Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc
The Ben & Jerry's Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. Established in 1985, the Foundation was created alongside Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.'s public stock offering, with an initial gift of 50,000 shares from co-founder Ben Cohen and a commitment from the company's Board of Directors to allocate 7.5% of annual pretax profits to philanthropy.
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Ben & Jerry's Foundation engages Ben & Jerry's employees in philanthropy and social change work, gives back to Vermont communities, and supports grassroots activism and community organizing for social and environmental justice around the country.
Core Philosophy: The Foundation believes that people most impacted by inequity and injustice are in the best position to develop solutions. The Foundation is especially interested in supporting communities who have historically been denied power and is guided by principles of grassroots leadership and community organizing.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Social and environmental justice
- Racial justice and social equity
- Grassroots organizing and community action
- Basic human needs (food, housing, health, elder and childcare)
- Support for underserved populations including elders, youth, low-income communities, and communities of color
Grantmaking
Recent grants made include:
Grant Range
up to $30,000
Average Grant
$20,000
How to Apply
The Foundation notes that grant programs are highly competitive and receives far more requests than it can fund. The Foundation recommends thorough review of grant program guidelines before submitting. The grantmaking schedule has changed and no longer operates on a rolling, year-round application process due to uncertainty about funding sources.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Vermont: Primary focus through dedicated Vermont grant programs
- National: United States and its territories through the National Grassroots Organizing Program
- Primary states mentioned: Vermont, California, and New York
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,224,372 | 2024 |
| Total Revenues | $5,616,458 | 2024 |
| Total Expenses | $4,573,131 | 2024 |
| Total Giving | $4,220,251 | 2024 |
| Investment Income | $280,869 | 2024 |
The Foundation employs 2 people and has an annual revenue of approximately $5.0 million.
| 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 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
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
Rolling / Open
Vermont Community Action Team Grant Program
BEN & JERRY'S FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Up to US $2,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Vermont Grant Program- Equity & Justice
BEN & JERRY'S FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include 350 Sacramento ($30,000), Adelante Student Voices ($30,000), Activist San Diego ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1ST AMENDMENT 1ST VOTE INC AUBURN, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| 30TH AND WEST OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| 350 CHICAGO CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $23,000 |
| 350 SACRAMENTO SACRAMENTO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| 350VERMONT BURLINGTON, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100 |
| ABENAKI CIRCLE OF COURAGE SWANTON, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF VERMONT MONTPELIER, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $501 |
| ACORN YOUTH ARTS EAST CORINTH, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ACTIVIST SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ADDISON COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP MIDDLEBURY, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Rebecca Golden – Director of Programs
- Lisa Pendolino – Director of Finance and Operations
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEFF FURMAN | PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| JERRY GREENFIELD | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH BANKOWSKI | SECRETARY | 10 | $19,500 |
| ANURADHA MITTAL | VICE-PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| TAMARA TOLES O'LAUGHLIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NOLAN TITCOMB | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Vermont Equity & Justice Grant program opened for 2025 applications
Ben & Jerry's Foundation announces the opening of the Vermont Equity & JusticeVermont Equity & Justice Grant program opened for 2024 applications
Ben & Jerry's Foundation announces the opening of the Vermont Equity & JusticeBranches Pregnancy Resource Center received a Ben & Jerry's Foundation grant
Branches Pregnancy Resource Center receives Ben and Jerry's Foundation grantFrequently Asked Questions
What does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** The Ben & Jerry's Foundation engages Ben & Jerry's employees in philanthropy and social change work, gives back to Vermont communities, and supports grassroots activism and community organizing for social and environmental justice around the country. **Core Philosophy:** The Foundation believes that people most impacted by inequity and injustice are in the best position to develop solutions. The Foundation is especially interested in supporting communities who have historically bee…
How do I apply for a grant from Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc?
**National Grassroots Organizing Program (NGO)** • Provides unrestricted, general operating support grants • Grant range: up to $30,000 • Average grant size: $20,000 • Eligibility: Small grassroots organizations with budgets under $350,000, constituent-led, throughout the United States and its territories • Focus: Community-based organizations confronting social and environmental injustice **Vermont Community Action Team Grant Program** • Addresses basic human needs within Vermont's underserved…
Where does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc make grants?
• **Vermont:** Primary focus through dedicated Vermont grant programs • **National:** United States and its territories through the National Grassroots Organizing Program • **Primary states mentioned:** Vermont, California, and New York
What size grants does Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc awarded 448 grants totaling $4.2M — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $478K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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