The Joseph S Bruno Charitable
The Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in October 1985 and based in Birmingham, Alabama. The foundation is committed to building stronger communities in the greater Birmingham area by providing financial and leadership support to nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.0M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$550K
+18.3% YoY
Grant Count
40
+5.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
+12.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation is committed to building stronger communities in the greater Birmingham area by providing financial and leadership support to organizations in the areas of:
- Education — particularly preparing children for success in school, supporting school readiness, quality early childhood development and early intervention, and working with families and youth service organizations to ensure academic success and prevent school dropout
- Health — promoting healthy behavior, wellness, and prevention; improving access to health care for vulnerable populations; and providing opportunities for families that encourage healthy lifestyles and improved mental and physical health
- Community Needs — basic services for at-risk families and children, family literacy and adult education, community improvement, and nonprofit capacity building
- Arts & Culture — increasing accessibility to the arts
The foundation also considers programs in philanthropy and volunteerism. The foundation encourages organizations and programs that demonstrate collaboration, sharing of ideas and resources, and matching or other funds from government, other foundations, corporate, or private funding sources.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a two-cycle grant schedule:
Average Grant
amount: $14,000–$15,000
Review Cycle
1:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides funding primarily in Alabama, with a concentration of grantmaking in the greater Birmingham area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $18,002,801
- Total Revenues: $1,378,078
- Total Expenses: $796,428
- Total Giving: $549,500
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $17,213,045
- Total Revenues: $1,600,000
- Total Expenses: $725,000
The foundation has demonstrated consistent asset growth, increasing from approximately $10 million in 2010 to over $18 million by 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,002,801 | $17,213,045 | $16,474,426 |
| Revenue | $1,378,078 | $1,597,909 | $5,992,002 |
| Expenses | $796,428 | $724,534 | $932,631 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $549,500 | $464,500 | $665,100 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,301,464 | $1,519,184 | $283,418 |
| Distributable Amount | $920,538 | $819,696 | $771,358 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Joseph S Bruno Charitable
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jennifer Gray — Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BENNY M LARUSSA JR | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| ROBERT H SPRAIN JR | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MARIAN L PHILLIPS | VICE CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| KAREN PERSINGER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MEGAN LARUSSA CHENOWETH | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| THOMAS PERSINGER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER GRAY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
According to the most recent tax filings, the foundation has made approximately 90 grants totaling $1.3 million, supporting 45 unique organizations. Recent grant recipients include Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs, Auburn University Foundation, and Junior Achievement of Alabama.
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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A Hays Zieman & Christine B Zieman
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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