Browning Kimball Foundation
The Browning Kimball Foundation is a private foundation based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, established in 1981. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a philanthropic grantmaker supporting diverse initiatives across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$29.3M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$964K
-4.8% YoY
Grant Count
30
-33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
+42.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Browning Kimball Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation seeks to enhance the quality of life in Montana through the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the well-being of youth and families.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Museums
- Education
- Health and mental health care
- Diseases and conditions
- Human services
- Family services
- Child welfare
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept applications.
Grant Range
$1,000-$336,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across multiple states, with particular emphasis on:
- Montana (primary focus)
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
Additional states receiving support include Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $27.4-$29.3 million
- Total Revenue: $1.47-$1.6 million
- Total Expenses: $1.28-$1.29 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Investment income and dividends: $807,449
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $791,084
Historical Assets:
- 2023: $25.3-$27.4 million
- 2022: $30.3 million
- 2021: $26.7 million
- 2020: $24.6 million
The foundation has maintained relatively stable assets and consistent annual giving levels over the past five years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,310,955 | $27,443,496 | $25,310,223 |
| Revenue | $1,598,533 | $1,466,547 | $1,759,225 |
| Expenses | $1,283,229 | $1,289,278 | $1,453,903 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,148,608 | $1,180,244 | $1,286,366 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,479,912 | $1,361,318 | $1,648,688 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,377,007 | $1,280,138 | $1,346,441 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
225 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Browning Kimball Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cm Russell Museum ($250,000), Friends of the Pool & Park Foundati ($100,000), Friends of Beaver Creek Park Inc ($78,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH INC GREAT FALLS, MT | YOUTH RESOURCE CENTER | $20,000 |
| AWARE ANACONDA, MT | GENERAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| BEAR PAW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT HAVRE, MT | IN SUPPORT OF CHALLENGE GRANT FOR A | $30,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF LEWISTOWN LEWISTOWN, MT | EXEMPT PURPOSE | $5,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE HI-LINE HAVRE, MT | HEALTH AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM | $21,000 |
| CM RUSSELL MUSEUM GREAT FALLS, MT | BROWNING FIREARMS EXHIBIT | $250,000 |
| CASA-CAN GREAT FALLS, MT | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| FRIENDS OF BEAVER CREEK PARK INC HAVRE, MT | EXEMPT PURPOSE | $78,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE POOL & PARK FOUNDATI CHINOOK, MT | EXEMPT PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| GOLDEN CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS SANTA MARIA, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a team of uncompensated directors:
- Barbara Cowan
- Michelle Cowan
- William Cowan (President)
- William B. Cowan
- Brett Huestis
- Lisa Cowan Huestis
The foundation is managed by Foundation Management Inc., based in Oklahoma City.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BARBARA COWAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MICHELLE COWAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| WILLIAM COWAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| WILLIAM B COWAN | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| BRETT HUESTIS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| LISA COWAN HUESTIS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Browning Kimball Foundation fund?
The foundation seeks to enhance the quality of life in Montana through the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the well-being of youth and families. Primary funding focus areas include: • Arts and culture • Museums • Education • Health and mental health care • Diseases and conditions • Human services • Family services • Child welfare
How do I apply for a grant from Browning Kimball Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 45-53 grants annually in recent years • Total giving: approximately $964,000-$1.0 million annually • Grant range: $1,000-$336,000 • Median grant: $10,000-$14,000 **Recent Grant Recipients (2023-2024):** • CM Russell Museum - $336,000 (Browning Firearms Exhibit) • Friends of Beaver Creek Park Incorporated - $78,000 • Producers Partnership - $50,000 • Western Sustainability Exchange - $35,000 (Regenerative Ranching Program) • Special K Ranch - $46,000 (Tuition Support) …
Where does Browning Kimball Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports projects across multiple states, with particular emphasis on: • Montana (primary focus) • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania Additional states receiving support include Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and Washington.
What size grants does Browning Kimball Foundation award?
In 2024, Browning Kimball Foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $964K — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Browning Kimball Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Browning Kimball Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Browning Kimball Foundation's EIN?
Browning Kimball Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2766079. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Browning Kimball Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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