W L Lyons Brown Foundation
The W L Lyons Brown Foundation is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Its 2025 IRS filing is marked as the organization’s final return: the foundation adopted a dissolution resolution on September 23, 2025, to dissolve effective December 31, 2025, and reported distributing all its assets to six private foundations. It therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
W L Lyons Brown Foundation at a glance
In short: W L Lyons Brown Foundation gave $34.1M across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $1.6M), mostly in Kentucky. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $34,141,952
- +727.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -84.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,625,807
- +5380.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (10 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (66% 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 W L Lyons Brown Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 325 W Main Street Suite 1110, Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: (502) 585-4649
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who W L Lyons Brown Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was MSB Cockayne Fund Inc ($11.4M). Together the top 10 received $34.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
594 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 479 grants of 594 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 66% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky and 33% to recipients in Tennessee. The listed grants also included recipients in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is W L Lyons Brown Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 21 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $3.4M; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $3.7M first-time, $10K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 585% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $4.1M (2024) to $34.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $34.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MSB Cockayne Fund Inc Nashville, TN | Liquidating Distribution | $11,380,633 |
| Skylight Woods Foundation Inc Louisville, KY | Liquidating Distribution | $5,653,382 |
| Limestone Family Foundation Inc Louisville, KY | Liquidating Distribution | $5,527,278 |
| Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation Inc Louisville, KY | Liquidating Distribution | $3,769,149 |
| Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation Inc Louisville, KY | Liquidating Distribution | $3,759,149 |
| Sociable Weaver Foundation Louisville, KY | Liquidating Distribution | $3,684,861 |
| Food Literacy Project Louisville, KY | Capital Support | $125,000 |
| Billfish Foundation Ft Lauderdale, FL | Operational Support | $100,000 |
| Berry Center New Castle, KY | Operational Support | $50,000 |
| Episcopal High School Alexandria, VA | Operational Support | $12,500 |
Ready to take the next step with W L Lyons Brown Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing does not provide an asset figure in the supplied data.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | $1,110,714 | $34,401,467 | $34,141,952 | 21 | $34,273,873 | $1,045,689 | $1,415,042 |
| 2024 | $291,534 | $4,307,348 | $4,203,207 | $4,123,800 | 139 | $4,161,232 | $4,275,973 | $2,951,497 |
| 2023 | $187,393 | $4,846,378 | $4,856,109 | $4,684,152 | 148 | $4,719,109 | $4,816,478 | $4,158,755 |
| 2022 | $197,124 | $3,230,676 | $5,135,819 | $4,986,774 | 137 | $5,019,181 | $3,203,438 | $4,716,559 |
| 2021 | $2,102,267 | $6,843,923 | $4,995,898 | $4,928,022 | 149 | $4,958,923 | $6,817,548 | $5,017,676 |
| 2020 | $254,242 | $4,314,198 | $4,357,087 | $4,243,349 | 121 | — | $4,288,586 | $4,956,548 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, W L Lyons Brown Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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 available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions cover varied work. For example, Brevard Music Center describes itself as a summer institute and festival that teaches gifted young musicians to prepare and perform musical works. American Farmland Trust says it protects farmland, promotes sound farming practices, and keeps farmers on the land. Norton Healthcare Foundation says it supports patient care, capital projects, education, and research for Norton Healthcare hospitals and affiliated organizations.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $34,141,952. The median grant was $12,000; awards ranged from $2,000 to $11,380,633. The total includes large liquidating distributions to six private foundations: MSB Cockayne Fund Inc. ($11,380,633), Skylight Woods Foundation Inc. ($5,653,382), Limestone Family Foundation Inc. ($5,527,278), Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation Inc. ($3,769,149), Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation Inc. ($3,759,149), and Sociable Weaver Foundation ($3,684,861). Other reported grants included $125,000 to Food Literacy Project for capital support and $100,000 to Billfish Foundation for operational support.
The foundation’s filing states that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. This is not a current application opportunity; the filing is marked final.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Susannah Scott-Barnes as president and director; Lainey Musselman as secretary, treasurer, and director; Owsley Brown III as vice president and director; and Susan V Nicholson as foundation administrator.
W L Lyons Brown Foundation is led by Susannah Scott-Barnes, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susannah Scott-Barnes
President & Director
President & Trustee → President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Owsley Brown III
Vice President & Director
Vice President & Trustee → Vice President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lainey Musselman
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan V. Nicholson
Foundation Administrator
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$39K (2020) → $102K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Elaine Musselman (2020–2022) — Secretary, Treasurer & 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 $102K, to Susan V Nicholson (Foundation Administrator).
Frequently asked questions about W L Lyons Brown Foundation
How much does W L Lyons Brown Foundation give each year?
W L Lyons Brown Foundation gave $34.1M across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.1M across 139 grants.
What is W L Lyons Brown Foundation's typical grant size?
W L Lyons Brown Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $1,625,807, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from W L Lyons Brown Foundation that year got $3.4M on average.
Where does W L Lyons Brown Foundation give grants?
W L Lyons Brown Foundation gives mostly in Kentucky: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (8 grants).
Does W L Lyons Brown Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 38% of W L Lyons Brown Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (6 grants) and "Liquidating Distribution" (6 grants).
Who are W L Lyons Brown Foundation's largest grantees?
W L Lyons Brown Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include MSB Cockayne Fund Inc ($11,380,633), Skylight Woods Foundation Inc ($5,653,382) and Limestone Family Foundation Inc ($5,527,278), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does W L Lyons Brown Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions cover varied work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from W L Lyons Brown Foundation?
W L Lyons Brown Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines.
How much is W L Lyons Brown Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, W L Lyons Brown Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is W L Lyons Brown Foundation's EIN?
W L Lyons Brown Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-0598511. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does W L Lyons Brown 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in W L Lyons Brown Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). W L Lyons Brown Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/w-l-lyons-brown-foundation-morg_03b217f70f79438fb6032ed4a5f033ee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_610598511_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{W L Lyons Brown Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/w-l-lyons-brown-foundation-morg_03b217f70f79438fb6032ed4a5f033ee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 W L Lyons 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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