for worthy students, particularly to help with the step from high school to college. Its website says awards are primarily intended for students’ first year but may also support education beyond the freshman year.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the fund reported 392 grants totaling $894,318. The median grant was $500; awards ranged from $250 to $27,036. The largest reported awards went to individual recipients for scholarships: one in Tennessee for $27,036 and several in Kentucky and Indiana, with amounts ranging from $11,772 to $17,159 among the other listed largest awards.
The scholarship program is for unmarried high school seniors in the Owensboro Independent, Daviess County, McLean County, or Owensboro Catholic Diocese school districts. Applicants must rank in the top third of their class at the end of the fall semester and plan to attend an accredited nonprofit college, university, or vocational/technical school full time. The website specifies a minimum of 12 credit hours and says students must remain unmarried and full-time during the award year. Award amounts take remaining need into account; the website says eligible applicants receive at least $500. A FAFSA Submission Summary showing the Student Aid Index is required to be eligible for more than the minimum award.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Independence Bank is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing and is identified by the fund’s website as trustee. The filing also lists the Daviess County Board of Education, McLean County Board of Education, Owensboro Board of Education, and Owensboro Catholic School Diocese as committee members. The website describes an advisory committee involving representatives from eligible school districts.
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Independence Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2022
20 hrs/week
$58K (2022) → $90K (2025)
Daviess Co Board Of Education
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$2K (2021) → $2K (2025)
McLean County Board Of Education
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$2K (2021) → $2K (2025)
Owensboro Board Of Education
Committee Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$2K (2021) → $2K (2025)
Owensboro Catholic School Diocese
Committee Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $2K (2025)
Former officers (8)
- Former: Truist Bank (2021–2022) — Trustee - Partial Year
- Former: Owensboro- Catholic School (2021) — Committee Member
- Former: Branch Banking AND Trust Company (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Daviess Co Boe (2019–2020) — Committee Member
- Former: McLean County Boe (2019–2020) — Committee Member
- Former: Owensboro Boe (2019–2020) — Committee Member
- Former: Ownesboro Catholic School (2020) — Committee Member
- Former: Owensboro Catholic Hs (2019) — Committee Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $90K, to Independence Bank (Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund
How much does John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund give each year?
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund gave $894K across 392 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $655K across 398 grants.
What is John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's typical grant size?
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $2,281, across 392 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund give grants?
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund gives mostly in Kentucky: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Indiana (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Owensboro, KY (3 grants).
Does John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 392) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (388 grants).
Who are John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's largest grantees?
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Daviess County Board of Education ($2,400), Owensboro Public Schools Board of Education ($1,600) and Diocese of Owensboro ($1,600), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 388 individual scholarships ($887,918), which are not listed by name. Together they received 1% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund?
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund reported $13.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $967K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (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 John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund fund?
The fund was established to provide scholarships for worthy students, particularly to help with the step from high school to college. Its website says awards are primarily intended for students’ first year but may also support education beyond the freshman year. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund?
The fund’s website says eligible students are notified by their high school guidance counselor and receive application information from Independence Bank. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's EIN?
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-6025137. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 19, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 16, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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