What kinds of projects does The Brown Foundation Inc support most often?

The recent record shows support for Houston parks and bayou projects, major cultural institutions, K–12 schools and charter networks, and health and biomedical research. Examples include park greenways, museum capital campaigns, school expansion, and health-system or research initiatives in Houston.

Does The Brown Foundation Inc support recurring grantees?

Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Houston Parks Board, Baylor College of Medicine, St. John’s School, and National Philanthropic Trust. That suggests the foundation often makes repeat grants rather than only one-time awards.

What is a typical grant size from The Brown Foundation Inc?

The typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes much larger capital and campaign grants in the millions, so the foundation gives across a wide range.

Where does The Brown Foundation Inc give most often?

Texas is the top state by grant count, and 78% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grants list is concentrated in Houston and other Texas cities, with the only non-Texas recipient shown as National Philanthropic Trust in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.

Brown Foundation

Name: Brown Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals

Houston, TXWebsite7135236867

About Brown Foundation

The Brown Foundation is a Houston-centered funder that concentrates on major place-based investments to strengthen Greater Houston’s public realm, cultural institutions, K–12 education, and health/science research. Their grants frequently support capital campaigns, park and trail resiliency projects, museum and performing arts operating and expansion needs, and both independent and charter school initiatives, with a measurable focus on long-term community infrastructure and institutional stability.

Focus Areas

Urban parks, bayou restoration, and regional greenway/resilience projects in Houston (e.g., Houston Parks Board, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Memorial Park)Major cultural institution support and capital projects in Houston (museums, symphony, ballet, opera — e.g., Museum of Fine Arts, Menil, Houston Symphony)K–12 education support across private independent schools and charter networks in Houston (e.g., St. John’s School, YES Prep)Health and biomedical research and health systems strengthening in Houston (e.g., Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson, Harris Health Strategic Fund)Children and family services / inclusion programming (e.g., DePelchin Children’s Center, Thrive with Autism, Camp For All)

About Brown Foundation

The Brown Foundation Inc’s largest recent grant went to Houston Parks Board for an interconnected network of parks, trails, and greenspace designed to make Houston more resilient and equitable. That emphasis on place-based civic infrastructure runs through the foundation’s giving: bayou restoration, park and greenway projects, museum and performing arts capital needs, and school and health-system investments in Houston. The foundation backs large, multi-year commitments as well as targeted operating and campaign support, often pairing a capital project with a related planning or program component. Houston institutions recur throughout the recent grants list. Buffalo Bayou Partnership received support for the Buffalo Bayou East 10-Year Plan, while Memorial Park Conservancy, Hermann Park Conservancy, and Precinct4Forward were all funded for park and greenway work. In education, St. John’s School, YES Prep Public Schools, Harmony Public Schools, and the Houston Charter Seed Fund each appear in the recent record. The pattern is similarly visible in health and biomedical research, where Baylor College of Medicine, Harris Health Strategic Fund, and The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center are all funded for major institutional work. The Brown Foundation Inc also supports cultural institutions such as the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Jones Hall, and the Orange Show Foundation.

What Brown Foundation Funds

In urban parks and resilience work, the foundation gave $20,748,807 to Houston Parks Board for an interconnected network of parks, trails, and greenspace, and $14,594,744 to Buffalo Bayou Partnership for the Buffalo Bayou East 10-Year Plan. It also funded Memorial Park Conservancy and Hermann Park Conservancy for long-range park planning and capital work. Education support includes $8,508,842 to St. John’s School for a new Lower School and $7,000,000 to YES Prep Public Schools for The Power of YES. The Brown Foundation Inc also made a $5,000,000 grant to Greater Houston Community Foundation for the Houston Charter Seed Fund and supported Harmony Public Schools for its Houston Capital Campaign Phase II. In health and biomedical research, the foundation gave $13,384,145 and $11,615,855 to Baylor College of Medicine for Imagining Tomorrow’s Medicine Today, and $10,000,000 to Harris Health Strategic Fund for Investing in a Healthier Harris County. For arts and culture, it backed Houston Museum of Natural Science, Jones Hall, and Orange Show Foundation with campaign and exhibition-related support.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$84.3M

Total Assets

$1.1B

Total Revenue

$145.9M

Total Expenses

$92.7M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $5K and $40K, with a median of $15K.

25th Percentile

$5K

Median

$15K

75th Percentile

$40K

Geographic Reach

Regional34 states funded

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

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Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
National Philanthropic Trust	Jenkintown, PA	$11,000,000	2025	Study Group and Matching Grant Programs
Harris Health Strategic Fund	Bellaire, TX	$10,000,000	2025	Investing in a Healthier Harris County
Precinct4Forward	Houston, TX	$7,500,000	2025	Burnett Bayland Park Improvements
YES Prep Public Schools	Houston, TX	$7,000,000

Brown Foundation

About Brown Foundation

Focus Areas

About Brown Foundation

What Brown Foundation Funds

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Deep Analysis

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Frequently Asked Questions About Brown Foundation

What kinds of projects does The Brown Foundation Inc support most often?

Does The Brown Foundation Inc support recurring grantees?

What is a typical grant size from The Brown Foundation Inc?

Where does The Brown Foundation Inc give most often?

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