Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wilmington, DE EIN: 47-3361069

The Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2025 filing reports $37,500 in grants to 24 organizations.

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation gave $38K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state California. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$37,500
-26.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
24
-14.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,563
-14.2% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$894,486
+2.4% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
8% first-time grantees (2 of 24, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
California (21% 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 Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754

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

Who Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Eastside College Preparatory School Inc: $7KEastside College PreparatorySchool Inc$7KCottonwood Day School: $3KCottonwood Day School$3KJorge Pastore Foundation: $3KJorge Pastore Foundation$3KBlaine County Recreation District: $2KBlaine County RecreationDistrict$2KNorthwest Presbyterian Church: $2KNorthwest Presbyterian Church$2KSea Shepherd Conservation Society: $2KSea Shepherd ConservationSociety$2KAtlanta Speech School Inc: $2KAtlanta Speech School Inc$2KGeorgia Conservancy Inc: $2KGeorgia Conservancy Inc$2KHaven: $2KHaven$2KMichael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research: $2KMichael J Fox Foundation forParkinsons Research$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Eastside College Preparatory School Inc ($7K). Together the top 10 received $25K.

Grant Size Distribution

151 grants across all recorded years

151<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 151 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 filing reports that the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in California (21%), Montana (20%), Georgia (19%), Idaho (8%), and Texas (8%). The listed grants also include recipients in other states.

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.

Cities

AtlantaBozemanHaileyE Palo AltoKingstonNew YorkRidgefieldAftonCharlottesvilleLaguna HillsLurayMiddleburgWaynesboroWoods HoleAlexandriaCanaanRichmondVirginia BCHAustinBelgrade

Is Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation open to new grantees?

8%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 24 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.

  • 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 85% 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

$0$20K$40K$60K24 grants2020 29 grants2021 43 grants2022 27 grants2023 28 grants2024 24 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $35K (2020) to $51K (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $38K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Eastside College Preparatory School Inc E Palo Alto, CAoperation fund for the photography and art departments$7,000
Cottonwood Day School Bozeman, MTGeneral & Unrestricted$3,000
Jorge Pastore Foundation Lakeway, TXGeneral & Unrestricted$2,500
Blaine County Recreation District Hailey, IDmaintenance and operation fund for Galena Lodge and its trail system$2,000
Northwest Presbyterian Church Atlanta, GAGeneral & Unrestricted$2,000
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Alexandria, VAGeneral & Unrestricted$2,000
Atlanta Speech School Inc Atlanta, GAGeneral & Unrestricted$1,500
Georgia Conservancy Inc Atlanta, GAGeneral & Unrestricted$1,500
Haven Bozeman, MTGeneral & Unrestricted$1,500
Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research New York, NYGeneral & Unrestricted$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$894,486$68,301$47,251$37,50024$46,151$68,301$54,185
2024$873,436$-6,422$59,545$51,00028$59,223$22,441$51,925
2023$939,403$23,145$48,001$40,00027$47,990$23,145$50,152
2022$963,259$65,561$58,367$48,50043$56,921$65,561$52,120
2021$956,065$100,460$49,689$40,00029$48,889$100,460$59,111
2020$905,294$49,559$44,737$34,50024—$49,559$53,113

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $54K 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

The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Cottonwood Day School says it supports students with learning challenges and partners with families; Sea Shepherd Conservation Society says it works to protect marine wildlife and ocean ecosystems; and Georgia Conservancy says it works on stewardship, conservation, and sustainable use of Georgia’s land and resources. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.

Other 2025 grantees describe work in areas including literacy, support for survivors of violence, veterans’ programs, history and culture, and education.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $37,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $7,000, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest listed grant was $7,000 to Eastside College Preparatory School Inc. in East Palo Alto, California, for the operation fund for its photography and art departments. Other notable grants included $3,000 to Cottonwood Day School in Bozeman, Montana, and $2,500 to Jorge Pastore Foundation in Lakeway, Texas; both were listed as general and unrestricted.

Other grants included $2,000 to Blaine County Recreation District for maintenance and operation of Galena Lodge and its trail system; $2,000 to Northwest Presbyterian Church, listed as general and unrestricted; and $2,000 to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, also listed as general and unrestricted. The Nemours Foundation received $1,500 for its Pet Therapy Program.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Natalie Brown as director and secretary; Frank D Brown III as president, director, and treasurer; and Susannah Kavanaugh as director and vice president.

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation is led by Frank D Brown III, President, Director & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Frank D Brown III

    President, Director & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Natalie Brown

    Director & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susannah Kavanaugh

    Director & Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Paula 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.

Frequently asked questions about Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation

How much does Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation give each year?

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation gave $38K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $51K across 28 grants.

What is Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,563, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation give grants?

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's top state is California, with 21% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Montana (20%) and Georgia (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (5 grants), Bozeman, MT (5 grants) and Hailey, ID (2 grants).

Does Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 83% of Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Eastside College Preparatory School Inc ($7,000), Cottonwood Day School ($3,000) and Jorge Pastore Foundation ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation?

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation reported $894K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $46K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $54K (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 Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation fund?

The foundation’s filings do not state a mission. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation?

The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests 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 Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's EIN?

Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3361069. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Vaughan W Brown Family 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 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 30, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 19, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 4, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 3, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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

Figures come from Vaughan W Brown Family 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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