Benco Family Foundation
The Benco Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittston, Pennsylvania. Established in 2005, it supports oral health solutions and community organizations, with a stated mission of improving dental health and quality of life in local communities and around the world.
Benco Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Benco Family Foundation gave $875K across 75 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 57% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $874,607
- -7.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 75
- +66.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,661
- -44.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $685
- Total assets
- $5,728,404
- +38.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 57% first-time grantees (43 of 75, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (80% 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 Benco Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 295 Centerpoint Blvd, Pittston, PA 18640
Phone: (570) 825-7781
Website: https://bencofamilyfoundation.benco.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Benco Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wilkes University ($405K). Together the top 10 received $768K.
Grant Size Distribution
285 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 267 grants of 285 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it serves communities locally and around the world. In 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 8% to Colorado, 4% to Washington, DC, 2% to Florida, and 1% to Virginia.
Its website describes national programs, including Lessons in a Lunch Box, and support for Global Smile Foundation’s work in the developing world. It also describes support for the Virlanie Ella Yallah Home in the Philippines.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 75 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Benco Family Foundation open to new grantees?
57%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 43 of 75 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $300 first-time, $5K repeat.
- 35% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 316% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $234K (2020) to $998K (2023). In 2025 it made 75 grants totaling $875K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA | Charitable$5,450 cashdonation of 515 shs alphabet stock, 534 shs amazon stock, 945 shs wells fargo & co stock, 125 shs vanguard value etf. All shares valued on stock market exchangefair market value/book value: $399,333date of gift: december 24, 2025 | $404,783 |
| United Way of Wyoming Valley Wilkes-Barre, PA | Charitable | $81,431 |
| Jewish Community Center of Wilkes Barre Wilkes-Barre, PA | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Dental Lifeline Network Denver, CO | Charitable | $60,000 |
| Geisinger Health Foundation Danville, PA | Charitable | $60,000 |
| Naw Institute for Distribution Excellence Washington, DC | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Ceoweinberg Food Bank Wilkes-Barre, PA | Charitable | $21,181 |
| Wvia Pittston, PA | Charitable | $20,125 |
| DTA Foundation Arlington, VA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Last Prisoner Project Denver, CO | Charitable | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Benco Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,728,404 | $686,335 | $908,888 | $874,607 | 75 | $881,346 | $673,867 | $278,707 |
| 2024 | $4,147,498 | $854,571 | $969,928 | $945,442 | 45 | $949,704 | $833,347 | $248,620 |
| 2023 | $4,327,905 | $-426,703 | $1,039,851 | $997,718 | 44 | $1,001,817 | $126,625 | $302,601 |
| 2022 | $5,859,179 | $862,696 | $673,336 | $607,149 | 65 | $612,986 | $805,846 | $263,441 |
| 2021 | $5,903,132 | $523,882 | $391,398 | $358,231 | 56 | $360,871 | $422,485 | $343,608 |
| 2020 | $5,409,561 | $1,177,963 | $255,719 | $233,600 | 45 | — | $298,285 | $235,092 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benco Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $279K 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 foundation’s mission is to improve dental health and quality of life in local communities and around the world. It supports oral-health solutions and community organizations.
Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Dental Lifeline Network, which received $60,000, describes its mission as helping vulnerable adults through a coordinated system of care. Visiting Dental Hygiene, which received $5,000, says it provides mobile preventive dental hygiene care to underserved populations. Luzerne County Head Start, which received $3,000, describes its work as early care and education for pregnant women and children from birth to age five, emphasizing healthy outcomes.
The foundation also describes support for Lessons in a Lunch Box, an oral-health and nutrition education program for elementary school children, and Global Smile Foundation’s surgical care for people with congenital facial deformities. Its Buy-One-Give-One program donates a toothbrush for each qualifying PRO-SYS toothbrush purchased from Benco Dental.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 75 grants totaling $874,607. Grant amounts ranged from $25 to $404,783, with a median of $685.
The largest reported grant was $404,783 to Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Other large grants included $81,431 to United Way of Wyoming Valley; $75,000 to Jewish Community Center of Wilkes-Barre; $60,000 each to Dental Lifeline Network and Geisinger Health Foundation; and $25,000 to NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence. United Way of Wyoming Valley describes its mission as impacting lives today, tomorrow, and forever.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Charles F. Cohen, Lawrence E. Cohen, Richard S. Cohen, Sally Cohen, George Rable, Sheila Riggs, Joanne Stitzer, and Dr. Cynthia Feng. Their listed roles are trustees for Cohen, Rable, and Stitzer; chairman for Riggs; executive director for Stitzer; and senior advisor for Feng. Sally Cohen is listed as a trustee.
Benco Family Foundation is led by Joanne Stitzer, Executive Director on the 2025 filing; none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joanne Stitzer
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheila Riggs
Chairman
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles F. Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence E. Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard S. Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George Rable
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Feng
Senior Advisor
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Julie Radzyminski (2024) — Interim Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Benco Family Foundation
How much does Benco Family Foundation give each year?
Benco Family Foundation gave $875K across 75 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $945K across 45 grants.
What is Benco Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Benco Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $685, and its average grant was $11,661, across 75 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Benco Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Benco Family Foundation give grants?
Benco Family Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wilkes-Barre, PA (10 grants), Scranton, PA (5 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (3 grants).
Does Benco Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 75 grants with a stated purpose on Benco Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (74 grants).
Who are Benco Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Benco Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wilkes University ($404,783), United Way of Wyoming Valley ($81,431) and Jewish Community Center of Wilkes Barre ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Benco Family Foundation?
Benco Family Foundation reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $881K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $279K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Benco Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to improve dental health and quality of life in local communities and around the world. It supports oral-health solutions and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Benco Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Benco Family Foundation's EIN?
Benco Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7483658. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Benco Family 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Benco Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/benco-family-foundation-morg_b920d271c5f043e7ac6dd4f71f0385b4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137483658_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Benco Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/benco-family-foundation-morg_b920d271c5f043e7ac6dd4f71f0385b4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Benco Family 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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