R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation
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.
Key facts about R Edwin and WS Brown Foundation
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.
- EIN
- 52-1977291
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $172,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- Average grant
- $5,733
- Median grant
- $3,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (5 of 30, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,356,155
- Primary geography
- Maryland (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.4M
+37.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$172K
+24.2% YoY
Grant Count
30
+15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+7.6% YoY
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.
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.
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.
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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
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $62K (2020) to $172K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $172K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Saint Peters Church ($30K). Together the top 10 received $127K.
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 131 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Peters Church Poolesville, MD | General | $30,000 |
| Barnesville School Barnesville, MD | Scholarship | $22,000 |
| Wumco Poolesville, MD | General | $15,000 |
| Lions Club Foundation Oak Brook, IL | General | $14,000 |
| Riverworks Art Center Bealsville, MD | General | $12,000 |
| Upper Montgomery County Fire Dept Beallsville, MD | Pavillion Renovation | $10,000 |
| Holy Cross Health Foundation Silver Spring, MD | Comm Based Health Program | $7,000 |
| Poolesville Area Senior Center Poolesville, MD | Activities for Senior Citizens | $7,000 |
| Mighty Eighth Air Force Pooler, GA | General | $5,000 |
| Randolph Macon Academy Front Royal, VA | Scholarship | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,356,155 | $1,095,071 | $177,242 | $172,000 | 30 |
| 2024 | $2,439,219 | $368,524 | $142,500 | $138,535 | 26 |
| 2023 | $2,213,195 | $316,834 | $118,556 | $115,050 | 26 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,356,155 | $2,439,219 | $2,213,195 |
| Revenue | $1,095,071 | $368,524 | $316,834 |
| Expenses | $177,242 | $142,500 | $118,556 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $172,000 | $138,535 | $115,050 |
| Net Investment Income | $139,428 | $168,450 | $103,828 |
| Distributable Amount | $167,515 | $142,275 | $111,997 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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.
Contact
Mailing address: P O Box 449, Barnesville, MD 20838-0449
Phone: (301) 349-2850
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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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