The Owsley Brown Iii Philanthropic Found
The Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky, established in 2013. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple focus areas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15.5M
+64.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
-14.7% YoY
Grant Count
95
-15.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
+1.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities focus on:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Science and STEM Education
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
** $489–$500,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary grantmaking activity occurs in:
- California
- Kentucky
- New York
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $9.44 million
- Total Revenue: $2.45 million
- Total Expenses: $3.28 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $15,489,888
- Total Giving: $2,710,992
The foundation maintains no debt and operates with positive financial positioning.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,489,888 | $9,441,429 | $10,262,614 |
| Revenue | $1,489,451 | $2,454,301 | $3,375,274 |
| Expenses | $2,847,593 | $3,275,486 | $3,364,508 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,797,267 | $3,225,417 | $3,327,154 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,472,879 | $2,436,557 | $1,694,898 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,073,864 | $2,797,924 | $3,175,406 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by the following individuals:
- Owsley Brown III — Director, President, and Secretary (0.5 hours/week)
- Brooke Brown Barzun — Director (0.5 hours/week)
- Augusta Brown Holland — Director (0.5 hours/week)
- Christina Lee Brown — Director (0.5 hours/week)
Owsley Brown III is a documentary filmmaker and director of multiple nonprofit boards and foundations. He is a fifth-generation shareholder of Brown-Forman, the international spirits and wine company founded in 1870. He serves on numerous boards including the University of Virginia's Center for Contemplative Sciences, Center for Interfaith Relations, Mind and Life Institute, and currently serves as President of the Sustainable Food Alliance.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| OWSLEY BROWN III | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT/SECRETA | 0.5 | — |
| BROOKE BROWN BARZUN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| AUGUSTA BROWN HOLLAND | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CHRISTINA LEE BROWN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated active grantmaking in recent years:
Committed $1 million to historic properties preservation in Louisville
Louisville, Owsley Brown Foundation commit $1 million to historic propertiesAwarded $1 million grant to OneWest for West End revitalization efforts
OneWest gets $1M Brown Foundation grant for West End revitalization - LaneProvided $1 million challenge donation to support park equity improvements in Louisville
Louisville, Owsley Brown Foundation commit $1 million to historic propertiesThe foundation is associated with the Owsley Brown II Center for Artistic Excellence, celebrated by the Fund for the Arts
Louisville, Owsley Brown Foundation commit $1 million to historic propertiesRelated Funders
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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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