Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund is a public charity based in Oak Park, Illinois, formed in 1823. It makes grants to Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) churches and Quaker 501(c)(3) organizations.
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund at a glance
In short: Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund gave $148K across 12 grants in 2026 (avg $12K), mostly in Massachusetts. 58% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $148,275
- +27.9% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $12,356
- +17.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,238,821
- +11.4% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (7 of 12, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (52% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2026; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund
- Contact
Mailing address: 715 South Blvd Unit 304, Oak Park, IL 60302
Phone: (770) 344-8361
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was New England Yearly Meeting of Friends ($20K). Together the top 10 received $134K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 56 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2026 grant distribution was concentrated in Massachusetts, which received 52% of grant dollars. Maine received 15%, Pennsylvania 10%, Rhode Island 7%, and New Jersey 6%. The listed grants also included support in North Carolina and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 7 of 12 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $78K (2021) to $153K (2022). In 2026 it made 12 grants totaling $148K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New England Yearly Meeting of Friends Worcester, MA | Vehicle Purchase | $20,000 |
| Wellesley Friends Meeting Wellesley, MA | Support for Black Quaker Project | $20,000 |
| Mt Toby Friends Meeting Leverett, MA | Replace Roof on Meetinghouse | $20,000 |
| Thee Quaker Project Philadelphia, PA | Support for ongoing work | $15,000 |
| Vassalboro Friends Meeting Vassalboro, ME | Support for Ministry of the Wild project | $15,000 |
| Moses Brown School Providence, RI | Continuing support for Revitalizing Quakerism at Moses Brown School | $10,000 |
| West Falmouth Friends Meeting Falmouth, MA | Support for the Life and Times of William James Project | $10,000 |
| Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas Vorhees, NJ | Quaker Publication Library project | $8,200 |
| Midcoast Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends Damariscotta, ME | Meeting House Repairs | $7,800 |
| Quaker Voluntary Service Sanford, NC | Video Prodject | $7,575 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $6,238,821 | $94,882 | $208,738 | $148,275 | 12 | $94,882 |
| 2025 | $5,602,692 | $360,347 | $158,885 | $115,902 | 11 | $360,347 |
| 2024 | $5,401,230 | $287,833 | $196,170 | $132,705 | 11 | $287,833 |
| 2023 | $5,044,765 | $85,058 | $146,997 | $101,124 | 8 | $85,058 |
| 2022 | $5,106,443 | $75,554 | $196,826 | $152,573 | 14 | $75,554 |
| 2021 | $5,569,877 | $80,856 | $179,318 | $77,790 | 5 | $80,856 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s mission, as stated in its 2025 filing, is: “To receive and appropriate to benevolent purposes, annually, principally for the benefit of our religious society, so that it may be for the Honour of Trueth, as well as otherwise spreading our Religious Principles where they are little known.” This language comes from the 1823 Will of Obadiah M. Brown.
The filing describes its program as grants to Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) churches and Quaker 501(c)(3) organizations. Among 2026 grantees, Thee Quaker Project describes its mission as creating and distributing online media for seekers and Quakers to support their faith journeys. Quaker Voluntary Service describes its mission as enabling lives of prophetic service, supporting young adults exploring spirituality and vocation in intentional Quaker community, and partnering with social-change organizations and Quaker meetings and churches.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the fund reported 12 grants totaling $148,275. Grant amounts ranged from $7,200 to $20,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Notable 2026 grants included $20,000 to New England Yearly Meeting of Friends for a vehicle purchase; $20,000 to Wellesley Friends Meeting for the Black Quaker Project; $20,000 to Mt Toby Friends Meeting to replace its meetinghouse roof; $15,000 to Thee Quaker Project for ongoing work; and $15,000 to Vassalboro Friends Meeting for its Ministry of the Wild project. Other grants included $10,000 to Moses Brown School for continuing support of Revitalizing Quakerism at Moses Brown School and $8,200 to Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas for a Quaker Publication Library project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Chris Arico-Muendel, Gretchen Baker-Smith, Pamela Dahlberg, Hugh Gelch, Thia Lord, Mark Orloski, Nathanial Shed, and Liesa Stamm as trustees. Ralph B Gentile is listed as clerk and trustee, and Paul C Mangelsdorf as treasurer and trustee.
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's 2026 filing lists 11 officers; none of the 11 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Ann Dodd Collins
Secretary & Trustee
Trustee → Secretary & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hugh Gelch
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Liesa Stamm
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Orloski
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nathanial Shed
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Dahlberg
Trustee
Secretary & Trustee → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul C Mangelsdorf
Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2021
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ralph B Gentile
Clerk & Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Arico-Muendel
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thia Lord
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gretchen Baker-Smith
Trustee
New on the 2026 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Deana Chase (2021–2025) — Trustee
- Former: Kenneth Hoffman (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Carol Smith (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Cynthia Reik (2021–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund
How much does Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund give each year?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund gave $148K across 12 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. In 2025 it gave $116K across 11 grants.
What is Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's typical grant size?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's median grant in 2026 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,356, across 12 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund that year got $11K on average.
Where does Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund give grants?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund gives mostly in Massachusetts: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maine (15%) and Pennsylvania (10%).
Does Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's 2026 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's largest grantees?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's largest 2026 grantees include New England Yearly Meeting of Friends ($20,000), Wellesley Friends Meeting ($20,000) and Mt Toby Friends Meeting ($20,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $95K.
What does Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund fund?
The fund’s mission, as stated in its 2025 filing, is: “To receive and appropriate to benevolent purposes, annually, principally for the benefit of our religious society, so that it may be for the Honour of Trueth, as well as otherwise spreading our Religious Principles where they are little known.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's EIN?
Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-6016302. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/obadiah-browns-benevolent-fund-morg_5d467dc44aaa436aa9ee47a1072fccc3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_056016302_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/obadiah-browns-benevolent-fund-morg_5d467dc44aaa436aa9ee47a1072fccc3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Obadiah Browns Benevolent Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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