Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc logo

Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc

TACOMA, WA EIN: 91-6053760 Website
Arts and cultureMuseumsEducationHigher educationHealth

The Ben B. Cheney Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1975 and headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. The foundation makes grants to improve the quality of life in communities where Mr. Cheney's lumber company operated. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation has been tax-exempt since 1957.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$68.9M

+3.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.4M

+10.1% YoY

Grant Count

136

-1.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$25K

+11.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in communities where Mr. Cheney operated his lumber company. The foundation organizes its grantmaking into eight categories:

  1. Charity — Programs providing for basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing
  2. Civic — Programs improving the quality of life in a community as a whole, such as museums and recreation facilities
  3. Culture — Programs encompassing the arts
  4. Education — Programs supporting capital projects and scholarships, primarily for fourteen pre-selected colleges and universities in the Pacific Northwest
  5. Elderly — Programs serving the social, health, recreational, and other needs of older people
  6. Health — Programs related to providing health care
  7. Social Services — Programs serving people with physical or mental disabilities or other special needs
  8. Youth — Programs helping young people

The foundation prefers to fund projects that develop new and innovative approaches to community problems, facilitate the improvement of services or programs, and invest in equipment or facilities that will have a long-lasting impact on community needs.

Grantmaking

The foundation makes approximately 100-150 grants per year, totaling around $3 million annually. The foundation is open to a wide variety of programs serving the communities where it gives and prefers to focus on project grants rather than ongoing operating support.

Grant Range

$50,000-$525,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation makes grants in communities where Mr. Cheney's lumber company operated:

  • Primary focus: Pierce County, Washington
  • Washington: Southwest Washington, Olympic Peninsula, Kitsap County
  • Oregon: Medford/Jackson County (primary), Grants Pass/Josephine County
  • California: Northern California counties including Del Norte, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, and Plumas

Grant Distribution by State

19states
+11 more states

States

AlabamaArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisMarylandMissouriMontanaNorth CarolinaNew YorkOregonPennsylvaniaUtahVirginiaWashington

Cities

AberdeenAnnapolisAshlandAtlantaAuburnBay CenterBelfairBellinghamBerkeleyBillingsBoiseBozemanBrandonBremertonBuckleyCarbondaleCentraliaCharlotteChehalisCheney

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets:

  • $66.6 million (2023)
  • $68.9 million (2024)

Annual Giving:

  • $3.1 million (2023)
  • $3.4 million (2024)
  • $3.9 million (distributions, 2023)

Liabilities:

  • $359,000 (2023)

Annual Revenue:

  • $8.1 million

Staffing:

  • 3 employees
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$68,858,292$66,572,977$67,376,991
Revenue$7,086,394$4,036,139$4,485,432
Expenses$4,784,516$4,538,297$4,579,585
Qualifying Distributions$4,150,208$3,942,321$3,926,356
Net Investment Income$6,347,913$3,399,076$3,895,833
Distributable Amount$4,519,013$4,152,511$4,270,062

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M1 grants202096 grants202191 grants2022138 grants2023136 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

MULTICARE HEALTH FOUNDAT…$525KHABITAT FOR HUMANITY TAC…$500KTACOMA RESCUE MISSION$500KPACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERS…$300KPENINSULA METROPOLITAN P…$100KMERCY FOUNDATION NORTH$75KUNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND$60KUNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON…$60KPACIFIC INTERNATIONAL LE…$40KYMCA OF PIERCE AND KITSA…$35K

Grant Size Distribution

201 grants across all recorded years

171<$50K11$50–100K11$100–250K3$250–500K4$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc

Foundation

Ben B. Cheney Foundation Grant

BEN B CHENEY FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Up to US $40,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Multicare Health Foundations ($525,000), Habitat for Humanity Tacomapierce County ($500,000), Tacoma Rescue Mission ($500,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
MULTICARE HEALTH FOUNDATIONS TACOMA, WAMARY BRIDGE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN$525,000
CISPUS LEARNING CENTER RANDLE, WACISPUS ADA SIDEWALKS$14,580
HISTORIC TOWN OF WILKESON WILKESON, WACOMMUNITY HUB MATCHING GRANT$5,000
SHANAMAN SPORTS MUSEUM PUYALLUP, WATRIBUTE TO CHAMPIONS EVENT SUPPORT$2,000
PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE KENT, WABOARD DIRECTED GIFT$5,500
WASHINGTON TRAILS ASSOCIATION SEATTLE, WAEXPANDING YOUTH ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS - PIERCE COUNTY OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING (OLT) PROGRAM$10,000
FOUR WAY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTS PASS, ORSYSTEMS REVIEW TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE$8,000
NETWORK TACOMA TACOMA, WAONE FAMILY AT A TIME: VENTURE REHABILITATION$15,000
GREENTRIKE TACOMA, WAMATCHING GIFT$2,500
GREENTRIKE TACOMA, WAMATCHING GIFT$5,100

