Fourevergreen Foundation Inc.

The FourEvergreen Foundation is a mid-sized private family foundation in Pennington, New Jersey, with $28.6 million in assets and approximately $1.4 million in annual charitable disbursements. Founded in 2018 by the Brown family, the foundation has grown rapidly — assets roughly quadrupled between 2019 and 2024, driven by a major $16 million contribution in 2021. The name itself encodes the mission: "FourEvergreen" represents the four pillars of youth development, cancer research, environmental protection, and animal welfare.

The foundation is governed entirely by four Brown family members: Mark Brown (President), Jane E. Brown (Secretary of Board), Thomas Brown (Grants Director), and Samuel E. Brown (Grants Director). All serve without compensation, indicating a lean, personally invested leadership structure. The dual Grants Director roles suggest that Thomas and Samuel may each oversee specific focus areas, though the foundation has not published a formal organizational chart.

For grantseekers, the key strategic insight is that this is a family foundation entering its growth phase. The 2021 capital infusion and subsequent investment returns (~$1.8M in 2024 revenue) signal that the Browns are committed to long-term philanthropic impact. The foundation accepts open applications through its website, making it more accessible than many private foundations of similar size. Organizations whose work falls squarely within one of the four focus areas — particularly in or near New Jersey — should consider applying.

The foundation has not published detailed giving guidelines or named specific past grantees publicly, which is common for younger family foundations. This means applicants should craft proposals that clearly demonstrate alignment with one or more of the four pillars and articulate measurable community impact, as the Grants Directors likely review applications personally rather than through a staff-driven process.

The FourEvergreen Foundation's financial trajectory reveals a foundation in rapid ascent. Starting with modest assets of approximately $3 million at its 2018 founding, the foundation received transformative contributions totaling over $16 million in 2021, catapulting assets to roughly $25 million. By 2024, total assets reached $28.6 million with zero liabilities — a clean balance sheet that signals financial health and conservative management.

Annual charitable disbursements in 2024 totaled $1,367,846, representing a payout rate of approximately 4.8% of assets. When combined with qualifying administrative expenses, this likely meets or exceeds the IRS's 5% minimum distribution requirement for private foundations. The disbursement level has grown proportionally with assets, suggesting disciplined grantmaking that scales with investment returns rather than depleting principal.

Revenue in 2024 came entirely from investment returns: $1,131,235 in dividends (62.6%) and $675,335 from asset sales (37.4%). The absence of new contributions suggests the Browns have completed their endowment-building phase and the foundation is now operating on investment income — a sign of financial maturity.

With approximately $1.4 million distributed annually across four focus areas, individual grants likely range from $10,000 to $100,000. The foundation's 990-PF filings do not publicly itemize individual grantees in available databases, but the combination of four program areas and a $1.4M annual budget suggests 15–30 grants per year at an average of $50,000–$90,000. Organizations requesting amounts in this range will be best positioned.

The foundation carries no liabilities and all officers serve without compensation, meaning virtually all revenue flows to charitable purposes — an indicator that the Brown family prioritizes impact over operational costs.

The FourEvergreen Foundation occupies a specific niche among mid-sized New Jersey private family foundations: multi-issue, open to applications, and growing rapidly. The table below positions it against peer funders operating in the same asset range and geographic area.

Key differentiators: FourEvergreen is among the broadest in thematic scope — four distinct focus areas compared to the single-issue mandates of peers like Atlantic (arts) and Forman S. Acton (education). Its open application process is an advantage over invitation-only funders like Atlantic. However, its annual giving (~$1.4M) is proportionally lower than Columbia Bank Foundation, which distributes a higher percentage of its larger asset base. The family governance structure (all four officers are Browns) gives it flexibility to shift priorities quickly but also means decision-making is concentrated.

The FourEvergreen Foundation has maintained consistent grantmaking activity through 2024, its most recent filing year on record. Charitable disbursements of $1,367,846 represent the highest distribution level in the foundation's seven-year history, reflecting the maturation of its investment portfolio following the major 2021 capitalization.

Notable financial developments include the stabilization of investment income at approximately $1.8 million annually, split between dividend income ($1.13M) and realized gains on asset sales ($675K). This revenue stream comfortably exceeds the annual distribution requirement, providing a cushion for the foundation to increase grantmaking in coming years without drawing down principal.

The foundation has not issued public press releases, published annual reports, or maintained active social media accounts — consistent with many private family foundations that prioritize direct grantmaking over public communications. The website at fourevergreen.org remains the primary public interface, featuring the mission statement and grant application process.

Leadership remains stable with the four Brown family members (Mark, Jane, Thomas, and Samuel) continuing in their respective officer roles. The dual Grants Director structure (Thomas and Samuel) may reflect a deliberate division of labor across the four focus areas, though the specific portfolio assignments are not publicly documented.

The foundation's zero-liability balance sheet and absence of officer compensation suggest that administrative overhead remains minimal, maximizing the proportion of assets directed to charitable purposes. For prospective applicants, this financial discipline means the foundation likely values similar fiscal responsibility in grantee organizations.

The FourEvergreen Foundation's application process is straightforward compared to larger institutional funders, but that simplicity demands precision. Here are the key strategies for a successful application:

First, use the official Grant Application form on fourevergreen.org. The foundation does not advertise accepting LOIs, cold emails, or mailed proposals. The web form is the intake mechanism, and submitting through any other channel risks being ignored entirely.

Second, anchor your proposal in exactly one of the four focus areas: youth development, cancer research, environmental protection, or animal welfare. While projects that bridge multiple areas may be compelling, lead with the single strongest alignment. The foundation name itself — "FourEvergreen" — signals that these four categories are core to the family's philanthropic identity.

Third, calibrate your ask to the foundation's capacity. With ~$1.4M in annual disbursements across four program areas, the practical ceiling per grant is likely $100,000, with most grants probably falling in the $10,000–$75,000 range. Requesting $500,000 from a foundation that distributes $1.4M total would be a disqualifying signal.

Fourth, demonstrate fiscal discipline. All four Brown family officers serve without compensation, and the foundation carries zero liabilities. Proposals from organizations with high overhead ratios or ambiguous financial management will likely face skepticism from leaders who run their own foundation at minimal cost.

Fifth, emphasize community impact in concrete terms. The foundation's mission emphasizes "creating opportunity and empowerment in our community." Quantify the people served, the geographic area reached, and the measurable outcomes expected. Vague language about "raising awareness" without tangible deliverables will not align with a results-oriented family foundation.

Sixth, confirm your 501(c)(3) status is current and in good standing. The foundation explicitly funds 501(c)(3) organizations — fiscal sponsorships, for-profits with social missions, and unincorporated projects are almost certainly ineligible.

Seventh, be patient after submitting. Family foundations with volunteer leadership typically review applications in batches rather than on a rolling basis. Do not follow up aggressively within the first 60 days.