The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation concentrates on large, transformational gifts that strengthen cultural institutions, urban public spaces, and education. They fund a mix of arts and museum projects, civic/park improvement in Louisville, and select education or social service organizations, typically through restricted or operating support. Grants are few but substantial and often repeated to the same organizations, indicating long-term partnerships and strategic investments rather than broad small-dollar giving.
A defining feature of The Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation Inc is its repeated support for Louisville civic and cultural institutions, especially parks, museums, and organizations tied to public life in the city. Parks Alliance of Louisville appears multiple times in the recent grants list, including a $333,453 stock-contribution grant in 2025 and earlier program and restricted awards, showing a pattern of continued investment rather than isolated gifts. The same pattern appears with Speed Art Museum, which received restricted support in both 2024 and 2025, and with Rebound Inc, which received operating and general support in consecutive years. The foundation’s giving also reaches beyond core arts and civic work into education, housing, and social services. Recent awards include program support for Academy of Music Production Education and Development, restricted support for Duke University, and grants to Lhome, Louisville Urban League, Louisville Free Public Library Foundation, and Metro United Way. The mix of restricted, program, operating, and stock-contribution grants suggests a foundation that uses several grant forms to support institutional capacity and project-specific work. Most of its recipients are located in Kentucky, with Louisville serving as the center of activity.
Cultural and civic institutions are a major part of the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $250,000 to Speed Art Museum for restricted support, following a $250,000 restricted grant in 2024. Parks Alliance of Louisville also received $333,333 for program support in 2023 and $333,333 for restricted support in 2024. Education and workforce development appear in the portfolio as well. The foundation awarded $500,000 to Academy of Music Production Education and Development for program support in 2023, and it gave $100,000 to Kentucky Public Radio Inc Dba Louisville Public Media for program support the same year. Social services and community support are another lane. Rebound Inc received $250,000 for operating support in 2023 and $100,000 for general support in 2025. Louisville Urban League received $111,111 for restricted support in 2024, and Louisville Free Public Library Foundation received $100,000 for restricted support in 2025.
$2.7M
$8.3M
$1.3M
$2.8M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$50K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 183 | $8.8M | 98.9% |
| 2 | Canada |
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants with repeat funding to a small set of grantees; mix of restricted project gifts and operating support; primarily focused on a hometown (Louisville) plus selective national/regional cultural and educational institutions.
Notable grantees: Parks Alliance of Louisville, Duke University, Speed Art Museum, Academy of Music Production Education and Development, Rebound Inc
Typical grants sit at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grants list shows a smaller set of much larger awards at the top end. The foundation’s recent pattern is clearly repeat-oriented: Parks Alliance of Louisville, Speed Art Museum, Duke University, Rebound Inc, Metro United Way, and Sowing Seeds of Faith each appear more than once across 2023-2025. The grant types vary across restricted support, program support, operating support, general support, and stock contributions. That mix points to flexible use of grant dollars rather than a single funding instrument. The foundation funds organizations, not individuals, and its distribution is regional with Kentucky as the primary state for giving.
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Kentucky, which accounts for 69% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Louisville is the main recipient city, appearing across arts, civic, education, and social-service awards such as Parks Alliance of Louisville, Speed Art Museum, Rebound Inc, and Metro United Way. Outside Kentucky, the recent grants list includes Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, plus Planned Parenthood in Seattle, Washington, and Showing Up for Racial Justice Education Fund in Buffalo, New York. The recipient-country distribution is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 183 grants in the United States and 2 in Canada.
Its recent grants support arts and museum institutions, parks and civic projects, education and workforce development, libraries, and social-service organizations. Examples from the list include Speed Art Museum, Parks Alliance of Louisville, Academy of Music Production Education and Development, Louisville Free Public Library Foundation, and Rebound Inc.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Parks Alliance of Louisville in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Speed Art Museum in 2024 and 2025; Duke University in 2024 and 2025; and Rebound Inc in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $5,000, a median of $15,000, and a 75th percentile of $50,000. The recent grants list also includes much larger awards, including $500,000 to Academy of Music Production Education and Development and several $250,000 grants.
Kentucky is the top state by grant count, and 69% of grants go to recipients in Kentucky. Louisville is the most common recipient city in the recent grants list, while a smaller share goes to other U.S. locations such as Durham, Seattle, and Buffalo.
The foundation uses restricted support, program support, operating support, general support, and stock contributions. Recent examples include restricted support to Speed Art Museum, program support to Parks Alliance of Louisville, operating support to Rebound Inc, general support to Metro United Way, and a stock-contribution grant to Community Foundation of Louisville.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 2 |
| $20K |
1.1% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARKS ALLIANCE OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $333,453 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION) |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $250,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $208,204 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION) |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $144,078 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| METRO UNITED WAY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,722 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION) |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | SEATTLE, WA | $100,484 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION) |
| SOWING SEEDS OF FAITH | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| REBOUND INC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KENTUCKY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TABLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $75,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE URBAN LEAGUE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $57,723 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE BALLET | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION FUND | BUFFALO, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT - KENTUCKY |
| ACLU OF KENTUCKY FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOUNDATION FOR APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY | HAZARD, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $28,125 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE ACADEMY OF MUSIC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $26,500 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| FUND FOR THE ARTS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MYRIAD USA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| BRIDGE KIDS INTERNATIONAL | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| FUND FOR THE ARTS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KENTUCKY COALITION | LONDON, KY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KENTUCKY AUTHOR FORUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $16,667 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT | DELRAY BEACH, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO | BALTIMORE, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $12,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PHILANTHROPY WORKSHOP | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE STORY PROGRAM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | BOONE, IA | $10,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| WATERFRONT PARK | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF KENTUCKIANA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT - KENTUCKY |
| ABACO STRONG | BETHESDA, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPEED ART MUSEUM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $8,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| PARKS ALLIANCE OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $6,250 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| LOUISVILLE OLMSTED PARKS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHARLESTON AREA MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION | CHARLESTON, WV | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WOODWELL CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER | FALMOUTH, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FAIRNESS EDUCATION FUND | LOUISVILLE, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE ADVENT | LOUISVILLE, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BILLY FISKE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | RESTRICTED SUPPORT |
RESTRICTED SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION)
SPEED ART MUSEUM
$250,000RESTRICTED SUPPORT
RESTRICTED SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION)
SPEED ART MUSEUM
$144,078RESTRICTED SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION)
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$100,484GENERAL SUPPORT - STOCK CONTRIBUTION (SEE ATTACHED INFORMATION)
SPEED ART MUSEUM
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA
$50,000RESTRICTED SUPPORT
LOUISVILLE BALLET
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ACLU OF KENTUCKY FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPEED ART MUSEUM
$28,125RESTRICTED SUPPORT
LOUISVILLE ACADEMY OF MUSIC
$26,500RESTRICTED SUPPORT
BRIDGE KIDS INTERNATIONAL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPEED ART MUSEUM
$25,000RESTRICTED SUPPORT
KENTUCKY AUTHOR FORUM
$16,667GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOUISVILLE STORY PROGRAM
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
$10,000RESTRICTED SUPPORT
WATERFRONT PARK
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT - KENTUCKY
ABACO STRONG
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPEED ART MUSEUM
$8,000RESTRICTED SUPPORT
LOUISVILLE OLMSTED PARKS
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHARLESTON AREA MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE ADVENT
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BILLY FISKE FOUNDATION
$5,000RESTRICTED SUPPORT