The Harold and Colene Brown Family Foundation concentrates its support on education and cultural institutions, frequently funding higher education, college access programs, and public media. Grants also back local civic amenities and research organizations, with a mix of large donations to flagship institutions and targeted gifts to community arts and environmental projects. The foundation shows both a strong Southern California orientation and willingness to fund prominent national nonprofits in media and education.
The Harold and Colene Brown Family Foundation’s recent giving shows a clear tilt toward higher education and college access, with repeated support for California Institute of Technology, Questbridge, and Occidental College. Those grants sit alongside major gifts to public radio, a pattern that places education and media at the center of the foundation’s work. The foundation also extends support to cultural institutions and local civic projects, including Brooklyn Public Library, Bric Arts Media, and Arlington Garden of Pasadena. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears to favor established institutions rather than a broad number of small awards. Recipients include universities, scholarship intermediaries, public media organizations, museums, and neighborhood organizations. Southern California institutions appear often, but the foundation also funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, suggesting a national reach with a strong California emphasis. Its giving includes recurring support to the same organizations over multiple years, especially Caltech, Questbridge, Southern CA Public Radio, Rand Corporation, and Arlington Garden of Pasadena. That repetition points to an ongoing relationship with a set of large, mission-aligned grantees rather than one-off philanthropic activity.
Higher education is the most visible part of the foundation’s recent grantmaking. It gave $300,000 to California Institute of Technology in Pasadena for charitable contribution, followed by additional gifts of $200,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2025. Occidental College in Los Angeles also received multiple awards, including $116,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2024 and 2025. College access is another recurring theme. Questbridge in Palo Alto received $150,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing a multi-year relationship with a scholarship and admissions pathway organization. In public media, Southern CA Public Radio in Pasadena received $115,360 in 2023, $118,820 in 2024, and $122,385 in 2025, while NY Public Radio in New York received $100,000 in 2024 and $75,000 in 2025. The foundation also supports civic and cultural institutions. Arlington Garden of Pasadena received $50,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Mingei International Museum in San Diego received $75,000 in 2024.
$1.2M
$26.1M
$2.9M
$1.4M
Most grants fall between $50K and $116K, with a median of $88K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$88K
75th Percentile
$116K
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Concentrated, relatively large gifts with repeat funding to core education and public media grantees, supplemented by mid-sized one-off grants to arts, library, research, and local civic projects; funding is regionally focused in Southern California but includes notable national recipients.
Notable grantees: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), QuestBridge, Southern California Public Radio, Occidental College, Arlington Garden of Pasadena
Typical grant sizes cluster in the middle six figures and lower six figures: the 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $87,500, and the 75th percentile is $115,520. The recent list shows repeated gifts to the same grantees across 2023 through 2025, indicating ongoing support rather than isolated awards. This pattern fits a regular funder with one-time charitable contributions rather than program-related investments or individual support. The foundation’s recurring awards also align with its general operating and unrestricted support style.
The foundation gives nationally, but California dominates its recipient map: 59% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Pasadena appears frequently through multiple grantees, including California Institute of Technology, Southern CA Public Radio, Pasadena Educational Foundation, and Arlington Garden of Pasadena. Other California cities in the recent list include Santa Monica, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Outside California, grants land in Brooklyn and New York, Princeton, and New Haven.
Recent grants show a strong emphasis on higher education and college access, including California Institute of Technology, Questbridge, and Occidental College. Public media is another major category, with support for Southern CA Public Radio and NY Public Radio. The foundation also funds cultural and civic organizations such as Brooklyn Public Library, Bric Arts Media, and Arlington Garden of Pasadena.
Yes. Several grantees appear across multiple years, including California Institute of Technology in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Questbridge in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Southern CA Public Radio in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Rand Corporation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Arlington Garden of Pasadena in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution centers on mid-sized awards. The 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $87,500, and the 75th percentile is $115,520. The recent grants list also includes larger gifts, such as $300,000 to California Institute of Technology and $200,000 to Rand Corporation.
California is the main recipient state, with 59% of grants going to organizations there. Pasadena is especially prominent in the recent list, alongside Santa Monica, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The foundation also funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The recent grants list shows only U.S. recipients. The country distribution records 44 grants to U.S. organizations, representing 100.0% of the grants in the data provided.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $200,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO | PASADENA, CA | $126,056 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ARLINGTON GARDEN OF PASADENA | PASADENA, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| OCCIDENTIAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PRX | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $75,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| GREATER WASHINGTON EDUCATIONAL TELECOMM ASSOC | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL | PASADENA, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NY PUBLIC RADIO | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM | SAN DIEGO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| QUESTBRIDGE | PALO ALTO, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO | PASADENA, CA | $122,385 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ARLINGTON GARDEN OF PASADENA | PASADENA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| OCCIDENTIAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NY PUBLIC RADIO | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CRISTO REY NEW YORK HIGH SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL | PASADENA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PRX | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL | PASADENA, CA | $150,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| QUESTBRIDGE | PALO ALTO, CA | $150,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO | PASADENA, CA | $118,820 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ARLINGTON GARDEN OF PASADENA | PASADENA, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NY PUBLIC RADIO | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| OCCIDENTIAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM | SAN DIEGO, CA | $75,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CRISTO REY NEW YORK HIGH SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PRX | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $300,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| QUESTBRIDGE | PALO ALTO, CA | $150,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| OCCIDENTIAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $116,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO | PASADENA, CA | $115,360 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY | BROOKLYN, NY | $114,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BRIC ARTS MEDIA | BROOKLYN, NY | $110,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PASADENA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $75,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
RAND CORPORATION
$200,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO
$126,056CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ARLINGTON GARDEN OF PASADENA
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PRX
$75,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
GREATER WASHINGTON EDUCATIONAL TELECOMM ASSOC
$50,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NY PUBLIC RADIO
$50,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM
$25,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
RAND CORPORATION
$200,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO
$122,385CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ARLINGTON GARDEN OF PASADENA
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NY PUBLIC RADIO
$75,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PRX
$50,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO
$118,820CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ARLINGTON GARDEN OF PASADENA
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NY PUBLIC RADIO
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
RAND CORPORATION
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM
$75,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
YALE UNIVERSITY
$50,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PRX
$25,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
SOUTHERN CA PUBLIC RADIO
$115,360CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
BRIC ARTS MEDIA
$110,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
RAND CORPORATION
$100,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONCHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION