The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Studio City, CA EIN: 38-6069346

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown is a private foundation based in Studio City, California. It reported 12 grants totaling $22,000 in 2025, supporting organizations working in areas including medical assistance, disaster relief, education, food assistance, and other charitable services.

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation at a glance

In short: The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation gave $22K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state California. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$22,000
-6.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
12
-14.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,833
+9.2% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,500
Total assets
$210,115
-11.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
California (20% 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 Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

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

Contact

Mailing address: 4326 Babcock Ave 301, Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: (818) 693-6377

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Doctors Without Borders USA: $3KDoctors Without Borders USA$3KAll Hands Hearts Smart Response: $3KAll Hands Hearts SmartResponse$3KDirect Relief: $3KDirect Relief$3KChrysalis: $2KChrysalis$2KFirst Nations Developmen Institute: $2KFirst Nations DevelopmenInstitute$2KForgotten Harvest: $2KForgotten Harvest$2KThe Fisher House Foundation: $2KThe Fisher House Foundation$2KNAMI: $2KNAMI$2KFacing History and Ourselves: $2KFacing History and Ourselves$2KReproductive Freedom For All Founda: $2KReproductive Freedom For AllFounda$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Doctors Without Borders USA ($3K). Together the top 10 received $19K.

Grant Size Distribution

65 grants across all recorded years

65<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 65 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. California received 20% of grant dollars, Massachusetts 18%, New York 11%, Colorado 9%, and Michigan 7%.

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkLos AngelesWashingtonMattapoisettOak ParkRockvilleArlingtonSanta BarbaraLongmontNewtownBostonBrooklineFarifieldBaltimoreHagerstownLomgmontNorth KingstownTaunton

Is The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation open to new grantees?

8%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 175% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$10K$20K$30K10 grants2019 12 grants2021 13 grants2022 14 grants2023 14 grants2024 12 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2019) to $24K (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $22K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Doctors Without Borders USA New York, NYMedical Assistance$2,500
All Hands Hearts Smart Response Mattapoisett, MADisaster Relief$2,500
Direct Relief Santa Barbara, CADisaster Relief$2,500
Chrysalis Los Angeles, CAHelping Homeless$2,000
First Nations Developmen Institute Longmont, COEducation$2,000
Forgotten Harvest Oak Park, MIFood Bank$1,500
The Fisher House Foundation Rockville, MDVeteran's Assistance$1,500
NAMI Arlington, VASuicide Prevention & Mental Health$1,500
Facing History and Ourselves Boston, MAEducation$1,500
Reproductive Freedom For All Founda Washington, DCWomen's Health Care$1,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$210,115$14,824$31,899$22,00012$22,000$11,260$12,578
2024$236,050$7,990$33,564$23,50014$23,500$7,240$13,386
2023$230,398$28,072$34,175$23,50014$23,500$23,572$13,983
2022$262,004$26,389$37,167$23,50013$23,500$20,917$16,512
2021$274,408$28,988$32,694$20,00012—$23,809$15,719
2019$294,042$13,540$22,499$18,00010—$10,040$16,465

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13K 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 included support for medical assistance, disaster relief, help for people experiencing homelessness, education, food banks and food assistance, veterans’ assistance, suicide prevention and mental health, women’s health care, and gun violence prevention.

Among its grantees, Direct Relief describes its mission as improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. Forgotten Harvest says it works to relieve hunger in Metro Detroit and prevent nutritious food waste. Edesia says its mission is to treat and prevent malnutrition among the world’s most vulnerable populations through the manufacture and distribution of ready-to-use therapeutic foods.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $22,000. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $2,500, with a median grant of $1,500. Notable awards included $2,500 each to Doctors Without Borders USA for medical assistance, All Hands Hearts Smart Response for disaster relief, and Direct Relief for disaster relief; and $2,000 each to Chrysalis for helping homeless people and First Nations Development Institute for education.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Leslie K Brown as president, Lori Harris as vice president, and Devon Patterson as secretary.

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation is led by Leslie K Brown, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Leslie K Brown

    President

    On filings since 2019

    15 hrs/week

    $7K (2021) → $5K (2025)

  • Lori Harris

    Vice President

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Devon Patterson

    Secretary

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Nancy Smytka (2019–2021) — Secretary

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Leslie K Brown — President: $5KLeslie K BrownPresident$5K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $5K, to Leslie K Brown (President).

Frequently asked questions about The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation

How much does The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation give each year?

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation gave $22K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $24K across 14 grants.

What is The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's typical grant size?

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $1,833, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation give grants?

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's top state is California, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (18%) and New York (11%).

Does The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's largest grantees?

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Doctors Without Borders USA ($2,500), All Hands Hearts Smart Response ($2,500) and Direct Relief ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation?

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation reported $210K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $22K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $13K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation?

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

What is The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's EIN?

The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6069346. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown 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

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 9, 2019)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 2, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 8, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 4, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 16, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 6, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The Charles E and Dorothy K Brown 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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