The Brownell Family Foundation concentrates its giving in two distinct veins: pro-Second Amendment advocacy/industry groups and regional performing arts/music organizations. Grants are relatively large and targeted, mixing national-level gun-rights and suppressor-related organizations with hometown arts beneficiaries in Iowa (Des Moines, Grinnell). The foundation appears to favor a small number of sizable awards, including repeat support to select recipients.
A defining pattern in Brownell Family Foundation C/o Peter R Brownell’s recent grants is the pairing of firearms advocacy with Iowa arts patronage. In 2024, the foundation gave $100,000 to the American Suppressor Association, while also directing $50,000 to the Grinnell School of Music. That combination sits alongside other large awards to pro-Second Amendment groups and cultural institutions, showing two clear channels of support rather than a broad spread across many causes. The foundation’s portfolio includes national gun-rights organizations, firearms policy and accessory groups, and performing arts or music organizations rooted in Iowa. Its awards are often substantial enough to stand out in the recent-gifts list, with multiple six-figure or near-six-figure grants appearing in both 2023 and 2024. Iowa recipients appear repeatedly, including organizations in Grinnell and Des Moines, suggesting a persistent local thread within a national giving scope. The recent record also shows repeat support to select recipients, including groups funded in more than one year. Overall, the foundation looks focused on a limited set of causes, with support concentrated in advocacy, firearms-related education or policy work, and community music or arts programming.
In Second Amendment advocacy, the foundation backed several named organizations with specific purposes. It gave $100,000 to Aiming for the Truth in 2023, $82,106 to the Second Amendment Foundation in 2023, and $22,222 to Gun Owners of America in 2024. Firearms accessory and suppressor-related work also appears in the record through grants to the American Suppressor Association and The Cylinder Inc. Arts and music support forms the other major theme. The foundation gave $100,000 to Des Moines Metro Opera in 2023 and $50,000 to Grinnell School of Music in 2024, indicating sustained interest in performance and music education. Smaller Iowa arts and community grants reinforce that pattern, including $8,500 to the Grinnell Area Arts Council and $15,500 to Greater Poweshiek Comm Foundation. The mix is narrow but consistent: advocacy on one side, local arts and music on the other.
Typical awards are relatively large: the grant-size distribution runs from a 25th percentile of $4,250 to a median of $17,750 and a 75th percentile of $24,306. The recent list shows repeated support to some recipients across years, including Boone and Crockett Club Foundation, Iowa Firearms Coalition, Shepherds of Wildlife, and Cgsc Foundation. That points to a multi-cycle pattern rather than one-off checking-account style gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants shown are charitable awards, with a concentrated portfolio of many targeted gifts rather than a dispersed small-grant program.
$427K
$2M
$745K
$676K
Most grants fall between $4K and $24K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$24K
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Concentrated giving: a small portfolio of fairly large grants (many six-figure awards), including repeat funding to select organizations; a mix of national advocacy groups and local/regional arts beneficiaries rather than broad, small-dollar grantmaking.
Notable grantees: Second Amendment Foundation, American Suppressor Association, The Cylinder, Inc., Des Moines Metro Opera, Grinnell School of Music
Grantmaking is national, but the distribution tilts toward Iowa: 45% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Iowa recipients include Grinnell, Des Moines, Indianola, Moville, and Granger. Outside Iowa, grants reached cities such as Atlanta, Bellevue, Myrtle Beach, and Philadelphia. All recent grants in the provided list went to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants point to two main areas: Second Amendment advocacy and firearms-related organizations, and Iowa-based performing arts or music groups. Examples include grants to the American Suppressor Association, Second Amendment Foundation, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Grinnell School of Music.
Yes. Iowa recipients account for 45% of grants, and named Iowa grantees include Grinnell School of Music, Des Moines Metro Opera in Indianola, Grinnell Area Arts Council, Boy Scouts of America in Des Moines, and Iowa Firearms Coalition in Moville.
The typical grant size is $17,750 at the median, with a 25th percentile of $4,250 and a 75th percentile of $24,306. The recent grant list also includes several awards at or above $100,000.
Yes. The recent grants show repeat support across years for Boone and Crockett Club Foundation, Iowa Firearms Coalition, Shepherds of Wildlife, Second Amendment Foundation, and Cgsc Foundation. That suggests multi-year relationships with selected grantees.
