Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in South Burlington, Vermont. It supports organizations working for progressive social change, including grassroots efforts addressing social and environmental injustice and programs serving Vermont communities.
Key facts about Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
In short: Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc gave $4.2M across 448 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 03-0300865
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,220,251
- Grants made (2024)
- 448
- Average grant
- $9,420
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $9,224,372
- Primary geography
- California (20% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation’s filing says applications, where required, are submitted online and are typically accepted and reviewed monthly. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The Vermont Community Action Team program listing gives a deadline of November 16, 2026.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.2M
+12.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.2M
+11.2% YoY
Grant Count
448
-0.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+11.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $478K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc gives
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 944% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it engages Ben & Jerry’s employees in grantmaking, gives back to Vermont communities, and supports grassroots organizations and movements working toward a more equitable society. Its national program has emphasized community leadership and organizing to address the underlying conditions of inequity and injustice. Vermont programs described on its website address basic needs among underserved populations and racial justice and social equity.
The organizations it funded in 2024 illustrate a range of work. Tides Foundation says it makes grants to community-led organizations using contributions from individuals, families, foundations, and corporations. Resist says it supports people’s movements for justice and liberation through resource redistribution and storytelling. COUP Council says it works to retain Lakota culture and build collective power for justice and healing. 350 Sacramento says it builds community and advocates for pollution reduction, environmental protection, and equitable climate solutions. These are descriptions of the grantees’ work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation awarded 448 grants totaling $4,220,251. Grant amounts ranged from $26 to $295,000, with a median of $2,000. The National Grassroots Organizing Program, now closed, offered unrestricted general operating support of up to $30,000, with an average grant size of $20,000, to small, constituent-led grassroots organizations with budgets under $350,000. Its application materials state that the program supported constituent-led, direct-action organizing campaigns for systemic change and did not fund direct services to individuals.
The largest listed 2024 grants included $295,000 to Tides Foundation, $142,363 to Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, and $120,000 to Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs. Other notable grants included $75,000 to Resist, $50,000 to Equitable Opportunities Now Foundation, and $45,000 to COUP Council. The listed grants were for general support.
The Vermont Community Action Team program is listed as active and makes small grants, generally under $2,000, to local Vermont nonprofits and community programs; applications may be submitted online at any time and are reviewed monthly. The Vermont Equity & Justice program description specifies a 2025 funding cycle, which is past. It described requests of up to $15,000 for Vermont nonprofits with annual operating budgets under $350,000, or organizations represented by a 501(c)(3) fiscal agent, addressing needs resulting directly from federal actions and policies.
Review Cycle
The Vermont Community Action Team program listing gives a deadline of November 16, 2026.
How to Apply
The Foundation’s filing says applications, where required, are submitted online and are typically accepted and reviewed monthly. It lists U.S. recipients only as a restriction. The National Grassroots Organizing Program is closed; the Vermont Community Action Team program accepts online applications year-round.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
Jerry Greenfield National Grassroots Organizing Grant Program
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $30,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Vermont Community Action Team Grant Program
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $2,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Vermont Grant Program- Equity & Justice
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website describes Vermont grant programs and a national program for organizations throughout the United States and its territories. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California (20%), Vermont (16%), New York (9%), Massachusetts (8%), and Illinois (4%). The filing lists U.S. recipients only.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 448 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2020) to $4.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 448 grants totaling $4.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tides Foundation ($295K). Together the top 10 received $850K.
Grant Size Distribution
1,346 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,328 grants of 1,346 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tides Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $295,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Warwick, RI | General Support | $142,363 |
| Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs Calabasas, CA | General Support | $120,000 |
| Resist Boston, MA | General Support | $75,000 |
| Equitable Opportunities Now Foundation Worcester, MA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Coup Council Rapid City, SD | General Support | $45,000 |
| Social Good Fund Richmond, CA | General Support | $31,500 |
| Peace Development Fund San Francisco, CA | General Support | $31,000 |
| 350 Sacramento Sacramento, CA | General Support | $30,000 |
| Adelante Student Voices Poughkeepsie, NY | General Support | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,224,372 | $5,616,458 | $4,573,131 | $4,220,251 | 448 |
| 2023 | $8,171,045 | $5,607,591 | $4,246,010 | $3,795,285 | 449 |
| 2022 | $6,809,464 | $5,345,918 | $4,609,893 | $4,289,819 | 447 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,224,372 | $8,171,045 | $6,809,464 |
| Revenue | $5,616,458 | $5,607,591 | $5,345,918 |
| Expenses | $4,573,131 | $4,246,010 | $4,609,893 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,518,955 | $4,207,085 | $4,577,794 |
| Net Investment Income | $248,189 | $52,974 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $478,458 | $408,823 | $317,138 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jeff Furman as president, Jerry Greenfield as treasurer, Elizabeth Bankowski as secretary, Anuradha Mittal as vice-president, and Tamara Toles O'Laughlin and Nolan Titcomb as trustees.
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc is led by Jeff Furman, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jeff Furman
President
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nolan Titcomb
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Bankowski
Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$20K (2024)
Anuradha Mittal
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Greenfield
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $20K, to Elizabeth Bankowski (Secretary).
Contact
Application contact: Lisa Pendolino
Mailing address: 30 Community Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403
Phone: (802) 846-1500
Email: info@benandjerrysfoundation.org
Website: https://www.benandjerrysfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
How much does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc give each year?
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc gave $4.2M across 448 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.8M across 449 grants.
What is Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $9,420, across 448 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc give grants?
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's top state is California, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Vermont (16%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Burlington, VT (35 grants), Montpelier, VT (24 grants), Brattleboro, VT (19 grants) and New York, NY (9 grants).
Does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (448 of 448) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Tides Foundation ($295,000), Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($142,363) and Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs ($120,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc?
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc reported $9.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $478K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation says it engages Ben & Jerry’s employees in grantmaking, gives back to Vermont communities, and supports grassroots organizations and movements working toward a more equitable society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc?
The Foundation’s filing says applications, where required, are submitted online and are typically accepted and reviewed monthly. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's EIN?
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 03-0300865. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
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