Be Foundation
Be Foundation is a private, Connecticut-based family foundation located in Redding, Connecticut. Its mission is to invest financial and human resources in collective efforts to strengthen the education of young people in Connecticut and the vitality of their communities.
Be Foundation at a glance
In short: Be Foundation gave $98K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Connecticut. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $98,477
- -44.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -28.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,848
- -22.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $5,878,291
- +0.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (4 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Be Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
BeFoundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests. Proposals are initiated internally and vetted by professional staff and experts who provide recommendations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 18 Beauiles Lane, Redding, CT 06896
Phone: (303) 601-7454
Website: https://www.befoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Be Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Intempo ($40K). Together the top 9 received $98K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 62 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
BeFoundation describes its mission as focused on young people and community vitality in Connecticut. In 2024, 80% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut and 20% to recipients in Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Be Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 10 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 80% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 262% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $98K (2024) to $502K (2021). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $98K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Intempo Stamford, CT | General Operating Support. | $40,000 |
| Mark Twain Library Redding, CT | Frog Frolic, Puddn'head Festival, Art Show Sponsorships. | $20,000 |
| The Eddy School Newry, ME | General Operating Support. | $20,000 |
| Georgetown Village Restoration Georgetown, CT | General Operating Support - Georgetown Day Sponsorship. | $5,000 |
| Social Ventures Partners Inc Westport, CT | General Operating Support Fundraising Match. | $5,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Redding Redding, CT | Youth Music & Art Program. | $5,000 |
| Spreadmusicnow Inc Redding, CT | General Operating Support Fundraising Match. | $2,127 |
| CTDATA Collaborative Glastonbury, CT | General Operating Support. | $1,000 |
| Connecticut News Project Inc (CT Mirror) Hartford, CT | Monthly Contributions for Independent Journalism | $300 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $50 |
Ready to take the next step with Be Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,878,291 | $650,869 | $955,563 | $98,477 | 10 | $833,561 | $583,512 | $317,924 |
| 2023 | $5,869,544 | $503,395 | $869,594 | $177,368 | 14 | $768,551 | $420,040 | $345,385 |
| 2022 | $6,339,339 | $401,443 | $840,722 | $248,650 | 13 | $701,473 | $320,172 | $350,895 |
| 2021 | $6,160,768 | $332,162 | $957,703 | $501,532 | 17 | $875,639 | $272,976 | $393,804 |
| 2020 | $6,786,901 | $105,699 | $812,474 | $445,925 | 8 | — | $45,359 | $384,211 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Be Foundation reported a distributable amount of $318K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
BeFoundation’s website says it works to expand pathways for college, career, and life success while fostering creative, engaged communities. It encourages collective action among philanthropy, public education systems, nonprofits, and municipalities.
The 2024 grants included general operating support, youth music and art programming, community-event sponsorships, and independent journalism. Among the grantees, the Boys & Girls Club of Redding describes its work as providing recreational activities and facilities for young people, as well as sponsoring a town-wide spelling bee and photography contest. CTData Collaborative describes its mission as providing access to accurate, transparent, open, shared data for improved policy and decision-making, and building data capacity and skills in the nonprofit sector.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, BeFoundation reported 10 grants totaling $98,477. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $40,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $40,000 to INTEMPO for general operating support; $20,000 each to Mark Twain Library for event and art-show sponsorships and to The Eddy School for general operating support; and $5,000 each to Georgetown Village Restoration, Social Ventures Partners Inc., and the Boys & Girls Club of Redding. Other recipients included SpreadMusicNow ($2,127), CTData Collaborative ($1,000), Connecticut News Project Inc. ($300), and Redding Elementary School PTA ($50).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Gregory S. Young as director and Richard J. Wenning as executive director. BeFoundation’s website identifies Greg Young as founder and chairman and Richard Wenning as board member and executive director.
Be Foundation is led by Richard J. Wenning, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Richard J. Wenning
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$175K (2020) → $206K (2024)
Gregory S. Young
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$106 (2023) → $52 (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $206K, to Richard J Wenning (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Be Foundation
How much does Be Foundation give each year?
Be Foundation gave $98K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $177K across 14 grants.
What is Be Foundation's typical grant size?
Be Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,848, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Be Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Be Foundation give grants?
Be Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maine (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Redding, CT (3 grants).
Does Be Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of Be Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Be Foundation's largest grantees?
Be Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Intempo ($40,000), Mark Twain Library ($20,000) and The Eddy School ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50), which are not listed by name. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Be Foundation?
Be Foundation reported $5.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $834K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $318K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Be Foundation fund?
BeFoundation’s website says it works to expand pathways for college, career, and life success while fostering creative, engaged communities. It encourages collective action among philanthropy, public education systems, nonprofits, and municipalities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Be Foundation?
BeFoundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Be Foundation's EIN?
Be Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4678127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Be Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 26, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 1, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Be Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/be-foundation-morg_b84cbce58d4d43079456cc6db55e8e16
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_454678127_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Be Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/be-foundation-morg_b84cbce58d4d43079456cc6db55e8e16},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Be Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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