Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation
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.
Key facts about Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation
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.
- EIN
- 47-3361069
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $37,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- Average grant
- $1,563
- Median grant
- $1,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $894,486
- Primary geography
- California (21% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$894K
+2.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$38K
-26.5% YoY
Grant Count
24
-14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-14.2% YoY
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.
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.
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.
How to Apply
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with Vaughan W Brown Family Foundation?
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
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $35K (2020) to $51K (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $38K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
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
The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 151 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Eastside College Preparatory School Inc E Palo Alto, CA | operation fund for the photography and art departments | $7,000 |
| Cottonwood Day School Bozeman, MT | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Jorge Pastore Foundation Lakeway, TX | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Blaine County Recreation District Hailey, ID | maintenance and operation fund for Galena Lodge and its trail system | $2,000 |
| Northwest Presbyterian Church Atlanta, GA | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Alexandria, VA | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Atlanta Speech School Inc Atlanta, GA | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Georgia Conservancy Inc Atlanta, GA | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Haven Bozeman, MT | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $894,486 | $68,301 | $47,251 | $37,500 |
| 2024 | $873,436 | -$6,422 | $59,545 | $51,000 |
| 2023 | $939,403 | $23,145 | $48,001 | $40,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $894,486 | $873,436 | $939,403 |
| Revenue | $68,301 | $-6,422 | $23,145 |
| Expenses | $47,251 | $59,545 | $48,001 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $46,151 | $59,223 | $47,990 |
| Net Investment Income | $68,301 | $22,441 | $23,145 |
| Distributable Amount | $54,185 | $51,925 | $50,152 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 4, 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
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.
Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
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.
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