Brown-Forman Foundation
Accepts applications
Brown-Forman Foundation is a private foundation in Louisville, Kentucky. In tax year 2025 it gave $4.3 million in 56 grants; the typical grant was $80,000 and the largest $1.0 million. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$4.3 million
- Number of grants56
- Typical grant$80,000
- Largest grant$1.0 million
- Assets$111 million
- New grantees48%
Giving in 2025 was up from $4.1 million the year before.
48% of its 2025 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $49.7 million | 56 | $88.5 million |
| 2023 | $3.9 million | 59 | $99.8 million |
| 2024 | $4.1 million | 38 | $100 million |
| 2025 | $4.3 million | 56 | $111 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Jill Horn 850 Dixie Highway, Louisville, KY 40210 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (502) 774-5918, jill_horn@b-f.com |
| What to submit | The foundation has a formal online grant application for proposals and follow-up grant report. The online grant application may be accessed at: https://www.brownformanfoundation.org/grant-criteria/. |
| Deadlines | Submission deadlines for may 1, 2025 through april 30, 2026 are may 1, aug. 1, nov. 1, feb. 1 |
| Restrictions | The foundation will provide distributions and may provide support to other organizations for charitable, literary, scientific, and educational purposes. The foundation along with funding from the brown-forman corporation enriches the experience of life in communities where brown-forman corporation operates and its employees are located. |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Brown-Forman Foundation funds
Where it gives
All of its grants went to recipients in Kentucky.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 56 | $9.8 million |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville Central Community Centers Inc | General program support | $1.0 million |
| Simmons College of Kentucky | General program support | $1.0 million |
| West End Boys School | General program support | $1.0 million |
| West End Girls School | General program support | $1.0 million |
| Academy of Music Production Education and Development | General program support | $500,000 |
| Louisville Orchestra | General program support | $500,000 |
| Louisville Urban League | General program support | $500,000 |
| Louisville Ballet (Kentucky Dance Council | General program support | $400,000 |
| University of Louisville Foundation | General program support | $235,000 |
| Metro United Way | General program support | $200,000 |
| Actors Theatre of Louisville | General program support | $175,000 |
| Kentucky Opera Association | General program support | $150,000 |
| Speed Art Museum | General program support | $150,000 |
| The Filson Historical Society | General program support | $150,000 |
| The Morton Center | General program support | $150,000 |
| Louisville Zoo Foundation | General program support | $145,000 |
| African American Heritage Foundation | General program support | $125,000 |
| Fund for the Arts | General program support | $125,000 |
| The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts | General program support | $125,000 |
| Jefferson Community and Technical College | General program support | $120,000 |
| University of Kentucky | General program support | $120,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana | General program support | $100,000 |
| Elderserve | General program support | $100,000 |
| Muhammad Ali Center | General program support | $100,000 |
| Sowing Seeds With Faith | General program support | $100,000 |
| YMCA of Greater Louisville | General program support | $100,000 |
| Lincoln Foundation | General program support | $85,000 |
| Adelante Hispanic Achievers | General program support | $80,000 |
| Cabbage Patch Settlement House | General program support | $80,000 |
| Dare to Care Food Bank | General program support | $75,000 |
| Frazier Museum Foundation | General program support | $75,000 |
| Center for Women and Families Inc | General program support | $70,000 |
| Family & Children's Place | General program support | $65,000 |
| Maryhurst | General program support | $65,000 |
| Volunteers of America Mid-States | General program support | $65,000 |
| Gildas Club Kentuckiana | General program support | $60,000 |
| Family Scholar House | General program support | $50,000 |
| Goodwill Industries of Kentucky Inc | General program support | $50,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity | General program support | $50,000 |
| Spalding University | General program support | $50,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Jill Horn
- Lawson Whiting
- Crystal Peterson
- Sue Perram
- Garvin Deters
- Grant Adams
- Danielle Graham
- Staci Rawls
Questions people ask
Does Brown-Forman Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: Submission deadlines for may 1, 2025 through april 30, 2026 are may 1, aug. 1, nov. 1, feb. 1.
How much does Brown-Forman Foundation give?
$4.3 million in tax year 2025, across 56 grants, with a typical grant of $80,000.
Who runs Brown-Forman Foundation?
Its 2025 filing lists Jill Horn (Executive Director), Lawson Whiting (Director), Crystal Peterson (President) and Sue Perram (Treasurer) among 8 officers and trustees.
What does Brown-Forman Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, arts and culture and youth programs.