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Bradbury F. Cheney — Board Chair & Executive Director
  • Carolyn Cheney — Vice Chair
  • Matthew Beckingham — Treasurer
  • Jordan Beckingham — Secretary
  • Andrew Cheney — Director
  • Bob Hall — Director
  • Henry Cheney — Director
  • Jamie Foster — Director
  • Erika J. Tucci — Senior Program Officer
  • Carol L. Lewis — Executive Assistant

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

ERIKA TUCCIEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$185KBRADBURY F CHENEYBOARD CHAIR$57KCAROLYN CHENEYVICE CHAIR$6KMATTHEW BECKINGHAMTREASURER$6KJORDAN BECKINGHAMSECRETARY$6KANDREW CHENEYDIRECTOR$6KBOB HALLDIRECTOR$6KHENRY CHENEYDIRECTOR$6KJAMIE FOSTERDIRECTOR$5K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
ERIKA TUCCIEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR40$185,000
BRADBURY F CHENEYBOARD CHAIR30$57,054
CAROLYN CHENEYVICE CHAIR1$5,500
MATTHEW BECKINGHAMTREASURER1$5,500
JORDAN BECKINGHAMSECRETARY1$5,500
ANDREW CHENEYDIRECTOR1$5,500
BOB HALLDIRECTOR1$5,500
HENRY CHENEYDIRECTOR1$5,500
JAMIE FOSTERDIRECTOR1$4,750

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2025

The foundation is celebrating 50 years of grantmaking in 2025. Recent initiatives and partnerships include:

50 Years of Partnership with Six Local Nonprofits - Ben B. Cheney Foundation

**50 Years of Partnership** — The foundation is honoring 50 years of partnership with six local nonprofits

50 Years of Partnership with Six Local Nonprofits - Ben B. Cheney Foundation

**Board Training Series** — A special free 50th Anniversary Board Training Series presented in partnership with other organizations

**Tacoma Public Library Children's Area Renovation** — Support for the Tacoma Public Library's children's area renovation project

**South Bend School District** — Long-time partnership with South Bend School District, dating back to the foundation's early years

50 Years of Partnership with Six Local Nonprofits - Ben B. Cheney Foundation

**GoodRoots Northwest** — Ongoing relationship with GoodRoots Northwest (formerly Bonney Lake Food Bank), with partnership history dating to 1983

**Innovation Celebration** — The foundation continues to celebrate innovators and their work in regions where the foundation operates

Ben B. Cheney Foundation Celebrates Innovation - Ben B. Cheney Foundation

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Arts and cultureMuseumsEducationHigher educationHealth

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in communities where Mr. Cheney operated his lumber company. The foundation organizes its grantmaking into eight categories: 1. **Charity** — Programs providing for basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing 2. **Civic** — Programs improving the quality of life in a community as a whole, such as museums and recreation facilities 3. **Culture** — Programs encompassing the arts 4. **Education** — Programs supporting capital projects and sch…

How do I apply for a grant from Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc?

The foundation makes approximately 100-150 grants per year, totaling around $3 million annually. The foundation is open to a wide variety of programs serving the communities where it gives and prefers to focus on project grants rather than ongoing operating support. **Grant Amounts by Region (Typical Year):** **Washington:** • Pierce County (primary location): 20-30 grants / $1.1-$1.4 million • Southwest Washington: 5-8 grants / $100,000-$130,000 • Olympic Peninsula (Thurston, Mason, Jefferson,…

Where does Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation makes grants in communities where Mr. Cheney's lumber company operated: • **Primary focus:** Pierce County, Washington • **Washington:** Southwest Washington, Olympic Peninsula, Kitsap County • **Oregon:** Medford/Jackson County (primary), Grants Pass/Josephine County • **California:** Northern California counties including Del Norte, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, and Plumas

What size grants does Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc awarded 136 grants totaling $3.4M — an average of about $25K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc's EIN?

Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6053760. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Ben B Cheney Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database

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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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