The Brown Family Foundation
The Brown Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Gaffney, South Carolina. Established in 2020, it says it supports organizations serving people’s physical, educational, and spiritual needs, with a broader aim of helping people and communities in need.
The Brown Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Brown Family Foundation gave $487K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), mostly in South Carolina. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $487,000
- +47.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- +23.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $23,190
- +19.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $9,763,814
- +22.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (12 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Brown Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it reports that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 954 Goucher School Road, Gaffney, SC 29340
Phone: (864) 489-5723
Website: https://brownfamilyfoundationsc.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Brown Family Foundation
Who The Brown Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Kimbrell Family Fund ($201K). Together the top 10 received $396K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 69 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says grants are made to organizations in North and South Carolina. It may also consider organizations headquartered in the Carolinas that support humanitarian efforts outside the continental United States. Its 2024 filing reports that 77% of grant dollars went to South Carolina recipients, 13% to Georgia, and 3% each to Colorado, North Carolina, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Brown Family Foundation open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 20 grantees (60%) 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. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 25% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 544% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 118% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $57K (2020) to $487K (2024). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $487K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kimbrell Family Fund Spartanburg, SC | Support of individual with special developmental needs addressing life challenges | $200,500 |
| South Carolina Children's Fund Charleston, SC | Support excellence in education for underserved children in South Carolina | $50,000 |
| Boys Farm Newberry, SC | Support of Boys Farm Programs | $20,000 |
| Cherokee County Meals on Wheels Gaffney, SC | Support the Food Delivery Program | $20,000 |
| Bartow Family Resources and BFR Medical Hamilton, GA | Support expansion of women's health services and parenting education | $20,000 |
| Cherokee Pregnancy Center Gaffney, SC | Support Programs for Women Through the Health Center. | $20,000 |
| Cherokee School District Gaffney, SC | Support Education | $20,000 |
| Camp Lighthouse Ministry Inc Alpharetta, GA | Tuition for Children to Attend Camp | $15,000 |
| Focus on the Family Colorado Springs, CO | Support programs that spread the gospel and preserve traditional values and families. | $15,000 |
| Samaritans Purse Boone, NC | Support programs that provide spiritual and physical aid to those in need worldwide. | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Brown Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,763,814 | $2,675,013 | $546,283 | $487,000 | 21 | $491,966 | $604,928 | $415,496 |
| 2023 | $7,984,151 | $1,473,611 | $377,006 | $329,700 | 17 | $329,700 | $221,513 | $333,683 |
| 2022 | $6,887,546 | $1,828,904 | $165,016 | $130,651 | 14 | $130,651 | $186,224 | $223,950 |
| 2021 | $5,223,658 | $4,279,258 | $83,475 | $75,635 | 9 | $75,635 | $242,238 | $32,234 |
| 2020 | $1,027,875 | $1,085,618 | $57,743 | $56,500 | 8 | — | $80,734 | $47,479 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brown Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $415K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to create positive change through philanthropy that improves the lives of individuals and communities in need. It says it works to support small nonprofits serving physical, educational, and spiritual needs. Its stated priorities include collaborative, impactful, evidence-based initiatives.
Examples of grantees’ own work include South Carolina Children’s Fund, which says it invests in and provides expertise to educational organizations across South Carolina; Cherokee County Meals on Wheels, which says it provides hot meals to homebound elderly and disabled people; and Camp Lighthouse Ministry, which says it offers free Christian camps and retreats for children and teenagers. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions, not additional stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $487,000. Individual grants ranged from $2,500 to $200,500, with a median of $15,000.
Among its larger 2024 grants were $200,500 to Kimbrell Family Fund to support an individual with special developmental needs; $50,000 to South Carolina Children’s Fund to support education for underserved children in South Carolina; and $20,000 each to Boys Farm, Cherokee County Meals on Wheels, Bartow Family Resources and BFR Medical, Cherokee Pregnancy Center, and Cherokee School District. Other reported grants included $15,000 to Samaritan’s Purse, $15,000 to Camp Lighthouse Ministry, and $10,000 to PAK7 US Inc. Samaritan’s Purse describes its work as providing spiritual and physical aid to people in need around the world; Camp Lighthouse Ministry describes its work as providing free Christian camps and retreats for children and teenagers; and PAK7 US Inc. says it makes media programs intended to change hearts and lives in Pakistan.
The foundation says its grant decisions depend on available funds and may consider program or project expenses, and in some cases operating expenses for organizations that demonstrate self-sufficiency or progress toward it. Its stated decision factors include alignment with its values and mission, demonstrated need, organizational capacity, community engagement, sustainability, measurable outcomes, and a current audit or compilation report. It says eligible applicants must be organizations qualified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3), or local or state government units. The foundation’s filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists James Wilkins Brown as chair of trustees, and Barbara Hopper Brown and Walter Reed Brown as trustees.
The Brown Family Foundation is led by James Wilkins Brown, Chair of Trustees on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James Wilkins Brown
Chair of Trustees
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Hopper Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Walter Reed Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Brown Family Foundation
How much does The Brown Family Foundation give each year?
The Brown Family Foundation gave $487K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $330K across 17 grants.
What is The Brown Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Brown Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $23,190, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Brown Family Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does The Brown Family Foundation give grants?
The Brown Family Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Gaffney, SC (3 grants) and Spartanburg, SC (2 grants).
Does The Brown Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on The Brown Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Brown Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Brown Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Kimbrell Family Fund ($200,500), South Carolina Children's Fund ($50,000) and Boys Farm ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Brown Family Foundation?
The Brown Family Foundation reported $9.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $492K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $415K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Brown Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to create positive change through philanthropy that improves the lives of individuals and communities in need. It says it works to support small nonprofits serving physical, educational, and spiritual needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brown Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it reports that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Brown Family Foundation's EIN?
The Brown Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-1117489. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does The Brown Family 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Brown Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Brown Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-brown-family-foundation-morg_e3e5dac9ef094c0b9a33e697f2bcbd85
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_301117489_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Brown Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-brown-family-foundation-morg_e3e5dac9ef094c0b9a33e697f2bcbd85},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 The Brown Family 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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