The foundation gives nationally, but Iowa is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Grinnell, Des Moines, Indianola, Atlanta, Bellevue, and Myrtle Beach, showing a mix of local Iowa support and out-of-state grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun Owners of America Inc | Springfield, VA | $102,309 | 2026 | Charitable |
| SOWW | Grinnell, IA | $82,502 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Des Moines Metro Opera | Indianola, IA | $75,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Claude W & Dolly Ahrens Foundation | Grinnell, IA | $27,500 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Second Amendment Foundation | Vellevue, WA | $25,335 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Iowa Firearms Coalition | Moville, IA | $25,335 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Boone and Crockett Club Foundation Inc | Missoula, MT | $20,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Linn County Izaak Walton League | Cedar Rapids, IA | $15,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Crime Prevention Research | Salt Lake City, UT | $10,000 | 2026 | Chariable |
| Iowa College Foundation | Des Moines, IA | $5,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Command and General Staff College Foundation Inc | Fort Leavenworth, KS | $5,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| GRinnell-Newburg Community School District | Grinnell, IA | $5,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Greater Powesehiek Community Foundation | Grinnell, IA | $5,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| USA Clay Target League Inc | Eagan, MN | $4,350 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Montogomery Community College Foundation | Troy, NC | $4,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Trinidad State College Foundation | Trinidad, CO | $4,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Murray State College Foundation | Tishomingo, OK | $4,000 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Pheasants Forever Inc | Grinnell, IA | $2,500 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Grinnell Sure Shots Inc | Grinnell, IA | $2,500 | 2026 | Charitable |
| Iowa Law Enforcement Intelligence Network | Des Moines, IA | $2,500 | 2026 | Charitable |
| LINK | Grinnell, IA | $150 | 2026 | Charitable |
| SOWW | Grinnell, IA | $125,966 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Des Moines Metro Opera | Indianola, IA | $75,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Grinnell School of Music Inc | Grinnell, IA | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Second Amendment Foundation | Vellevue, WA | $31,823 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Iowa Farms Coalition | Moville, IA | $31,823 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Gun Owners of America Inc | Springfield, VA | $31,823 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Iowa State Patrol | Des Moines, IA | $30,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Claude W & Dolly Ahrens Foundation | Grinnell, IA | $27,500 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Boone and Crockett Club Foundation Inc | Missoula, MT | $20,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Greater Powesehiek Community Foundation | Grinnell, IA | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Command and General Staff College Foundation Inc | Fort Leavenworth, KS | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Trinidad State College Foundation | Trinidad, CO | $4,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Marshalltown Community College Foundation | Marshalltown, IA | $4,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Murray State College Foundation | Tishomingo, OK | $4,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Montogomery Community College Foundation | Troy, NC | $4,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| LINK Inc | Grinnell, IA | $2,850 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Pheasants Forever Inc | Grinnell, IA | $2,500 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Brotherhood of the Fallen | Grinnell, IA | $1,007 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Grinnell Lions Club | Grinnell, IA | $500 | 2025 | Chariable |
| SOWW | MYRTLE BEACH, SC | $110,874 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN SUPPRESSOR ASSOCIATION | ATLANTA, GA | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GRINNELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC | GRINNELL, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SHEPHERDS OF WILDLIFE | WHITEFISH, MT | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $22,222 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA | SPRINGFIELD, VA | $22,222 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| IOWA FIREARMS COALITION | MOVILLE, IA | $22,222 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CLAUDE AND DOLLY AHRENS FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $21,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB FOUNDATION | MISSOULA, MT | $20,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| GRINNELL ARE ARTS COUNCIL | GRINNELL, IA | $8,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
Gun Owners of America Inc
$102,309Charitable
Des Moines Metro Opera
$75,000Charitable
Claude W & Dolly Ahrens Foundation
$27,500Charitable
Second Amendment Foundation
$25,335Charitable
Iowa Firearms Coalition
$25,335Charitable
Boone and Crockett Club Foundation Inc
$20,000Charitable
Linn County Izaak Walton League
$15,000Charitable
Crime Prevention Research
$10,000Chariable
Command and General Staff College Foundation Inc
$5,000Charitable
GRinnell-Newburg Community School District
$5,000Charitable
Greater Powesehiek Community Foundation
$5,000Charitable
USA Clay Target League Inc
$4,350Charitable
Montogomery Community College Foundation
$4,000Charitable
Murray State College Foundation
$4,000Charitable
Pheasants Forever Inc
$2,500Charitable
Grinnell Sure Shots Inc
$2,500Charitable
Iowa Law Enforcement Intelligence Network
$2,500Charitable
LINK
$150Charitable
Des Moines Metro Opera
$75,000Charitable
Grinnell School of Music Inc
$50,000Charitable
Second Amendment Foundation
$31,823Charitable
Iowa Farms Coalition
$31,823Charitable
Gun Owners of America Inc
$31,823Charitable
Iowa State Patrol
$30,000Charitable
Claude W & Dolly Ahrens Foundation
$27,500Charitable
Boone and Crockett Club Foundation Inc
$20,000Charitable
Greater Powesehiek Community Foundation
$5,000Charitable
Command and General Staff College Foundation Inc
$5,000Charitable
Marshalltown Community College Foundation
$4,000Charitable
Murray State College Foundation
$4,000Charitable
Montogomery Community College Foundation
$4,000Charitable
LINK Inc
$2,850Charitable
Pheasants Forever Inc
$2,500Charitable
Brotherhood of the Fallen
$1,007Charitable
Grinnell Lions Club
$500Chariable
AMERICAN SUPPRESSOR ASSOCIATION
$100,000CHARITABLE
GRINNELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC
$50,000CHARITABLE
SHEPHERDS OF WILDLIFE
$25,000CHARITABLE
SECOND AMENDMENT FOUNDATION
$22,222CHARITABLE
GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA
$22,222CHARITABLE
IOWA FIREARMS COALITION
$22,222CHARITABLE
CLAUDE AND DOLLY AHRENS FOUNDATION
$21,000CHARITABLE
BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB FOUNDATION
$20,000CHARITABLE
GRINNELL ARE ARTS COUNCIL
$8,500CHARITABLE