Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation is a Baltimore-centric funder that concentrates support on local institutions—particularly higher education, hospitals, cultural institutions, and Chesapeake Bay conservation. The foundation favors established nonprofits and intermediaries (including repeated multi-year support) that strengthen the Baltimore region’s civic, environmental, and workforce ecosystems. Grants range from large singular gifts to several mid-size repeat awards, indicating a mix of strategic investments and ongoing operating support. Their portfolio blends place-based civic/philanthropic infrastructure with targeted issue work in conservation and reentry/education.
Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation Inc. shows a clear preference for established institutions that anchor civic life in the Baltimore region, while also backing conservation and education partners beyond Maryland. Among its largest recent grants are $387,250 to Uncommon Giving for program support, $262,500 to Johns Hopkins University for program support, and $175,000 to University of Maryland Medicine for program support. Those awards sit alongside repeated support for hospitals, universities, cultural organizations, and community intermediaries, suggesting a grantmaker that combines larger strategic gifts with ongoing operating or program-specific funding. The foundation’s recent portfolio also includes Maryland institutions such as United Way of Central Maryland, Living Classrooms Foundation, National Aquarium in Baltimore, and Mercy Medical Center. Outside the immediate civic core, it has supported The Nature Conservancy of Virginia, The Nature Conservancy, and the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute. The mix points to a funder with a place-based orientation, but one that is not limited to a single issue area; health care, higher education, conservation, public history, and workforce pathways all appear in the recent grant record.
Health care and medical education are prominent themes. Brown Advisory Charitable Foundation Inc. gave $175,000 to University of Maryland Medicine for program support, along with $100,000 to Mercy Medical Center in 2025 and another $100,000 in 2024. Johns Hopkins School of Nursing also received $50,000 for program support, reinforcing a consistent interest in training and health systems. The foundation also funds conservation and environmental work. It awarded $105,000 to The Nature Conservancy of Virginia and $100,000 to The Nature Conservancy, both for program support. In Baltimore, the National Aquarium in Baltimore received $100,000, and Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School received $83,334 in 2024 and $83,333 in 2025. Community and workforce-related grants appear through United Way of Central Maryland at $100,750 and $100,000, plus B-360 Baltimore Inc at $60,000. Cultural and public-history support includes $95,000 to Maryland History and Culture Center and $62,000 to Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
$3.3M
$5.3M
$3.7M
$3.4M
Most grants fall between $1K and $5K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$5K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, regionally focused giving with multiple repeat grants to anchor institutions; a mix of several large gifts to intermediaries plus many mid-size operating and program grants, indicating long-term partnerships rather than one-off project funding.
Notable grantees: Uncommon Giving, Johns Hopkins University, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, The Nature Conservancy / Chesapeake Bay Foundation, National Aquarium in Baltimore
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized: p25 is $1,000, median grant size is $2,500, and p75 is $5,000. The recent record also includes a smaller number of much larger program-support grants, indicating a blended approach rather than a single fixed grant tier. This is a Pure DAF Provider, and the recent grants show repeated awards to several recipients across multiple years, including Mercy Medical Center, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, United Way of Central Maryland, The Nature Conservancy of Virginia, Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, and Uncommon Giving. The grant notes are consistently labeled program support, and the foundation does not fund individuals.
Giving is regional and heavily concentrated in the Baltimore area. Maryland recipients account for 37% of grants, and Baltimore, Towson, and Baltimore-adjacent institutions appear frequently in the recent grant record. Examples include Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, United Way of Central Maryland in Baltimore, and Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson. Outside Maryland, the largest recurring clusters in the recent list are Charleston, South Carolina; Arlington, Virginia; and Washington, DC. All recorded grants in the supplied distribution go to US recipients.
The recent grants center on hospitals and health systems, higher education, conservation, cultural institutions, and Baltimore-area community organizations. Examples in the record include Johns Hopkins University, Mercy Medical Center, The Nature Conservancy, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and United Way of Central Maryland.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is relatively small at the center: p25 is $1,000, the median is $2,500, and p75 is $5,000. The recent list also shows larger strategic awards, including several six-figure program-support grants.
