James Graham Brown Foundation

The James Graham Brown Foundation is dedicated to making transformative philanthropic investments in Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky that build on its strengths to continually advance our city and state. OUR MISSION Through targeted philanthropic investments, the James Graham Brown Foundation works with other partners to build on and highlight Kentucky’s unique strengths in ways that impact the well-being of the citizens of the city of Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and that shed a positive light on the state. A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO When I joined the Foundation over thirty years ago, the only guide we had for how to implement our philanthropic mission was Mr. Brown’s will. The will expresses the desire to promote the wellbeing of the citizens of the City of Louisville and Kentucky in a way that will also lift the image of Kentucky in the eyes of the world. The simplicity of those hopes for our community and state resonate deeply with me and are goals we have been proud to pursue. Yet with such broad goals, there are always many potential paths to choose, and Louisville and Kentucky are constantly evolving. For the Foundation, this means our approach to philanthropy also must adapt to meet the changing times and needs of communities while maintaining and honoring donor intent. Our staff and trustees dedicate significant time to determine the best way to elevate the wellbeing and image of our state. In 2021, the Foundation launched a new strategic plan. We are emerging from a year when the COVID-19 pandemic took a significant toll on our state in both human and economic terms. The pandemic and justice movements exposed persistent inequities that continue to limit the progress in Louisville and Kentucky. While equity was already a consideration in several of our grantmaking areas, the board made the decision to include it as a central value in our 2021-2023 strategic plan. Our focus areas remain the same—Education & Workforce, Community and Economic Development and Quality of Life—and we now apply an equity lens to how we approach our grantmaking in each of those areas whenever possible. Whereas our board sets our strategic goals and priorities, we rely on our partners—grantees and the nonprofit sector as a whole—to work toward realizing our vision of Louisville and Kentucky being recognized as prosperous and vibrant for all. I still keep a copy of Mr. Brown’s will in my desk. But I am grateful to have our board, staff and partners across the state to count on as we all work to build a flourishing and vibrant state in which we can all be proud.