The James A. and Martha R. Brown Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving in central Kentucky, with large, multi-million dollar gifts focused on higher education capital projects and public library infrastructure. It supports institutions that build community cultural and educational assets—college buildings and library branches—as well as regional arts programming for youth. Grants are opportunistic but targeted to durable, place-based institutions rather than many small projects.
A $2,000,000 library grant to Midway University is the clearest signal in James A and Martha R Brown Charitable Foundation Inc’s recent giving: this foundation backs durable institutions that shape community life in central Kentucky. Its largest awards cluster around higher education capital projects, public library construction, and related educational infrastructure, with grants sized from modest program support to seven-figure commitments. Georgetown College received both a $1,000,000 capital-improvements grant in 2025 and a $1,000,000 scholarship grant in 2024, showing that the foundation can support the same institution through different funding needs. The pattern also extends beyond campuses. Lexington Public Library received a $500,000 grant for construction of a new branch, while Bluegrass Community Foundation was awarded $550,000 to support Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras. These examples point to a grantmaker that favors place-based projects, often tied to education, culture, and long-term community assets. The foundation’s recent awards also include smaller operational and equipment grants, but the defining feature is concentrated support for institutions with visible local footprint and lasting use.
Higher education and campus facilities are a major theme. Georgetown College received $1,000,000 for capital improvements, and Midway University received $2,000,000 for a library grant. Public library infrastructure is another clear area of support: Lexington Public Library was awarded $500,000 for construction of a new library branch. The foundation also backs youth music education through Bluegrass Community Foundation, which received $550,000 to support Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras. Beyond those core areas, it has funded equipment and local service projects, including $200,000 to Lexington Community Radio dba RadioLEX for equipment upgrade and $100,000 to Central Music Academy for its 2024-25 enrollment initiative.
Grant size varies widely, from a median of $53,040 to a p75 of $350,000, with a p25 of $23,300. That spread matches a portfolio that mixes smaller community awards with large capital commitments. The recent record shows repeat support for several recipients across multiple years, including Georgetown College, Bluegrass Community Foundation, Central Music Academy, Milestones Inc, Kentucky State Police, Trooper Island Inc, and the Brown family’s funding patterns appear highly targeted rather than broadly distributed. The foundation is a private charitable foundation, and the data show no program-related investments. All recent grants in the file went to recipients in Kentucky or nearby neighboring Ohio, but the overall giving pattern is local.
$1.8M
$38.6M
$4.2M
$2.2M
Most grants fall between $23K and $350K, with a median of $53K.
25th Percentile
$23K
Median
$53K
75th Percentile
$350K
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Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants to a small set of institutional beneficiaries (multi-million gifts), repeat support to at least one college (Georgetown College), and a strong regional focus on durable capital and cultural infrastructure rather than broad, distributed annual grants.
Notable grantees: Midway University, Georgetown College, Lexington Public Library, Bluegrass Community Foundation
Grantmaking is concentrated in Kentucky, which accounts for 100% of recent recipient locations. Lexington appears often, with grants to Lexington Public Library, Bluegrass Community Foundation, Lexington Community Radio dba RadioLEX, Central Music Academy, Foundation for Affordable Homes, and Lexington Humane Society. Other Kentucky cities include Georgetown, Midway, Cynthiana, Flemingsburg, Frankfort, Dry Ridge, Richmond, Independence, Dayton, and Nicholas County communities named through program support. One recent grant also reached Cincinnati, Ohio, through The Bridge Adaptive Sports & Recreation.
Recent grants show a strong emphasis on capital and facility needs: a $2,000,000 library grant to Midway University, $1,000,000 for Georgetown College capital improvements, and $500,000 for a new Lexington Public Library branch. It also supports education, music, and community service projects.
Yes. Georgetown College, Bluegrass Community Foundation, Central Music Academy, Milestones Inc, Kentucky State Police, and Trooper Island Inc all appear more than once in the recent grant list, indicating recurring support rather than one-time awards only.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is fairly wide. The p25 is $23,300, the median is $53,040, and the p75 is $350,000, showing a mix of smaller operating or program grants alongside much larger capital awards.
Recent grants are overwhelmingly local. All 28 grants in the file went to U.S. recipients, and 100% of grants were to recipients in Kentucky, with one recent Ohio recipient in Cincinnati.
