The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic

Private foundation · Grantmaker Louisville, KY EIN: 27-4432411

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Its 2024 filings show grants to organizations including parks, arts, education, library, civic engagement, and community organizations.

Key facts about The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic

In short: The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic gave $2.7M across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $47K), mostly in Kentucky. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
27-4432411
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$2,654,206
Grants made (2024)
56
Average grant
$47,397
Median grant
$22,500
New grantees (estimate)
21% first-time grantees (10 of 48, 2024)
Total assets
$8,284,658
Primary geography
Kentucky (79% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$8.3M

-8.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.7M

-11.9% YoY

Grant Count

56

-12.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$47K

+0.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic open to new grantees?

21%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 10 of 48 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $63K. How we count

Medians: $18K first-time, $21K repeat.

  • 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−14%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 136% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for the Parks Alliance of Louisville, the Speed Art Museum, Duke University, the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation, and other organizations.

The Parks Alliance of Louisville describes its mission as driving equitable investment in public parks to improve community health and wellbeing. The Speed Art Museum says it invites everyone to celebrate art and offers opportunities to connect with art. Metro United Way says its mission is to improve lives and the community by engaging people to give, advocate, and volunteer. These are the grantees’ descriptions, not stated missions of the foundation.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $2,654,206. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $333,453, with a median of $22,500.

Among the largest reported grants were $333,453 to Parks Alliance of Louisville, $250,000 to Duke University, $250,000 and $144,078 to the Speed Art Museum, $208,204 to Community Foundation of Louisville, and $100,722 to Metro United Way. Other grants included $100,484 to Planned Parenthood in Seattle, $100,000 to the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation, $100,000 to Rebound Inc., and $100,000 to Sowing Seeds of Faith. Filing descriptions identify some grants as restricted support and others as general support; several are noted as stock contributions.

How to Apply

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

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky, 9% to North Carolina, 4% each to New York and Washington, and 1% to Pennsylvania.

Grant Distribution by State

18states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.

Cities

LouisvilleNew YorkPhiladelphiaAmblerBuffaloCharlestonCotuitFalmouthHazardLondonWashingtonLa GrangeWoodland HillsBethesdaDurhamIndianapolisWhitesburgBaltimoreBooneDelray Beach

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M62 grants2020 46 grants2021 65 grants2022 64 grants2023 56 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.6M (2020) to $3.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $2.7M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Speed Art Museum: $505K across 6 grantsSpeed Art Museum$505K · 6 grantsParks Alliance of Louisville: $340K across 2 grantsParks Alliance of Louisville$340K · 2 grantsDuke University: $250KDuke University$250KCommunity Foundation of Louisville: $208KCommunity Foundation ofLouisville$208KMetro United Way: $101KMetro United Way$101KPlanned Parenthood: $100KPlanned Parenthood$100KLouisville Free Public Library Foundation: $100KLouisville Free Public LibraryFoundation$100KRebound Inc: $100KRebound Inc$100KSowing Seeds of Faith: $100KSowing Seeds of Faith$100KKentucky Civic Engagement Table: $75KKentucky Civic EngagementTable$75K

The largest 2024 recipient was Speed Art Museum ($505K across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.

Grant Size Distribution

293 grants across all recorded years

209<$50K35$50–100K27$100–250K19$250–500K3$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 209 grants of 293 (71%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Parks Alliance of Louisville Louisville, KYRestricted Support - Stock Contribution (See Attached Information)$333,453
Duke University Durham, NCRestricted Support$250,000
Speed Art Museum Louisville, KYRestricted Support$250,000
Community Foundation of Louisville Louisville, KYRestricted Support - Stock Contribution (See Attached Information)$208,204
Speed Art Museum Louisville, KYRestricted Support$144,078
Metro United Way Louisville, KYGeneral Support - Stock Contribution (See Attached Information)$100,722
Planned Parenthood Seattle, WAGeneral Support - Stock Contribution (See Attached Information)$100,484
Louisville Free Public Library Foundation Louisville, KYRestricted Support$100,000
Rebound Inc Louisville, KYGeneral Support$100,000
Sowing Seeds of Faith Louisville, KYGeneral Support$100,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grant sum Grant count
2024 $8,284,658 $1,306,294 $2,805,765 $2,654,206 56
2023 $9,072,100 $2,295,998 $3,158,446 $3,012,560 64
2022 $9,934,548 $3,324,906 $3,310,515 $3,178,666 65
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$8,284,658$9,072,100$9,934,548
Revenue$1,306,294$2,295,998$3,324,906
Expenses$2,805,765$3,158,446$3,310,515
Qualifying Distributions$2,760,745$3,114,688$3,276,771
Net Investment Income$1,292,599$2,281,486$1,647,620
Distributable Amount$2,035,087$2,753,471$3,110,665

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Augusta Brown Holland as director; Brooke Brown Barzun as director and president; Owsley Brown III as director and secretary; and Matthew Barzun as director and treasurer.

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic is led by Brooke Brown Barzun, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Brooke Brown Barzun

    Director & President

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Augusta Brown Holland

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Matthew Barzun

    Director & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Owsley Brown III

    Director & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 427 W Muhammad Ali Blvd 801, Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: (502) 805-7200

Frequently asked questions about The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic

How much does The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic give each year?

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic gave $2.7M across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.0M across 64 grants.

What is The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's typical grant size?

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's median grant in 2024 was $22,500, and its average grant was $47,397, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic that year got $26K on average.

Where does The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic give grants?

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic gives mostly in Kentucky: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (36 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants).

Does The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic give general operating support?

Yes: 61% of The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (34 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Restricted Support" (20 grants).

Who are The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's largest grantees?

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's largest 2024 grantees include Speed Art Museum ($505,203 across 6 grants), Parks Alliance of Louisville ($339,703 across 2 grants) and Duke University ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic?

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for the Parks Alliance of Louisville, the Speed Art Museum, Duke University, the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic?

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

What is The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's EIN?

The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4432411. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic 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.

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