T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It supports Quakers preparing for or working in Pre-K through 12th-grade teaching, including tuition for teacher education and professional development.
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund at a glance
In short: T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund gave $122K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state New York. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $122,482
- +19.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,711
- +19.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,907
- Total assets
- $2,174,163
- -0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (44% 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 T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund
- Review Cycle
- The listed deadlines are March 10 for summer term and June 10 for fall, winter, or spring terms. Those dates have passed for 2026.
- Deadline
- The listed deadlines are March 10 for summer term and June 10 for fall, winter, or spring terms.
- Contact
Application contact: T Wistar Brown Teacher'S Fund
Mailing address: 1700 Market Street Suite 1535, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 241-7272
Website: https://www.twbfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends School Haverford ($3K). Together the top 10 received $29K.
Organizations only. It also paid 6 individual scholarships ($64,335), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 139 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in New York (44%), Pennsylvania (43%), New Jersey (12%), and Massachusetts (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 20 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $103K (2024) to $131K (2021). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $122K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 6 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $64,335 |
| Friends School Haverford Haverford, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| Greenwood Friends School Millville, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| Media-Providence Friends School Media, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| Plymouth Meeting Friends School Plymouth Meeting, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| Stratford Friends School Newtown Square, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| West Chester Friends School West Chester, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| Lancaster Friends School Lancaster, PA | teacher education/training | $2,908 |
| Buckingham Friends School Lahaska, PA | teacher education/training | $2,907 |
| Frankford Friends School Philadelphia, PA | teacher education/training | $2,907 |
Ready to take the next step with T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund?
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 | $2,174,163 | $137,633 | $142,235 | $122,482 | 26 | $135,949 | $133,321 | $135,044 |
| 2024 | $2,178,765 | $131,180 | $121,334 | $102,777 | 26 | $115,604 | $125,080 | $126,275 |
| 2023 | $2,168,919 | $114,192 | $128,518 | $109,090 | 28 | $122,574 | $105,582 | $116,021 |
| 2022 | $2,183,245 | $110,857 | $136,905 | $119,092 | 34 | $131,417 | $106,557 | $128,557 |
| 2021 | $2,209,293 | $122,168 | $146,360 | $131,216 | 25 | — | $108,468 | $143,788 |
| 2020 | $2,233,485 | $95,080 | $123,680 | $107,235 | 28 | — | $90,480 | $112,926 |
| 2019 | $2,262,085 | $97,901 | $132,064 | $117,255 | 36 | — | $93,265 | $116,584 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund reported a distributable amount of $135K 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’s stated purpose is to help Quakers prepare for teaching or pursue further instruction as teachers. Its website specifies that eligible study must be at a credible U.S. institution with a documented history of academic rigor, and that grants cover tuition only—not travel, lodging, or materials. Payment is made directly to the educational institution.
The fund’s 2025 grants included scholarships for individual recipients and teacher education or training grants to Friends schools. Among the supported schools, Media-Providence Friends School describes its work as providing primary education to approximately 125 full-time students from preschool through eighth grade. Plymouth Meeting Friends School says it offers a Quaker-based, intellectually challenging and creative academic program. Orchard Friends School describes its purpose as serving children of average and above-average intelligence with language-based learning difficulties. Princeton Friends School describes a diverse learning community grounded in Quaker values and practices.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the fund reported 26 grants totaling $122,482. Grant amounts ranged from $1,300 to $46,000, with a median of $2,907. The largest grants included $46,000 and $7,400 for scholarships to individual recipients in New York, and $6,000 for a scholarship to an individual recipient in Pennsylvania. The fund also awarded $2,908 each for teacher education or training to Friends School Haverford, Greenwood Friends School, Media-Providence Friends School, Plymouth Meeting Friends School, Stratford Friends School, West Chester Friends School, and Lancaster Friends School. Buckingham Friends School and Frankford Friends School each received $2,907 for teacher education or training. Orchard Friends School and Princeton Friends School, both in New Jersey, each received $2,907.
The fund’s website says applicants must be members of a U.S. Quaker meeting, at least 21 years old, and teaching or able to verify intent to enter the Pre-K through 12th-grade teaching field. Applicants must plan a qualifying course of study at a credible U.S. institution. Applications require a signed letter certifying meeting membership from the relevant meeting official for first-time applicants or those who have not submitted one in five years. Each application also requires an original, signed recommendation from the applicant’s school principal; applicants not currently teaching must provide one from an educator familiar with them and their circumstances. The website instructs applicants to mail the application and materials; the fund’s 2024 filing also says the form may be submitted by email, fax, or mail.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sarah Sweeney-Denham, Friends Fiduciary Corporation, Lee Payton, and Melinda Wenner Bradley as co-trustees. The fund’s website lists Sarah Sweeney-Denham, Melinda Wenner Bradley, and Lee Payton on its distribution committee.