Yes. The recent grants include repeat awards to Mercy Medical Center, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, United Way of Central Maryland, The Nature Conservancy of Virginia, Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, and Uncommon Giving. That pattern suggests ongoing support rather than only one-time gifts.
The foundation gives regionally, with Maryland receiving 37% of grants and Baltimore-area organizations appearing frequently. Recent awards also went to recipients in Charleston, SC; Arlington, VA; and Washington, DC, while the recipient-country distribution shows all grants in the US.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNCOMMON GIVING | Charleston, SC | $387,250 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $262,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| University of Maryland Medicine | Baltimore, MD | $175,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNCOMMON GIVING | Charleston, SC | $140,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNCOMMON GIVING | CHARLESTON, SC | $120,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,750 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Living Classrooms Foundation | Baltimore, MD | $100,750 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF VIRGINIA | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL AQUARIUM IN BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MERCY MEDICAL CENTER | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GREATER BALTIMORE MEDICAL CENTER | TOWSON, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Smithsonians National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNCOMMON GIVING | CHARLESTON, SC | $90,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CHESAPEAKE BAY OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL | BALTIMORE, MD | $83,333 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | BALTIMORE, MD | $80,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | Baltimore, MD | $62,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| B-360 BALTIMORE INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $60,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ROCA | CHELSEA, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TheBe Org | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Johns Hopkins School of Nursing | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BENS | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Maryland Science Center | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BACK ON MY FEET BALTIMORE | Philadelphia, PA | $40,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| The Ingenuity Project | Baltimore, MD | $37,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Helping Up Mission | Baltimore, MD | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Johns Hopkins Childrens Center | Baltimore, MD | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE MARYLAND ZOO IN BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Junior Achievement of Central Maryland | Baltimore, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Beth Tfihoh | Baltimore, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Chesapeake Bay Foundation | Annapolis, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Appalachain Trail Conservacy | Harpes Ferry, WV | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WATERFRONT PARTNERSHIP OF BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ANGEL WINGS FOR VETERANS | Norfolk, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Business Executives for National Securit | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WARRIOR CANINE CONNECTION | Boyds, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA | Baltimore, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Reginad F Lewis Museum | BALTIMORE, MD | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Greenlight Baltimore | Boston, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore | Baltimore, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| One Love Foundation | Pikesville, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SIGNAL 13 FOUNDATION | BALTIMORE, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Carolina for Kibera Inc (CFK Africa) | Chapel Hill, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Tee Up For One Love | Baltimore, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Next One Up | Baltimore, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Ceres Inc | Boston, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Baltimore Area Council Scouting America | Baltimore, MD | $12,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| Center for Urban Families | Baltimore, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TumTum Tree Foundation | Birmingham, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
UNCOMMON GIVING
$387,250PROGRAM SUPPORT
University of Maryland Medicine
$175,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNCOMMON GIVING
$140,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNCOMMON GIVING
$120,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND
$100,750PROGRAM SUPPORT
Living Classrooms Foundation
$100,750PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY OF VIRGINIA
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
NATIONAL AQUARIUM IN BALTIMORE
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Smithsonians National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNCOMMON GIVING
$90,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$80,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
$62,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TheBe Org
$50,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
$50,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
$50,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Johns Hopkins Childrens Center
$30,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE MARYLAND ZOO IN BALTIMORE
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Junior Achievement of Central Maryland
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Beth Tfihoh
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ANGEL WINGS FOR VETERANS
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Reginad F Lewis Museum
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Greenlight Baltimore
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
One Love Foundation
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SIGNAL 13 FOUNDATION
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Carolina for Kibera Inc (CFK Africa)
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Tee Up For One Love
$15,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
Baltimore Area Council Scouting America
$12,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
TumTum Tree Foundation
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT