The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc is a public charity formed in 2017. Its 2024 filing lists Nashville, Tennessee, as its location; its grant-program information describes it as based in Franklin, Tennessee. The foundation supports congenital heart disease (CHD) research and related efforts, provides support to CHD families and providers, and promotes awareness and celebration of the Down syndrome community.
Key facts about The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc
In short: The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $94K), top state Ohio. 46% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 82-3179454
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,218,402
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- Average grant
- $93,723
- Median grant
- $45,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (6 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $13,337,780
- Primary geography
- Ohio (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation’s website says proposals for 2027 consideration are open and describes an annual fall application process. Full details ↓
- Next open deadline
- November 2, 2026 (Brett Boyer Foundation Discovery Awards)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$13.3M
+30.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+159.8% YoY
Grant Count
13
+85.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$94K
+39.9% YoY
Is The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 13 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $151K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $192K first-time, $29K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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
The foundation’s stated mission is to raise awareness of CHD and fund research to advance treatment options, while spreading love and awareness for people living with Down syndrome. Its website also identifies family and provider support, mental health support, Code Queen Bee, Down syndrome awareness and celebration, and CHD awareness as focus areas.
Its Discovery Awards support seed or ongoing CHD research. The foundation says it is especially interested in promising projects with the potential to reach patient care in a relatively reasonable timeframe. Its listed research interests include diagnosis, more treatment options, fewer medications, procedures, surgeries and hospitalizations, risk reduction, better monitoring, and mental health support.
The foundation’s 2024 grants illustrate support for both research and community organizations. For example, the Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society describes its work as including multi-institutional clinical studies of surgical interventions for CHD. GiGi’s Playhouse says it provides free educational, therapeutic and career-development programs for people with Down syndrome, their families and the community. The Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee describes its mission as improving quality of life for people with Down syndrome through support, information and education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $1,218,402. Grant amounts ranged from $7,180 to $200,000, with a median of $45,000. Its largest reported awards included $200,000 each to Luire Children’s Hospital and the Center for Regenerative Medicine, and $194,000 to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Each was designated to fund research advancing treatment options for CHD.
Other reported 2024 grants included $190,000 to Duke University and $139,770 to Boston Children’s Hospital for CHD research; $115,000 to the Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society; $45,000 to the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation; and $30,000 to GiGi’s Playhouse. The foundation’s website says it has funded more than 25 research projects at 18 institutions since 2021.
The annual Brett Boyer Foundation Discovery Awards support seed research and ongoing CHD projects. The foundation says the awards focus on translational investigation, while its scientific advisory board also evaluates basic science and outcomes studies. The application process is annual in the fall, with awards announced early the following year.
How to Apply
The foundation’s website says proposals for 2027 consideration are open and describes an annual fall application process. The supplied program information gives a deadline of November 2, 2026, while the foundation’s grant-process page gives November 15, 2026, as the submission-window closing date.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc
Ready to take the next step with The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Discovery Awards are described as having a United States geographic scope. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Ohio (33%), Massachusetts (21%), Illinois (19%), North Carolina (16%) and Tennessee (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $161K (2019) to $1.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Luire Children's Hospital ($200K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 41 (54%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Luire Children's Hospital Chicago, IL | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $200,000 |
| Center for Regenerative Medicine Columbus, OH | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $200,000 |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Cincinnati, OH | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $194,000 |
| Duke University Durham, NC | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $190,000 |
| Boston Children's Hospital Boston, MA | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $139,770 |
| Congenital Heart Surgeons Society Beverly, MA | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $115,000 |
| Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation Webster Groves, MO | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $45,000 |
| Gigi's Playhouse Hoffman Estates, IL | To help equip children and their families with skills necessary to achieve success | $30,000 |
| John Hopkins All Childrens Hospital Inc Baltimore, MD | To fund research to advance treatment options for congenital heart disease | $28,952 |
| Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee Mt Juliet, TN | To spread love and awareness for the wonderful people living with down syndrome | $28,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $13,337,780 | $4,820,916 | $2,047,313 | $1,218,402 (13 grants) |
| 2023 | $10,225,368 | $3,350,731 | $1,232,400 | $469,008 (7 grants) |
| 2022 | $7,369,943 | $3,221,931 | $964,421 | $476,336 (8 grants) |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,337,780 | $10,225,368 | $7,369,943 |
| Revenue | $4,820,916 | $3,350,731 | $3,221,931 |
| Expenses | $2,047,313 | $1,232,400 | $964,421 |
| Net Investment Income | $209,791 | $103,501 | $915 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ellen Boyer as president; Caroline Bryan as secretary/treasurer; Allison Willis as vice president; and Bret Mettler MD and Suha Dabit as directors.
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc is led by Ellen Wells Boyer, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ellen Wells Boyer
President
On filings since 2019
25 hrs/week
$88K (2020) → $120K (2024)
Bret Mettler MD
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suha Dabit
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allison Willis
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Bryan
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Bo Boyer (2020–2022) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $120K, to Ellen Boyer (President).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 22359, Nashville, TN 37202
Phone: (615) 248-5500
Website: https://thebrettboyerfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc
How much does The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc give each year?
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $469K across 7 grants.
What is The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $45,000, and its average grant was $93,723, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc that year got $151K on average.
Where does The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc give grants?
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's top state is Ohio, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Massachusetts (21%) and Illinois (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (2 grants).
Does The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Luire Children's Hospital ($200,000), Center for Regenerative Medicine ($200,000) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital ($194,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc?
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc reported $13.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.8M.
What does The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to raise awareness of CHD and fund research to advance treatment options, while spreading love and awareness for people living with Down syndrome. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc?
The foundation’s website says proposals for 2027 consideration are open and describes an annual fall application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Brett Boyer Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3179454. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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