The Brown Foundation Inc
The Brown Foundation Inc is a private independent foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1951. The foundation was created by Herman and Margarett Root Brown and George R. and Alice Pratt Brown, founders of Brown & Root, Inc., one of the world's largest construction and engineering firms. The foundation operates as a family-directed organization committed to flexible grantmaking that responds to Houston's evolving community needs.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1B
+4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$84.3M
-28.5% YoY
Grant Count
222
-73.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$380K
+169.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to build, sustain, and enhance organizations that make Houston a stronger, more vibrant community. The foundation honors the legacy of its founders by valuing visionary leadership, entrepreneurialism, a commitment to excellence, and an orientation toward action and direct service.
The foundation's primary impact areas include:
Education: A longstanding commitment reflecting the belief that education creates pathways to future opportunity and strengthens communities. Current emphasis focuses on public education at the primary and secondary levels, with particular interest in nontraditional and innovative approaches designed to improve public education primarily within Texas.
Arts & Culture: Support for arts organizations of all sizes—from performing arts to museums, from small community-based groups to flagship institutions—recognizing that the arts contribute meaningfully to community vibrancy and vitality.
Human Services: Community service projects focused upon the needs of children and youth, especially in the Houston area.
Healthcare: Support for medical facilities and healthcare institutions.
Civic Assets: Investment in shared civic infrastructure and institutions.
Grantmaking
The foundation has distributed more than $2 billion since its founding in 1951. Recent financial data indicates:
Grant Range
**: Typical awards range from $25 to $20,748,807
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking extends primarily across Texas, with selective participation in distinctive grantmaking opportunities across Texas and beyond. Grant activity has been documented in Texas, New York, and New Mexico.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2025:
- Total Assets: $1,147,001,983
- Total Revenue: $145,856,621
- Total Expenses: $92,692,676
- Total Giving: $84,269,500
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $1.0 billion
- Total Revenue: $89.6 million
- Total Investments: $860.7 million
The foundation maintains substantial financial resources and demonstrates consistent annual grantmaking activity.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,147,001,983 | $1,093,838,038 | $1,004,415,123 |
| Revenue | $145,856,621 | $183,844,252 | $89,635,504 |
| Expenses | $92,692,676 | $125,930,873 | $91,981,368 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $86,473,880 | $120,032,088 | $86,885,701 |
| Net Investment Income | $142,190,460 | $180,173,159 | $85,950,026 |
| Distributable Amount | $103,624,424 | $100,212,352 | $86,500,905 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Brown Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| John O'Connor | Chair/Trustee | 5 | — |
| Isabel S Lummis | Pres/Trustee | 5 | — |
| Lousia S Sarofim | Sec/Trustee | 2 | — |
| Ann Ziker | ED/Asst Secretary | 50 | $423,001 |
| Jacklyn Tatge | CFO/Treasurer | 40 | $307,500 |
| Ralph Abendshein | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Holbrook F Dorn | Trustee | 2 | — |
| William N Mathis | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Maria Mathis-Kruser | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Caroline Negley | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Ryan O'Connor | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Elisa Pye | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Christopher B Sarofim | Trustee | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced new rounds of grant funding in 2025. Recent grants have supported educational initiatives, including a major grant to benefit area schoolchildren through Howard Payne University's Academy of Freedom program.
THF Announces New Round of Grant FundingSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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