The Penner Family Foundation concentrates its giving on higher education and education-focused leadership development, with substantial multi-million-dollar gifts to elite universities and national education networks. Its grants support undergraduate research and internships, university athletics/physical education infrastructure, charter-school leadership and community development initiatives, and arts/cultural scholarship. The foundation favors institutional, program-level investments at nationally prominent organizations rather than many small local grants.
Penner Family Foundation Inc has made repeated multi-million-dollar commitments to higher education and education-linked leadership initiatives, with Brown University receiving some of the largest recent awards. The foundation backed Brown’s Turf Field House with $9,000,000 in 2025 and $8,000,000 in 2024, alongside separate support for Brown Undergraduate Internship and Research Fund and the Van Wickle Scholarship Fund. Those grants sit next to major gifts to KIPP Foundation for Community Development - 2025 Campaign and Leadership Priorities, showing that the foundation funds both university-centered opportunity and K-12 leadership pipelines. Its recent grants also point to a strong interest in campus athletics and physical education. Stanford received repeated $4,000,000 pledge grants for The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation, while Brown also received funding for a Performing Arts Center. The foundation’s portfolio includes institutional support for national education networks, mental health organizations, and arts-related scholarship and centers, but the clearest pattern is a preference for large, program-specific commitments to established institutions rather than dispersed local giving. Grants are national in scope and entirely U.S.-based.
Higher education is a central theme. Brown University received $2,000,000 grants for the Brown Undergraduate Internship and Research Fund in 2023, 2024, and 2025, plus $2,000,000 grants for the Van Wickle Scholarship Fund in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation also gave Brown $1,000,000 in 2024 for Education - Performing Arts Center, indicating support that extends beyond aid into campus facilities and student experience. Education leadership and network-building are another clear focus. Teach for All Inc received $1,000,000 in 2024 for Education - General Fundraising Support and another $1,000,000 in 2025 for the same purpose, while The Opportunity Trust received $500,000 in 2024 for Education - General Operating Support. The foundation also funds youth and community well-being. The Jed Foundation received $1,000,000 in 2025 for support for the "OUR HOUSE" campaign, and Born This Way Foundation received $600,000 in 2025 for Community Development - General Operating Support.
$31.3M
$97.3M
$10.9M
$32.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Highly concentrated, large grants to a small number of national institutions; repeat major gifts to the same universities and a mix of multi-year pledges and campaign/leadership funding rather than many small community grants.
Notable grantees: Brown University, Stanford University (Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University), KIPP Foundation, The Aspen Institute
Typical grants are modest relative to the foundation’s largest gifts: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. Even so, the recent record includes repeated seven- and eight-figure awards, which suggests a portfolio that combines many smaller grants with a small number of large institutional commitments. The same recipients appear across multiple years, including Brown University, KIPP Foundation, Stanford, Teach for All Inc, and Redf, pointing to recurring support rather than one-time-only giving. Penner Family Foundation Inc is a regular funder, and the data identifies it as able to fund individuals. Program-related investments are not part of its profile.
Giving is national, and every recent grant in the dataset goes to U.S. recipients. California appears most often by grant count, with repeated awards to San Francisco-based organizations such as KIPP Foundation, Teach for All Inc, Rock Health Foundation, and Redf, plus Stanford in Stanford, CA. Other visible recipient cities include Providence, RI; Washington, DC; Dallas, TX; Brooklyn, NY; and Denver, CO. No grants in the recent list go to recipients outside the United States.
The foundation’s recent grants center on higher education, education leadership networks, athletics and physical education, and some mental health and community development work. Brown University, Stanford, KIPP Foundation, Teach for All Inc, and The Jed Foundation all appear in the recent grant list with purpose-specific awards.
Yes. Brown University appears across multiple years for the Turf Field House, the Brown Undergraduate Internship and Research Fund, and the Van Wickle Scholarship Fund. KIPP Foundation, Stanford, Teach for All Inc, and Redf also receive repeated support in different years.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards: p25 is $10,000, median is $20,000, and p75 is $50,000. The recent list also includes much larger commitments, including multimillion-dollar grants to Brown University, KIPP Foundation, and Stanford.
By grant count, California is the top state in the recent data. Recipients there include organizations in San Francisco and Stanford, while other grants go to Providence, Washington, DC, Dallas, Brooklyn, New York, and Denver.
