About Brown Dana Charitable Trust
The Brown Dana Charitable Trust appears to operate as a focused, high-dollar funder, issuing a single very large grant ($3.185M) designated for general operating support. The foundation’s giving is concentrated rather than diversified and appears aimed at underwriting core organizational capacity rather than project-specific activities; the recipient is unspecified in the available data. The grant’s size and unrestricted purpose suggest the Trust prefers to make impactful, flexible investments in an organization it views as a priority, likely within the Milwaukee area.
Focus Areas
Large unrestricted/general operating supportConcentrated support for a single flagship granteeLocal (Milwaukee-area) nonprofit support (inferred)
Who They Fund
nonprofit organizations (Milwaukee-area)flagship or priority grantee organizations
Giving Approach
Highly concentrated: a single, very large unrestricted grant to one grantee. No evidence of multiple or smaller grants; appears to favor major, flexible support to core operations rather than many distributed awards.
Funding Style
large-single-grant
About Brown Dana Charitable Trust
Brown Dana Charitable Trust’s latest filing shows a single 2024 grant of $3,185,039 for general operating support, directed to See Attached in Milwaukee. That combination of size and unrestricted purpose points to a funder that underwrites core capacity rather than narrowing in on a project budget. The trust’s giving profile is concentrated: one grant in the file, one recipient city, and one beneficiary in Wisconsin. The trust also maintains a broader program framework centered on children and animals, with multiple grant programs aimed at financially disadvantaged children up to age 18 and organizations that use wild animals or zoology to help children learn about the world and nature. Within that structure, recurring support is built in for a small set of organizations identified for annual consideration, alongside competitive cycles that can be approached through letters of intent and full application processes. The program design suggests a mix of flexible underwriting, recurring institutional support, and competitive grants tied to defined mission areas.
What Brown Dana Charitable Trust Funds
Brown Dana Charitable Trust’s programs consistently connect children’s well-being with educational or animal-related experiences. In one competitive program, they support organizations that benefit financially disadvantaged children in the St. Louis metropolitan area and programs featuring wild animals and zoology. Another grant program uses a similar framework, with project and program grants for 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving children up to age 18. The trust also gives recurring attention to specific institutions through an “always funded” bucket. The examples named in that category include Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, and Ranken Jordan. Across the program set, the common thread is support for children’s health, education, welfare, and learning tied to nature or animals.
How Brown Dana Charitable Trust Gives
Brown Dana Charitable Trust’s latest grant file shows a single grant size at $3,185,039, with the p25, median, and p75 all matching that amount. That indicates a highly concentrated pattern in the available record rather than a spread of small awards. The trust makes grants locally and funds organizations rather than individuals. The program structure mixes competitive cycles with recurring support. Several programs accept unsolicited applications, while the “always funded” and “always considered” categories are reserved for selected longstanding recipients and are not open in the same way. The 2024 record shows one grant only, so the available data points to a one-off filing rather than a broader recent portfolio.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.5M
Total Assets
$42.4M
Total Revenue
$4.6M
Total Expenses
$5.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $3.2M and $3.2M, with a median of $3.2M.
25th Percentile
$3.2M
Median
$3.2M
75th Percentile
$3.2M
Geographic Reach
Regional6 states funded
About 1% of grants go to recipients in MO.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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