R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Barnesville, MD EIN: 52-1977291

The R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation is a private foundation based in Barnesville, Maryland. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including churches, schools, community organizations, health-related organizations, and cultural institutions.

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation at a glance

In short: R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation gave $172K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Maryland. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$172,000
+24.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
30
+15.4% vs 2024
Average grant
$5,733
+7.6% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,000
Total assets
$3,356,155
+37.6% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
17% first-time grantees (5 of 30, 2025)
Primary geography
Maryland (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: P O Box 449, Barnesville, MD 20838-0449
Phone: (301) 349-2850

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Saint Peters Church: $30KSaint Peters Church$30KBarnesville School: $22KBarnesville School$22KWumco: $15KWumco$15KLions Club Foundation: $14KLions Club Foundation$14KRiverworks Art Center: $12KRiverworks Art Center$12KUpper Montgomery County Fire Dept: $10KUpper Montgomery County FireDept$10KHoly Cross Health Foundation: $7KHoly Cross Health Foundation$7KPoolesville Area Senior Center: $7KPoolesville Area Senior Center$7KMighty Eighth Air Force: $5KMighty Eighth Air Force$5KRandolph Macon Academy: $5KRandolph Macon Academy$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Saint Peters Church ($30K). Together the top 10 received $127K.

Grant Size Distribution

131 grants across all recorded years

130<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 131 (99%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, the largest share of grant dollars went to organizations in Maryland (78%). The listed shares also include Illinois (8%), Virginia (6%), Georgia (3%), and Tennessee (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.

Cities

PoolesvilleBarnesvilleBeallsvilleSilver SpringNew YorkRockvilleDickersonFrederickFront RoyalOak BrookPoolerBaltimoreBoydsHagerstownStaten IslandTowsonBealsvilleBethesdaColumbia FallsGaithersburg

Is R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation open to new grantees?

17%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 30 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 61% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K18 grants2020 23 grants2021 26 grants2022 26 grants2023 26 grants2024 30 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $62K (2020) to $172K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $172K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Saint Peters Church Poolesville, MDGeneral$30,000
Barnesville School Barnesville, MDScholarship$22,000
Wumco Poolesville, MDGeneral$15,000
Lions Club Foundation Oak Brook, ILGeneral$14,000
Riverworks Art Center Bealsville, MDGeneral$12,000
Upper Montgomery County Fire Dept Beallsville, MDPavillion Renovation$10,000
Holy Cross Health Foundation Silver Spring, MDComm Based Health Program$7,000
Poolesville Area Senior Center Poolesville, MDActivities for Senior Citizens$7,000
Mighty Eighth Air Force Pooler, GAGeneral$5,000
Randolph Macon Academy Front Royal, VAScholarship$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$3,356,155$1,095,071$177,242$172,00030$172,000$139,428$167,515
2024$2,439,219$368,524$142,500$138,53526$138,535$168,450$142,275
2023$2,213,195$316,834$118,556$115,05026$115,050$103,828$111,997
2022$2,014,917$255,969$110,513$107,07526$107,075$84,322$103,378
2021$1,869,461$359,807$101,079$97,17023$97,170$177,840$95,467
2020$1,610,733$81,567$65,426$62,10018—$69,810$80,422

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation reported a distributable amount of $168K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general support, scholarships, a pavilion renovation, a community-based health program, and activities for senior citizens.

The foundation has supported organizations whose own missions include health care, hospice care, cancer prevention and treatment, cleft care, hunger relief, and honoring Vietnam-era service members. For example, Holy Cross Health Foundation describes its work as providing health care in a compassionate and transforming healing presence; Montgomery Hospice says it provides compassionate care to people facing serious illness and loss; and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition says its mission is to save lives through ovarian cancer prevention and cure and improve quality of life for survivors and caregivers.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $172,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $30,000, with a median of $3,000. The largest listed grants included $30,000 to Saint Peters Church for general purposes, $22,000 to Barnesville School for scholarships, $15,000 to WUMCO for general purposes, $14,000 to Lions Club Foundation for general purposes, and $12,000 to Riverworks Art Center for general purposes.

Other listed 2025 grants included $10,000 to Upper Montgomery County Fire Dept for pavilion renovation; $7,000 each to Holy Cross Health Foundation for a community-based health program and Poolesville Area Senior Center for senior activities; and $5,000 each to Mighty Eighth Air Force, Randolph Macon Academy for scholarships, and Monocacy Lions Club.

In 2024, the foundation gave $10,000 to Holy Cross Health Foundation, $4,000 to National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, $2,000 to Montgomery Hospice, and $1,000 each to Smile Train, Frederick Rescue Mission, and National Vietnam War Museum.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Herb Brown was listed as a director on the 2025 filing.

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation is led by Herb Brown, Director on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Herb Brown

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

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.

Frequently asked questions about R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation

How much does R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation give each year?

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation gave $172K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $139K across 26 grants.

What is R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's typical grant size?

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $5,733, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation give grants?

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (8%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Poolesville, MD (7 grants), Barnesville, MD (2 grants), Beallsville, MD (2 grants) and Silver Spring, MD (2 grants).

Does R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 77% of R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's largest grantees?

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Saint Peters Church ($30,000), Barnesville School ($22,000) and Wumco ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation?

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $172K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $168K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general support, scholarships, a pavilion renovation, a community-based health program, and activities for senior citizens. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's EIN?

R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1977291. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/r-edwin-and-ws-brown-foundation-morg_48ba076adc3e4173b61fcc85848961e9

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521977291_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/r-edwin-and-ws-brown-foundation-morg_48ba076adc3e4173b61fcc85848961e9},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation'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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