The Watson-Brown Foundation supports education directly by administering its own college scholarship program and by operating three house museums in Thomson, Georgia. The Foundation supports historic preservation in part through its Junior Board of Trustees, a group of talented high school students that awards $25,000 in grants annually to worthy projects and organizations in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) of Georgia and South Carolina.

The Foundation focuses its giving largely within the southeast. The majority of grants awarded support southern studies and related programming at the college level. Academic disciplines and areas of interest also include:

• History
• English
• Literature
• Law
• Agricultural Education
• Historic Preservation

Types of Support the Foundation Will Consider to Advance its Mission Include:

• Operating Support
• Publication Underwriting
• Research Grants
• Program Grants
• Challenge Grants

Watson-Brown Foundation Grant Guidelines

Application Acceptance Policies

The Watson-Brown Foundation accepts grant applications throughout the year. However, to be considered for a given year, grant applications must be received no later than April 15 of that year. Seven (7) copies of the proposal must be sent for consideration. All applications must be mailed, shipped or delivered by courier. Faxed copies will not be accepted. Grant inquiries should be directed to:

Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc.
310 Tom Watson Way
Thomson, GA 30824
(706) 595-8886

Letters of Inquiry

Letters of inquiry should include a brief statement of need, a synopsis of the program or project, a general budget and an argument for how the project serves the mission of the Watson-Brown Foundation. If the program or project is within the purview of the Foundation a grant application and cover sheet will be forwarded to the organization.

Letters should be sent via mail or email to:
c/o Tad Brown
Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc.
310 Tom Watson Way
Thomson, GA 30824
tbrown@watson-brown.org..

To be considered, grant applications must include:

• A completed Application Cover Sheet
• A succinct narrative (no more than five pages) describing:
            • The organization
            • The program or need
            • The strategy that will achieve the set goals
            • The organization's qualifications for fulfilling the program
• A detailed budget for the program
• A list of the organization's officers and directors or trustees
• A list of other secured funding for the program

Grant Restrictions

Generally, the Watson-Brown Foundation does not consider grants to organizations other than “public charities,” those organizations that are defined in Internal Revenue Code Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2) or 509(a)(3). The Foundation does not consider grants to individuals (except for scholarships awarded through the Foundation’s internal scholarship program). The Foundation does not fund religious programs, or political or lobbying activities. It does not issue grants for debt reduction. It will not support advertising or marketing efforts. Rarely will the Foundation support social events such as sports tournaments or galas. The Foundation does not usually consider funding individual projects for more than one year. Generally, the Foundation supports only organizations, institutions or programs located in the southeastern region of the United States.

Grant application forms and support materials should be requested by phoning Tad Brown at the Foundation office in Thomson or via email: tbrown@watson-brown.org.

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