Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Its stated mission is to support the health, human services, and housing needs of underserved people in Litchfield, Connecticut, and nearby communities.
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund at a glance
In short: Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund gave $81K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Connecticut. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $81,000
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,750
- -12.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,786,879
- +4.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (7 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund
- Contact
Application contact: Amy Lynch
Mailing address: 101 E River Dr, East Hartford, CT 06108
Phone: (860) 244-4870
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund
Who Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Litchfield Community Services Fund ($10K). Together the top 10 received $72K.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 49 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund’s grant-program description identifies Litchfield, Connecticut, and nearby communities as its service area. In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut and 6% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 12 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $66K (2019) to $95K (2023). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $81K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Litchfield Community Services Fund Litchfield, CT | Unrestricted General | $10,000 |
| Connecticut Foodshare Wallingford, CT | Unrestricted General | $10,000 |
| Operation Fuel Hartford, CT | Unrestricted General | $10,000 |
| Town of Litchfield Litchfield, CT | Unrestricted General | $10,000 |
| Chore Service of Northwestern CT Salisbury, CT | Unrestricted General | $7,000 |
| Mental Health Connecticut Farmington, CT | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| Susan B Anthony Project for Women Inc Torrington, CT | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| Greenwoods Counseling Litchfield, CT | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| End Hunger Connecticut East Hartford, CT | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| Rebuilding Together in Litchfield New Milford, CT | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,786,879 | $192,044 | $117,137 | $81,000 | 12 | $96,202 | $174,300 | $102,152 |
| 2024 | $1,711,415 | $171,947 | $108,530 | $77,000 | 10 | $91,271 | $153,529 | $95,591 |
| 2023 | $1,649,675 | $48,838 | $123,136 | $95,000 | 9 | $108,039 | $28,396 | $88,739 |
| 2022 | $1,724,690 | $-55,640 | $124,391 | $86,000 | 8 | $99,684 | $18,982 | $91,280 |
| 2021 | $1,904,746 | $391,422 | $121,736 | $87,500 | 10 | $102,744 | $372,190 | $101,397 |
| 2020 | $1,632,875 | $111,603 | $100,930 | $72,500 | 8 | — | $97,098 | $86,729 |
| 2019 | $1,622,410 | $72,318 | $91,959 | $65,500 | 7 | — | $63,287 | $84,332 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund reported a distributable amount of $102K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Lena Benas Memorial Fund Grant description says the fund seeks to improve the lives of traditionally underserved people through support for charitable organizations. It highlights health, human services, and housing needs, and identifies education, healthcare, the arts, and the environment as areas foundations with broad funding discretion generally support.
Its 2025 grants included Connecticut Foodshare, whose mission is to deliver an informed and equitable response to hunger by mobilizing community partners, volunteers, and supporters. Operation Fuel describes its mission as ensuring equitable access to energy through year-round assistance, promoting energy independence, and advocating for affordable energy. Mental Health Connecticut says it partners with individuals, families, and communities to support long-term health and wellness. End Hunger Connecticut says it works to eliminate hunger through outreach, public education, and legislative and administrative advocacy.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the fund reported 12 grants totaling $81,000. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed awards were $10,000 each to Litchfield Community Services Fund, Connecticut Foodshare, Operation Fuel, and the Town of Litchfield. Other listed recipients included Chore Service of Northwestern CT ($7,000); Mental Health Connecticut, Susan B Anthony Project for Women, Greenwoods Counseling, End Hunger Connecticut, Rebuilding Together in Litchfield, and the American Red Cross ($5,000 each); and Covenant to Care ($4,000). The listed grants were for unrestricted general purposes.
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists Bank of America’s grantmaking materials and states there are no deadlines. The filing lists one restriction on awards but does not specify it.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Bank of America as trustee.
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's only listed officer is Bank Of America, Trustee on every filing since 2021 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bank Of America
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$23K (2021) → $24K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Bank Of America N A (2019–2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $24K, to Bank of America (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund
How much does Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund give each year?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund gave $81K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $77K across 10 grants.
What is Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's typical grant size?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,750, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund that year got $6K on average.
Where does Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund give grants?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund gives mostly in Connecticut: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Litchfield, CT (3 grants) and Hartford, CT (2 grants).
Does Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's largest grantees?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Litchfield Community Services Fund ($10,000), Connecticut Foodshare ($10,000) and Operation Fuel ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $96K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $102K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund fund?
The Lena Benas Memorial Fund Grant description says the fund seeks to improve the lives of traditionally underserved people through support for charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's EIN?
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1616940. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Connecticut Community Foundation
Waterbury, CT
The Connecticut Community Foundation funds nonprofits and fiscally sponsored organizations working in arts and culture, education and economic opportunity, health, environmental justice, older adults’ services, grassroots leadership, and nonprofit strengthening. It serves 21 towns in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills; its 2025 grants had a median of $15,000, within a range of about $5,000 to $993,000. The profile describes an online application process, so it accepts applications.
Assets
$200.1M
Grants
240
Total Given
$8.6M
Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation Inc
Torrington, CT
The Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation funds qualified public charities and student scholarships across a range of community needs, primarily serving 20 towns in Northwest Connecticut. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,700 to $826,112, with a median award of $19,350. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$176.3M
Grants
103
Total Given
$4.6M
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
The Maximilian E and Marion O Hoffman
West Hartford, CT
The foundation supports education, health care, social services, food assistance, and community and cultural organizations, primarily in Connecticut, with additional giving in Maine, Rhode Island, and New York. Its 2025 grants ranged from $2,500 to $250,000, with a median of $19,000. It accepts requests using its prescribed application form; applicants should contact Marion Barrak to obtain one.
Assets
$45.8M
Grants
54
Total Given
$2.1M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
American Savings Foundation Inc
New Britain, CT
The foundation funds education, human services, and arts and culture, especially programs serving children, youth, and families, with a primary focus on New Britain and Waterbury and grants across 64 Connecticut towns. In 2025, its grants ranged from $238 to $150,000, with a median of $1,750; it also offers Community Grants of up to $5,000.
Assets
$107.0M
Grants
613
Total Given
$3.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Texas
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/benas-lsbenas-memorial-fund-morg_ef520810546c4e4d9abf13980c9747f8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061616940_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/benas-lsbenas-memorial-fund-morg_ef520810546c4e4d9abf13980c9747f8},
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 Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund'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.
Benas Lsbenas Memorial Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?