W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation
The W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation is a private, family-led charitable foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Established in 1994, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$35.7M
-2.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.8M
+9.6% YoY
Grant Count
65
-23.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$74K
+43.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports diverse initiatives across multiple subject areas, including Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services. The foundation does not specify particular subject areas of exclusive focus, maintaining a broad approach to charitable giving.
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes approximately $4.3 to $4.8 million annually. Grant awards typically range from $100 to $1,466,836, with significant variation in award sizes. The foundation's grantmaking activity reflects consistent annual distributions, with recent fiscal year expenses of approximately $4.65 million.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across a wide geographic area throughout the United States, including major urban centers such as New York City, Miami, and Denver, as well as smaller communities. States with documented funding activity include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $35.7 to $36.7 million
Annual Giving: $4.3 to $4.8 million
Annual Revenue: Approximately $4.33 million (2023)
Annual Expenses: Approximately $4.65 million (2023)
Total Liabilities: $0 (2023)
The foundation maintains a healthy financial position with no outstanding liabilities and consistent annual distributions relative to its asset base.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $35,719,942 | $36,709,037 | $37,057,691 |
| Revenue | $4,094,018 | $4,328,534 | $3,809,459 |
| Expenses | $5,080,737 | $4,654,484 | $5,678,553 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,836,097 | $4,417,172 | $5,383,931 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,922,178 | $4,148,628 | $3,598,416 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,204,997 | $4,867,449 | $5,326,869 |
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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1,466,836), Storm King Art Center ($500,000), Earth School Educational Foundation ($208,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 FOR THE PLANET BURLINGTON, VT | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $33,333 |
| 564 PARK AVENUE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN AUSTRIAN FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $1,300 |
| AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| BENCHETLER FASANI FD MAMMOTH LAKES, CA | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $125,000 |
| BERKSHIRE SCHOOL SHEFFIELD, MA | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $3,000 |
| CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES MILLBROOK, NY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $1,000 |
| COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE CHARLESTON, SC | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $30,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOUISVILLE LOUISVILLE, KY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a family board of directors serving without compensation:
- Alice Cary Brown — President and Director
- Stuart R. Brown — Secretary/Treasurer
Additional family members serve on the board.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALICE CARY BROWN | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| STUART R BROWN | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 5 | — |
| WL LYONS BROWN III | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| A CARY BROWN EPSTEIN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| WL LYONS BROWN JRDEC'D 692024 | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation supports diverse initiatives across multiple subject areas, including Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services. The foundation does not specify particular subject areas of exclusive focus, maintaining a broad approach to charitable giving.
How do I apply for a grant from W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation?
The foundation distributes approximately $4.3 to $4.8 million annually. Grant awards typically range from $100 to $1,466,836, with significant variation in award sizes. The foundation's grantmaking activity reflects consistent annual distributions, with recent fiscal year expenses of approximately $4.65 million.
Where does W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across a wide geographic area throughout the United States, including major urban centers such as New York City, Miami, and Denver, as well as smaller communities. States with documented funding activity include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Ver…
What size grants does W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation awarded 65 grants totaling $4.8M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation's EIN?
W L Lyons Brown Jr Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1233038. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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