The Robert H Brethen Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 31-1213173 · since 1988·Dayton·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$240k
Annual giving, 2023 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$5,000 to $100k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$12,500
Typical grant (median)
10 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • The foundation's stated priority is the Greater Dayton Ohio area, and its filing says at least 65 per cent of the funds it distributes must be used there, so work based elsewhere is unlikely to fit.
  • Only organisations established and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literacy or educational purposes, and US government bodies, are eligible, so other kinds of organisation should not apply.
  • About 8 in 10 of its 28 grants fall between $5,000 and $100,000, and half were $10,000 or less, so a modest request near the lower end fits its usual pattern.
  • No particular form is required and no deadline is given, so a short letter setting out the need, the proposed use of the funds and how the request meets the Greater Dayton restriction should be enough.
  • Repeat funding made up 67 per cent of its grant dollars in its latest filing, so a prior link with the foundation carries weight, but a new applicant is not barred from approaching it.

Overview

The Robert H Brethen Foundation is a US private foundation based in Lenoir City, TN.

What they fund

Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation’s awards are available for public purposes through US government bodies and for the use of organisations established and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literacy or educational purposes. At least 65 per cent of funds distributed must be used within the Greater Dayton Ohio area. Its recorded grants support healthcare and hospice organisations, animal welfare groups, a charity serving homeless young people, a church, municipal recreation services, and local history and community work. Other stated grant purposes include cancer research, support for blind people, help for underprivileged children, wildlife programmes and youth athletics.

Geographic Focus

Priority: Greater Dayton Ohio area.

How to apply

No particular form or format is required. An application should provide enough information for the trustee to assess the need and proposed use of the funds and check that the restrictions are met.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 67% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 28 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.

Grant dollars by state

Ohio58%
Tennessee37%
New York3%
Florida1%
California<1%
  • The largest single recipient received 23% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2023, 67% of grant dollars went to organisations The Robert H Brethen Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • 6% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

10 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $12,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 10 grants in tax year 2023 by size

$5k–$10k10%
$10k–$25k50%
$25k–$50k30%
$50k–$100k0%
$100k–$250k10%

Median $12,500 (tax year 2023)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Fort Sanders Foundation · Donation to support healthcare programs
    $100,0002023 tax year
  • Pelotonia · Donation for cancer research
    $30,0002023 tax year
  • Dayton Foundation · Donation to support dayton community
    $25,0002023 tax year
  • Brethen Foundation · Donation to support lenoir city community
    $25,0002023 tax year
  • Lenoir City · Donation for recreation programs
    $15,0002023 tax year
  • Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals · Donation to support animals
    $10,0002023 tax year
  • Big Cat Habitat · Donation to support animals
    $10,0002023 tax year
  • Lenoir City · Donation for recreation programs
    $10,0002023 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • Karen B Johns — Trustee
  • David M Brethen — Secretary / Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$734,683$625,560$8,228,758Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$356,689$240,000$10,818,508Filing for 2023 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

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