The Brown Family Foundation
The Brown Family Foundation is a private foundation based in San Luis Obispo, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in California and other states, with recipients including a hospital, legal foundation, disaster-relief organizations, arts organizations, and animal and wildlife care organizations.
The Brown Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Brown Family Foundation gave $85K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in California. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $85,300
- +16.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,018
- +9.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,762,231
- +4.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (68% 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 The Brown Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3940-7 Broad Street 383, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone: (775) 827-1040
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Brown Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was French Hospital Medical Center Foun ($10K). Together the top 10 received $65K.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 63 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to organizations in California (68% of grant dollars), North Carolina (12%), Utah (6%), Virginia (6%), and Georgia (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Brown Family Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 17 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 148% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $26K (2021) to $85K (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $85K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| French Hospital Medical Center Foun San Luis Obispo, CA | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Pacific Legal Foundation Sacramento, CA | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Ballet West Salt Lake City, UT | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Friends of Avila Pier Avila Beach, CA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Meals on Wheels Pismo Beach, CA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Meals That Connect San Luis Obispo, CA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Mercy Chefs Portsmouth, VA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Pacific Wildlife Care San Luis Obispo, CA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| The Salvation Army San Luis Obispo, CA | General Purpose | $5,000 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,762,231 | $176,466 | $99,525 | $85,300 | 17 | $85,300 | $20,005 | $91,424 |
| 2024 | $1,687,389 | $323,134 | $96,059 | $73,200 | 16 | $73,200 | $309,291 | $76,335 |
| 2023 | $1,459,815 | $237,366 | $84,459 | $67,000 | 12 | $67,000 | $150,186 | $67,041 |
| 2022 | $1,305,308 | $47,735 | $49,749 | $34,350 | 11 | $40,755 | $40,726 | $66,543 |
| 2021 | $1,311,968 | $872,031 | $38,592 | $25,500 | 7 | $25,500 | $421,188 | $25,765 |
| 2020 | $473,883 | $-51,797 | $44,218 | $37,500 | 12 | — | $16,580 | $25,039 |
| 2019 | $569,898 | $68,481 | $41,374 | $33,425 | 10 | — | $44,634 | $26,897 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brown Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $91K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for varied organizations. For example, Samaritan’s Purse describes its work as providing spiritual and physical aid to people affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine. Pacific Legal Foundation says it litigates nationwide to secure Americans’ rights. Ballet West describes its work as inspiring and empowering communities through ballet exposure, training, and education. Pacific Wildlife Care says it supports San Luis Obispo County wildlife through rehabilitation and educational outreach. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $85,300. Grants ranged from $100 to $10,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Its largest reported grants were $10,000 each to French Hospital Medical Center Foundation in San Luis Obispo, Pacific Legal Foundation in Sacramento, and Samaritan’s Purse in Boone, North Carolina. Other notable grants included $5,000 each to Ballet West, Friends of Avila Pier, Meals on Wheels, Meals That Connect, Mercy Chefs, Pacific Wildlife Care, the Salvation Army, Stanford Medicine, and the Carter Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Douglas H. Brown II as president and Judy Brown as secretary-treasurer.
The Brown Family Foundation is led by Douglas H. Brown II, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Douglas H. Brown II
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy Brown
Secy-Treas
On filings since 2019
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Brown Family Foundation
How much does The Brown Family Foundation give each year?
The Brown Family Foundation gave $85K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $73K across 16 grants.
What is The Brown Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Brown Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,018, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Brown Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Brown Family Foundation give grants?
The Brown Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were North Carolina (12%) and Utah (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Luis Obispo, CA (6 grants).
Does The Brown Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Brown Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Brown Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Brown Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include French Hospital Medical Center Foun ($10,000), Pacific Legal Foundation ($10,000) and Samaritan's Purse ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Brown Family Foundation?
The Brown Family Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $85K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $91K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Brown Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for varied organizations. For example, Samaritan’s Purse describes its work as providing spiritual and physical aid to people affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brown Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Brown Family Foundation's EIN?
The Brown Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-0392787. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 5, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Brown Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Brown Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, democracy, gender equity, racial justice, and efforts to strengthen nonprofits and philanthropy, with work spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, and locations including East and West Africa and Mexico. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $150,000, though amounts varied widely. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but sometimes invites proposals through open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds work in affordable housing and homelessness, community resilience and power, as well as social services, education, arts and conservation, with a focus on marginalized Marin County residents and some broader U.S. and international grantmaking. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Brown Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-brown-family-foundation-morg_f3a72d36953a4c4590c92e09103d3dcc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_880392787_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Brown Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-brown-family-foundation-morg_f3a72d36953a4c4590c92e09103d3dcc},
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 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.
The Brown Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?