The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstro is a private foundation based in Gordon, Texas. It reported 11 grants totaling $78,299 in 2025, with grants to organizations in several states and for a range of purposes.
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation at a glance
In short: The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation gave $78K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Texas. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $78,299
- -38.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,118
- -38.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $2,868,153
- +6.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (4 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (26% 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 Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing lists Karen Brown as the contact, says to submit all forms and materials, and states that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Karen Brown
Mailing address: 1290 Post Oak Rd, Gordon, TX 76453
Phone: (817) 504-6689
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Intervarsity ($15K). Together the top 10 received $77K.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 48 grants of 50 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grants went to recipients in Texas (26% of grant dollars), Idaho (25%), Wisconsin (19%), South Carolina (13%), and California (10%), as well as recipients in Arkansas and Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 11 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 65% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 58% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $2K (2020) to $187K (2023). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $78K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Intervarsity Madison, WI | General Fund | $14,666 |
| Protectors Peak Calder, ID | General Fund | $10,000 |
| South America Mission Fort Mill, SC | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Nampa First Church of Nazarene Nampa, ID | General Fund | $9,433 |
| Electronic Frontier Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Fund | $8,000 |
| Tarrant Area Food Bank Fort Worth, TX | General Fund | $8,000 |
| Kera Foundation Dallas, TX | General Fund | $6,100 |
| Rescue Her Euless, TX | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Heifer International Little Rock, AR | General Fund | $4,000 |
| Bible Project Portland, OR | General Fund | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation?
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 | $2,868,153 | $153,188 | $129,047 | $78,299 | 11 | $78,299 | $102,559 | $135,481 |
| 2024 | $2,691,532 | $97,147 | $175,678 | $126,998 | 11 | $126,998 | $127,002 | $128,881 |
| 2023 | $2,624,769 | $94,697 | $223,349 | $187,100 | 13 | — | $58,448 | $126,809 |
| 2022 | $2,530,640 | $125,856 | $88,208 | $47,499 | 11 | — | $35,682 | $136,654 |
| 2021 | $3,040,574 | $3,087,602 | $6,233 | $2,058 | 4 | — | $80,219 | $47,417 |
| 2020 | $42,847 | $2,749 | $1,802 | $1,650 | 4 | — | $1,078 | $2,095 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation reported a distributable amount of $135K 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 food bank, organizations working on sex trafficking, and organizations including churches, a Bible project, and an electronic civil-liberties organization. Tarrant Area Food Bank describes its mission as empowering the community to alleviate hunger and improve health. Rescue Her says it works to empower survivors of sex trafficking through awareness, crisis response and service, and long-term advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $78,299. Grants ranged from $1,100 to $14,666, with a median grant of $8,000. The largest awards included $14,666 to InterVarsity, $10,000 each to Protectors Peak and South America Mission, and $9,433 to Nampa First Church of the Nazarene. Other grants included $8,000 to Electronic Frontier Foundation and $8,000 to Tarrant Area Food Bank, and $5,000 to Rescue Her. The listed grant purposes were “general fund.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Karen Brown, Anna Brown Stone, David Mark Brown, and Shailar Ward Brown as directors.
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shailar Ward Brown
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$10K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Anna Brown Stone
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Mark Brown
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Brown
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Russell Brown (2020–2024) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $10K, to Shailar Ward Brown (Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation
How much does The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation give each year?
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation gave $78K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $127K across 11 grants.
What is The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's typical grant size?
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $7,118, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation give grants?
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's top state is Texas, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Idaho (25%) and Wisconsin (19%).
Does The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's largest grantees?
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Intervarsity ($14,666), Protectors Peak ($10,000) and South America Mission ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation?
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $78K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $135K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a food bank, organizations working on sex trafficking, and organizations including churches, a Bible project, and an electronic civil-liberties organization. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation?
The 2025 filing lists Karen Brown as the contact, says to submit all forms and materials, and states that there are no restrictions on awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's EIN?
The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3341321. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 May 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-russell-w-and-karen-suda-ekstrom-brown-foundation-morg_dc6fcd33e5804b2e9e50fc1cd75c252f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_463341321_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom Brown Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-russell-w-and-karen-suda-ekstrom-brown-foundation-morg_dc6fcd33e5804b2e9e50fc1cd75c252f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Russell W and Karen Suda Ekstrom 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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