Milton R Brown Family Foundation
Milton R Brown Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It makes charitable grants to organizations; its 2025 giving included recipients in Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois, Iowa, and Washington.
Milton R Brown Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Milton R Brown Family Foundation gave $44K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Texas. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $44,350
- -8.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,774
- -8.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $1,175,560
- +4.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (11 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (51% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Milton R Brown Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a written request to Gregory R. Brown. The filing states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations and that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Gregory R Brown
Mailing address: PO Box 1325, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
Phone: (262) 203-1331
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Milton R Brown Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Yerkes Future Foundation ($13K). Together the top 10 received $39K.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 113 grants of 113 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 51% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 40% to recipients in Wisconsin. Illinois received 7%, while Iowa and Washington each received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Milton R Brown Family Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 25 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $775; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $352 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $43K (2023) to $50K (2020). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $44K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yerkes Future Foundation Williams Bay, WI | Charitable | $13,000 |
| Houston Ballet Houston, TX | Charitable | $10,873 |
| D Elvin Brown Scholarship Belvidere, IL | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Daya Houston, TX | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Houston Grand Opera Houston, TX | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Lake Geneva Fresh Air Assoc Williams Bay, WI | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX | Charitable | $2,000 |
| Water Safety Patrol Williams Bay, WI | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Bayou Bend Collection & Gardens Houston, TX | Chartiable | $750 |
| Mercury Chamber Orcherstra Inc Houston, TX | Charitable | $575 |
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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 | $1,175,560 | $66,833 | $59,818 | $44,350 | 25 | $44,376 | $53,290 | $56,735 |
| 2024 | $1,124,510 | $112,333 | $64,553 | $48,589 | 25 | $48,589 | $96,369 | $51,957 |
| 2023 | $991,302 | $-27,713 | $58,017 | $42,920 | 18 | $42,920 | — | — |
| 2022 | $936,554 | $68,899 | $62,865 | $47,013 | 24 | $47,983 | $56,590 | $55,476 |
| 2021 | $930,520 | $40,965 | $62,974 | $49,010 | 21 | — | $30,303 | $53,717 |
| 2020 | $952,529 | $11,436 | $64,631 | $49,950 | 25 | — | $12,716 | $50,308 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Milton R Brown Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $57K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants supported organizations with varied purposes. For example, Yerkes Future Foundation describes its mission as advancing understanding of the universe and fostering curiosity and exploration. Daya says it empowers survivors of domestic and sexual violence through services and community education. Other 2025 recipients included arts organizations, a botanical garden, and organizations working in cancer support, children’s hospital care, park stewardship, youth services, and cleft surgery.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $44,350. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $13,000, with a median of $500. Its largest grants were $13,000 to Yerkes Future Foundation, $10,873 to Houston Ballet, $3,000 to D Elvin Brown Scholarship, $3,000 to Daya, and $2,500 each to Houston Grand Opera and Lake Geneva Fresh Air Association.
The foundation reported 25 grants totaling $48,589 in 2024 and 24 grants totaling $47,013 in 2022.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Gregory Brown as president/treasurer, Beth Muecke as secretary, and Amy Brown as a board member.
Milton R Brown Family Foundation is led by Gregory Brown, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gregory Brown
President
President & Treasurer → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
$500 (2020) → $500 (2025)
Amy Brown
Board Member
On filings since 2020
$500 (2020) → $500 (2025)
Beth Muecke
Secretary
On filings since 2020
$500 (2020) → $500 (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $500, to Beth Muecke (Secretary). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Milton R Brown Family Foundation
How much does Milton R Brown Family Foundation give each year?
Milton R Brown Family Foundation gave $44K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $49K across 25 grants.
What is Milton R Brown Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Milton R Brown Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,774, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Milton R Brown Family Foundation that year got $775 on average.
Where does Milton R Brown Family Foundation give grants?
Milton R Brown Family Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Wisconsin (40%) and Illinois (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (14 grants) and Williams Bay, WI (3 grants).
Does Milton R Brown Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on Milton R Brown Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (23 grants).
Who are Milton R Brown Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Milton R Brown Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Yerkes Future Foundation ($13,000), Houston Ballet ($10,873) and D Elvin Brown Scholarship ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Milton R Brown Family Foundation?
Milton R Brown Family Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $44K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $57K (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 Milton R Brown Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants supported organizations with varied purposes. For example, Yerkes Future Foundation describes its mission as advancing understanding of the universe and fostering curiosity and exploration. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Milton R Brown Family Foundation?
Submit a written request to Gregory R. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Milton R Brown Family Foundation's EIN?
Milton R Brown Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4137332. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 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 2020 (received by the IRS August 17, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 16, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 18, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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