James Graham Brown Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- James Graham Brown Foundation supports work in the Louisville metro area across education, community and economic development, civic and cultural assets, and health and well-being, so your project should sit within one of these themes.
- Most grants to organisations range from $5,000 to $630,000, with a median of about $140,000, so a request in that range is realistic, while the Louisville Responsive Community Grants programme itself looks for requests of $150,000 to $500,000.
- The Foundation likes requests to be no more than about 30% of a project's total budget, works best when 50%-60% of costs are already raised, and rarely acts as sole funder, so showing partnerships and letters of support will help your case.
- Applications begin with a Letter of Interest submitted on a rolling basis, after which the Foundation will tell you whether to proceed to a full application, or whether it is declining or deferring your request.
- For the Louisville Responsive Community Grants programme, it does not fund performing arts, religious organisations' religious purposes, individuals, political entities, fundraising events, organisations outside the Louisville Metro Area (with rare exceptions), individual pre-K-12 schools (with rare exceptions), organisations established within the last three years or with budgets under $300,000, ongoing operations or routine programme costs, or organisations with active or consecutive grants for the same project.
Overview
James Graham Brown Foundation is a US private foundation based in Louisville, KY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation works with organisations on targeted philanthropic investments intended to build on Kentucky’s strengths and improve the well-being of people in Louisville and across the Commonwealth. It approaches grantmaking through larger, longer-term strategic initiatives developed in conversation with staff, and responsive grants proposed by the community. Its stated focus areas are education, community and economic development, civic and cultural assets, and health and well-being. Across these areas, it seeks work that advances educational attainment, strengthens communities, fosters civic pride and improves well-being, with opportunities for all. Its Louisville Responsive Community Grants support nonprofit organisations primarily in the Louisville metro area.
Themes
- Educational attainment
- Community and economic development
- Civic and cultural assets
- Health and well-being
Geographic Focus
Louisville metro area.
What They Don't Fund
- Louisville Responsive Community Grants only: Performing arts, no exceptions; Requests from religious organizations for religious purposes (including theological seminaries); Individuals; Political entities; Fundraising events; Organizations outside of the Louisville Metro Area, with rare exceptions; Individual public or private pre-K through 12 schools, with rare exceptions; Organizations established within the last three years or with an annual operating budget of less than $300,000; Requests for ongoing operations or routine program costs are typically not eligible; Organizations with active JGBF grants or consecutive grants toward the same project
How to apply
Organisations submit a Letter of Interest (LOI); the Foundation notifies applicants whether they are invited to submit a formal application, declined, or deferred for future consideration.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 52% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 182 grants to organisations were about $140,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The requested share of the project budget should not typically exceed 30%, and the request should suit the scope of impact.
- Requests are more competitive when 50%–60% of the total project cost has been raised.
- The Foundation rarely acts as sole funder and encourages a broad base of support.
- Letters of support or endorsement are appropriate, and applicants are encouraged to mention current partnerships and collaborations.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 52% of grant dollars went to organisations James Graham Brown Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 50 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $203k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Rita June Foundation · Bezos academies louisville$1,500,0002024 tax year
- Kentucky Derby Museum · "the greatest race" 2025 film update and lighting enhancement$1,025,0002024 tax year
- Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education · Driving transformational change for student success$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises · Pathway to opportunities for resilient eky$880,6252024 tax year
- Louisville Free Public Library Foundation · Renovate and modernize libraries$755,0002024 tax year
- AMPED · 10-for 10 campaign$750,0002024 tax year
- Parks Alliance of Louisville · Alberta o. jones park and ballard park projects$750,0002024 tax year
- Centre College · 2024 brown fellows program$749,4192024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Bleik Pickett — Secretary
- William Clifton — Treasurer, CFO
- Mason Rummel — President, CEO
- Aaron Thompson — Trustee
- Steve Sautel — Trustee
- Greg Rousos — Trustee
- Lopa Mehrotra — Trustee
- Doug Grissom — Trustee
- Sandra Frazier — Trustee
- Condrad Daniels — Trustee
- Ben Chandler — Trustee
- Jerry Abramson — Trustee
- Crit Luallen — Vice Chair
- Stephen Campbell — Chairman
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $20,611,195 | $16,117,272 | $332,997,825 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $16,908,139 | $12,574,512 | $366,389,366 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $22,389,850 | $14,944,459 | $390,953,333 | Filing for 2024 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to James Graham Brown Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (502) 896-2440
- program@jgbf.org
- Louisville, KY
- jgbf.org
Applying to James Graham Brown Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (502) 896-2440
- program@jgbf.org
- Louisville, KY
- jgbf.org