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Friends Fiduciary Corporation
Co-Trustee
Corporate Trustee → Co-Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$14K (2019) → $14K (2025)
Sarah Sweeney-Denham
Co-Trustee
Individual Trustee → Co-Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lee Payton
Co-Trustee
Individual Trustee → Co-Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melinda Wenner Bradley
Co-Trustee
Individual Trustee → Co-Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Irene McHenry (2019–2023) — Co-Trustee
- Former: Barbara R. Caldwell (2019–2022) — Individual Trustee
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 $14K, to Friends Fiduciary Corporation (Co-Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund
How much does T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund give each year?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund gave $122K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $103K across 26 grants.
What is T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's typical grant size?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's median grant in 2025 was $2,907, and its average grant was $4,711, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund give grants?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's top state is New York, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (43%) and New Jersey (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Teacher Education/Training" (20 grants) and "Scholarship" (6 grants).
Who are T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's largest grantees?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Friends School Haverford ($2,908), Greenwood Friends School ($2,908) and Media-Providence Friends School ($2,908), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 6 individual scholarships ($64,335), which are not listed by name. Together they received 7% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $136K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $135K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund fund?
The fund’s stated purpose is to help Quakers prepare for teaching or pursue further instruction as teachers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check twbfund.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's EIN?
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6200741. 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 12, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Curtis W McGraw Foundation
Princeton, NJ
The Curtis W McGraw Foundation supports schools, arts, health-related organizations, and community services, with most 2025 grant dollars going to New Jersey recipients. Its 2025 grants ranged from $2,500 to $75,000, with a median of $10,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$25.9M
Grants
132
Total Given
$1.6M
Alpin J & Alpin W Cameron Memorial
Pittsburgh, PA
The Alpin J & Alpin W Cameron Memorial has supported organizations in conservation, education, veterans’ services, journalism, and other areas, with grants to groups in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Recent giving ranged from examples of $3,000–$10,000 in 2024 to one $250,000 general-support grant in 2025. It says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations; applicants should contact Ross Vandenbergh Esquire about applying, deadlines, and restrictions.
Assets
$5.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$250K
Way Foundation Inc
Wilmington, DE
Way Foundation funds public charities and private operating foundations, with recent grants supporting youth development, education, health, veterans, agriculture, and community projects. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,000 to $272,500, with a median of $30,000; funding went mainly to Pennsylvania and Maryland, though no geographic focus is specified. It accepts proposal letters at any time.
Assets
$28.4M
Grants
29
Total Given
$1.5M
Waldman Family Charitable Trust
Nazareth, PA
The Waldman Family Charitable Trust supports organizations working in arts and education, health care, suicide prevention, disability services, food assistance, and community services, with most 2025 grant dollars going to Pennsylvania recipients and others going to New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and Maryland. Its 91 grants in 2025 ranged from $250 to $35,000, with a median of $1,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$5.7M
Grants
91
Total Given
$282K
Thomas H & Mary Williams Shoemaker FD
Wilmington, DE
The foundation primarily funds innovative projects that renew and strengthen the Religious Society of Friends, especially efforts that bring vitality to Quaker monthly meetings; it prefers Quaker organizations, particularly those connected to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. In 2025, grants ranged from $15,000 to $100,000, with a median of $39,000, and went mainly to organizations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, and Indiana. It does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$6.1M
Grants
9
Total Given
$414K
The Nararo Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
The Nararo Foundation supports preselected charitable organizations with unrestricted grants for their exempt purposes. In 2025, it made three grants of $10,000 to $560,000, with a median grant of $15,000; most reported funding went to Pennsylvania, with some to Washington, D.C., and New York. It does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$13.9M
Grants
3
Total Given
$585K
More similar funders
More Funders in Pennsylvania
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/t-wistar-brown-teacher-s-fund-morg_70e6d5b52f1a4563b82b89c043787738
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_236200741_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/t-wistar-brown-teacher-s-fund-morg_70e6d5b52f1a4563b82b89c043787738},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 T Wistar Brown Teacher's 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.
T Wistar Brown Teacher's Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?