Its recent pattern favors place-based institutions and durable assets. That includes libraries, colleges, youth orchestras, radio equipment, hospital equipment, and community-service programs, with grant amounts ranging from $100 to $2,000,000.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown College | Georgetown, KY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Capital Improvements |
| Lexington Community Radio dba RadioLEX | Lexington, KY | $200,000 | 2025 | EquipmentUpgrade |
| CynthianaHarrison County Economic Development Authority Inc | Cynthiana, KY | $150,000 | 2025 | Economic Development |
| Harrison Memorial Hospital | Cynthiana, KY | $100,000 | 2025 | Equipment |
| The Bridge Adaptive Sports & Recreation | Cincinnati, OH | $98,066 | 2025 | Cincinnati AdaptiveAthletics Project |
| Bluegrass Community Foundation | Lexington, KY | $90,784 | 2025 | Good Giving Challenge and Match Grant |
| Central Music Academy | Lexington, KY | $52,675 | 2025 | Furniture |
| The Kentucky Trooper Outreach Inc | Frankfort, KY | $40,500 | 2025 | Trooper Island |
| ENRICH Corp | Richmond, KY | $30,958 | 2025 | Structured living renovation |
| Milestones Inc | Independence, KY | $26,039 | 2025 | Purchase tractor |
| Kentucky State Police | Dry Ridge, KY | $20,000 | 2025 | Christmas Shopping With a Trooper |
| Lexington Humane Society | Lexington, KY | $100 | 2025 | Animal Welfare |
| Midway University | Midway, KY | $2,000,000 | 2024 | Library grant |
| Georgetown College | Georgetown, KY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | Scholarship |
| Bluegrass Community Foundation | Lexington, KY | $550,000 | 2024 | Support CentralKentucky Youth Orchestras |
| Lexington Public Library | Lexington, KY | $500,000 | 2024 | Construction of new librarybranch |
| Central Music Academy | Lexington, KY | $100,000 | 2024 | 2024-25 Enrollmentinitiative |
| Foundation for Affordable Homes | Lexington, KY | $66,500 | 2024 | Elevator replacement |
| Helping Hounds Find Homes Inc | Cynthiana, KY | $53,329 | 2024 | Community programs |
| Milestones Inc | Independence, KY | $52,750 | 2024 | Construct barn andreplace arena footing |
| Harrison County Food Pantry | Cynthiana, KY | $50,000 | 2024 | Food |
| Harrison County Commission on Aging Inc | Cynthiana, KY | $31,500 | 2024 | Purchase van forassistance of agedpersons in Harrison Co. |
| Dayton Independent Schools | Dayton, KY | $18,200 | 2024 | Operation Christmas Joy |
| Kentucky State Police | Dry Ridge, KY | $10,000 | 2024 | Trooper campaigngifts for children |
| Trooper Island Inc | Frankfort, KY | $10,000 | 2024 | Gift shopping withchildren |
| Kentucky FFA Foundation | Flemingsburg, KY | $300,000 | 2023 | Aid to students inNicholas, Harrison,and Robertson Counties |
| Kiwanis Club of Cynthiana | Cynthiana, KY | $25,000 | 2023 | Accessible home renovationfor disabled person |
| Kentucky State Police | Dry Ridge, KY | $10,000 | 2023 | Trooper campaignGifts for children |
Lexington Community Radio dba RadioLEX
$200,000EquipmentUpgrade
CynthianaHarrison County Economic Development Authority Inc
$150,000Economic Development
Harrison Memorial Hospital
$100,000Equipment
The Bridge Adaptive Sports & Recreation
$98,066Cincinnati AdaptiveAthletics Project
Bluegrass Community Foundation
$90,784Good Giving Challenge and Match Grant
Central Music Academy
$52,675Furniture
The Kentucky Trooper Outreach Inc
$40,500Trooper Island
ENRICH Corp
$30,958Structured living renovation
Milestones Inc
$26,039Purchase tractor
Kentucky State Police
$20,000Christmas Shopping With a Trooper
Midway University
$2,000,000Library grant
Lexington Public Library
$500,000Construction of new librarybranch
Central Music Academy
$100,0002024-25 Enrollmentinitiative
Foundation for Affordable Homes
$66,500Elevator replacement
Helping Hounds Find Homes Inc
$53,329Community programs
Milestones Inc
$52,750Construct barn andreplace arena footing
Harrison County Food Pantry
$50,000Food
Harrison County Commission on Aging Inc
$31,500Purchase van forassistance of agedpersons in Harrison Co.
Dayton Independent Schools
$18,200Operation Christmas Joy
Kentucky State Police
$10,000Trooper campaigngifts for children
Trooper Island Inc
$10,000Gift shopping withchildren
Kentucky FFA Foundation
$300,000Aid to students inNicholas, Harrison,and Robertson Counties
Kiwanis Club of Cynthiana
$25,000Accessible home renovationfor disabled person
Kentucky State Police
$10,000Trooper campaignGifts for children