The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation is a private foundation based in Highlands, North Carolina. In its 2025 filing, it reported grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in North Carolina.
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation gave $184K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in North Carolina. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $184,000
- +18.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +75.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,143
- -32.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $3,057,930
- +1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (87% 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 Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation
- 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. The filing provides no application materials or further process details.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1230 Whiteside Mountain Road, Highlands, NC 28741-9687
Phone: (800) 352-3705
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Western Carolina University ($125K). Together the top 10 received $180K.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 50 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 6% to New York, 5% to Tennessee, and 1% to Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $131K (2022) to $280K (2021). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $184K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | General Purpose | $125,000 |
| Duke Eye Center Durham, NC | General Purpose | $12,500 |
| Tunnels to Towers Staten Island, NY | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| St Jude's Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Highlands Bolivian Mission Highlands, NC | General Purpose | $7,500 |
| The Bascum Highlands, NC | General Purpose | $5,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Hendersonville NC Hendersonville, NC | General Purpose | $2,500 |
| Literacy Council of the Highlands Highlands, NC | General Purpose | $2,500 |
| Water at Work Ministry Inc Norcross, GA | General Purpose | $2,500 |
| Samitarian's Purse Boone, NC | General Purpose | $2,500 |
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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 | $3,057,930 | $232,341 | $201,810 | $184,000 | 14 | $188,539 | $245,928 | $162,775 |
| 2024 | $3,027,399 | $148,426 | $177,193 | $155,500 | 8 | $159,950 | $134,425 | $160,074 |
| 2023 | $3,056,166 | $148,147 | $146,005 | $130,500 | 10 | $134,994 | $128,908 | $156,629 |
| 2022 | $3,054,024 | $29,368 | $164,070 | $130,500 | 10 | $134,585 | $510 | $161,031 |
| 2021 | $3,188,726 | $5,815 | $317,513 | $280,000 | 8 | $284,079 | — | $169,995 |
| 2020 | $3,500,424 | $219,475 | $208,923 | $159,000 | 9 | — | $179,991 | $185,513 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $163K 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 a university, health and research organizations, a children’s organization, and local community and religious organizations. Western Carolina University describes its mission as aiding and promoting education and charitable activities at the university. Highlands Bolivian Mission describes its mission as improving living conditions for poor people, particularly children in Montero, Bolivia, and surrounding areas. Smile Train describes its purpose as providing people born with clefts the same opportunities in life as those born without clefts.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $184,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $125,000, with a median of $2,500. The largest grants included $125,000 to Western Carolina University, $12,500 to Duke Eye Center, and $10,000 each to Tunnels to Towers and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Other reported grants included $7,500 to Highlands Bolivian Mission, $5,000 to The Bascum, and $2,500 each to the Boys & Girls Club of Hendersonville NC, Literacy Council of the Highlands, Water at Work Ministry, and Samaritan’s Purse. Smile Train received two grants of $1,000 and $500.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jack Brinson as trustee.
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation is led by Jack Brinson, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jack Brinson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Judith Brinson (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation
How much does The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation give each year?
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation gave $184K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $156K across 8 grants.
What is The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $13,143, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation give grants?
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (6%) and Tennessee (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Highlands, NC (5 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Western Carolina University ($125,000), Duke Eye Center ($12,500) and Tunnels to Towers ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation?
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $189K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $163K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a university, health and research organizations, a children’s organization, and local community and religious organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation?
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 Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's EIN?
The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3962541. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Jack and Judy Brinson 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
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-jack-and-judy-brinson-foundation-morg_0bb7eaf2437d46a7a571388ccb9ad8df
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203962541_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Jack and Judy Brinson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-jack-and-judy-brinson-foundation-morg_0bb7eaf2437d46a7a571388ccb9ad8df},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Jack and Judy Brinson 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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