Yes. The foundation is marked as funding individuals. The rest of the recent record is dominated by institutional grants, especially to universities, education networks, and nonprofit organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | Providence, RI | $9,000,000 | 2025 | Turf Field House |
| KIPP Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $5,000,000 | 2025 | Community Development - 2025 Campaign and Leadership Priorities |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation Pledge |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | $2,000,000 | 2025 | Van Wickle Scholarship Fund |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | $2,000,000 | 2025 | Brown Undergraduate Internship and Research Fund |
| The Aspen Institute Inc | Washington, DC | $1,050,000 | 2025 | Community and Economic Development - General Operating Support |
| Teach for All Inc | New York, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Education - General Fundraising Support |
| The Jed Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the "OUR HOUSE" campaign |
| Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute | Dallas, TX | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Health - General Operating Support |
| REDF | San Francisco, CA | $600,000 | 2025 | Community and Economic Development - General Operating Support |
| Born This Way Foundation | New York, NY | $600,000 | 2025 | Community Development - General Operating Support |
| Western Stock Show Association | Denver, CO | $500,000 | 2025 | National Western Stock Show - Honoring the Legacy Campaign |
| just keep livin Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | Greenlight Grants Initiative |
| The Opportunity Trust | St Louis, MO | $500,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Monterey Peninsula Foundation | Monterey, CA | $450,000 | 2025 | Community Development - General Operating Support |
| The Kennedy Forum | Island Heights, NJ | $400,000 | 2025 | Community Development - General Operating Support |
| Entitlements How Inc | Alexandria, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | Community Development - General Operating Support |
| Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $224,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| USA Cycling Inc | Colorado Springs, CO | $110,000 | 2025 | USA Cycling - Bentonville Headquarters |
| The Village of Wellington | Wellington, FL | $95,238 | 2025 | To relocate the public recreational facility from Community Park to Village Park within Wellington |
| Trustees of Deerfield Academy | Deerfield, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Support for the Business School |
| Sacred Heart Schools Atherton | Atherton, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| African American Community Service Agency | San Jose, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Community Development - General Operating Support |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | $50,000 | 2025 | 2024 Annual Grant/September - Undergraduate Annual Fund |
| USA Water Polo Inc | Irvine, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Athletics - General Operating Support |
| St Paul's School | Concord, NH | $50,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Support for the School of Education |
| USA Cycling Inc | Colorado Springs, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | Athletics - General Operating Support |
| California Academy of Sciences | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Teach for America Inc | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Aspen Country Day School Inc | Aspen, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Honored Foundation | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Support for the Parent Fund |
| Aspen Center for Environmental Studies | Aspen, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | Environment - General Operating Support |
| Governor Dummer Academy | Byfield, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association Inc | Arlington VA, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | Support for PBS Program - Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan |
| Foxg1 Research Foundation | Sands Point, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Health - General Operating Support |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Support for the Athletic Department |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | $20,000 | 2025 | Athletics - Water Polo Support |
| Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association | Aspen, CO | $20,000 | 2025 | Community Development - Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association |
| Star Rock Ministries | San Clemente, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | Religion - General Operating Support |
| Child Mind Institute Inc | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | Health - General Operating Support |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | Support for the School of Foreign Service |
| The Nueva School | Hillsborough, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Aspen Public Radio | Aspen, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | Community Development - General Operating Support |
| Colorado Mountain College Foundation Inc | Glenwood Springs, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | Education - General Operating Support |
| Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health | Palo Alto, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Health - General Operating Support |
| Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Community and Economic Development - General Operating Support |
Brown University
$9,000,000Turf Field House
KIPP Foundation
$5,000,000Community Development - 2025 Campaign and Leadership Priorities
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
$4,000,000The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation Pledge
Brown University
$2,000,000Van Wickle Scholarship Fund
Brown University
$2,000,000Brown Undergraduate Internship and Research Fund
The Aspen Institute Inc
$1,050,000Community and Economic Development - General Operating Support
Teach for All Inc
$1,000,000Education - General Fundraising Support
The Jed Foundation
$1,000,000To provide support for the "OUR HOUSE" campaign
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
$1,000,000Health - General Operating Support
REDF
$600,000Community and Economic Development - General Operating Support
Born This Way Foundation
$600,000Community Development - General Operating Support
Western Stock Show Association
$500,000National Western Stock Show - Honoring the Legacy Campaign
just keep livin Foundation
$500,000Greenlight Grants Initiative
The Opportunity Trust
$500,000Education - General Operating Support
Monterey Peninsula Foundation
$450,000Community Development - General Operating Support
The Kennedy Forum
$400,000Community Development - General Operating Support
Entitlements How Inc
$250,000Community Development - General Operating Support
Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
$224,000Education - General Operating Support
USA Cycling Inc
$110,000USA Cycling - Bentonville Headquarters
The Village of Wellington
$95,238To relocate the public recreational facility from Community Park to Village Park within Wellington
Trustees of Deerfield Academy
$50,000Education - General Operating Support
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
$50,000Support for the Business School
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton
$50,000Education - General Operating Support
African American Community Service Agency
$50,000Community Development - General Operating Support
Brown University
$50,0002024 Annual Grant/September - Undergraduate Annual Fund
USA Water Polo Inc
$50,000Athletics - General Operating Support
St Paul's School
$50,000Education - General Operating Support
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
$50,000Support for the School of Education
USA Cycling Inc
$50,000Athletics - General Operating Support
California Academy of Sciences
$30,000Education - General Operating Support
Teach for America Inc
$25,000Education - General Operating Support
Aspen Country Day School Inc
$25,000Education - General Operating Support
Honored Foundation
$25,000Education - General Operating Support
Georgetown University
$25,000Education - General Operating Support
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
$25,000Support for the Parent Fund
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
$25,000Environment - General Operating Support
Governor Dummer Academy
$25,000Education - General Operating Support
Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association Inc
$25,000Support for PBS Program - Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan
Foxg1 Research Foundation
$25,000Health - General Operating Support
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
$25,000Support for the Athletic Department
Brown University
$20,000Athletics - Water Polo Support
Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association
$20,000Community Development - Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association
Star Rock Ministries
$20,000Religion - General Operating Support
Child Mind Institute Inc
$15,000Health - General Operating Support
Georgetown University
$10,000Support for the School of Foreign Service
The Nueva School
$10,000Education - General Operating Support
Aspen Public Radio
$10,000Community Development - General Operating Support
Colorado Mountain College Foundation Inc
$10,000Education - General Operating Support
Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health
$10,000Health - General Operating Support
Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco
$10,000Community and Economic Development - General Operating Support