Benedict Silverman Foundation
The Benedict Silverman Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY, focused on literacy and education. The foundation was established by Jayne Bentzen and Benedict Silverman over three decades ago as early champions of evidence-based reading instruction in public schools.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$37.3M
+0.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.6M
-4.6% YoY
Grant Count
9
-35.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$291K
+48.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benedict Silverman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation believes literacy is a basic need, essential to the life of every child. The foundation works with public schools and organizations to ensure all children have access to effective, evidence-based tutoring programs that are critical in grades K–2.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Literacy and reading instruction
- Science education and STEM
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Human services
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding areas include New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with national expansion of literacy programs.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $37,281,156
Total Giving: $2,621,808 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing in 2024)
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3), tax-exempt since April 2008
EIN: 26-1441980
Staff: 6 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $37,281,156 | $37,174,331 | $38,128,731 |
| Revenue | $2,190,914 | $1,348,250 | $814,394 |
| Expenses | $4,161,759 | $4,322,535 | $3,333,559 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,005,513 | $4,676,783 | $3,221,032 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,211,021 | $1,175,617 | $1,140,461 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,847,262 | $1,819,411 | $1,986,477 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Reading Institute ($2,010,000), Fund for the City of New York ($200,000), South Asian Council for Social Services ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CANISIUS COLLEGE BUFFALO, NY | PILOT SITES - GRANT FUNDS | $18,337 |
| CHALKBEAT NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT THE SCIENCE OF READING | $50,000 |
| ELIJAH'S PROMISE INC NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | FOOD PANTRY | $100,000 |
| FUND FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK NEW YORK, NY | FOOD PANTRY | $200,000 |
| GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC LAWRENCEVILLE, GA | LITERACY PROGRAMMING | $11,471 |
| IT TAKES A VILLAGE TYLER HILL, PA | FOOD PANTRY | $57,000 |
| RIVERSIDE CHURCH NEW YORK, NY | DONATION OF FOOD AND SHELTER | $50,000 |
| SOUTH ASIAN COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL SERVICES FLUSHING, NY | FOOD PANTRY | $125,000 |
| THE READING INSTITUTE NEW YORK, NY | OPERATIONAL SUPPORT - SCIENCE OF READING INTERVENTIONS | $2,010,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jayne Bentzen — President and Board Chair. Trained as an actress with a background in television, stage, and film. She established the foundation with her husband, Benedict Silverman, and now devotes herself to philanthropic work focused on expanding evidence-based reading instruction in public schools.
Diane Archer — Director. Founder and President of Just Care USA, an independent digital media hub covering health and financial issues.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAYNE BENTZEN | PRESIDENT | 20 | — |
| DIANE ARCHER | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| ALLISON JAFFIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SCOTT HARRISON | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| RHAHIME BELL | TRUSTEE | 0.15 | — |
| STEPHEN PRESSER | TRUSTEE | 0.15 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has received recognition for its literacy work, with partnerships announced involving major educational institutions and literacy organizations focused on the science of reading and evidence-based instruction methods.
Amira Learning Awarded $3M Literacy Grant to Bring Proven A.I. ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Benedict Silverman Foundation fund?
The foundation believes literacy is a basic need, essential to the life of every child. The foundation works with public schools and organizations to ensure all children have access to effective, evidence-based tutoring programs that are critical in grades K–2. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Literacy and reading instruction • Science education and STEM • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from Benedict Silverman Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $11,471 to $2,010,000. **Impact:** Since 2012, the foundation has: • Helped over 20,000 children become confident readers in New York City and nationally • Delivered 260,000+ tutoring sessions • Trained 5,000 tutors • Dedicated over $20 million in direct funding to grantees **Core Program:** The foundation acquired and operates Reading Go!, a high-dose tutoring program for children in grades K–2 who need extra help learning to read. The program is of…
Where does Benedict Silverman Foundation make grants?
Primary funding areas include New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with national expansion of literacy programs.
What size grants does Benedict Silverman Foundation award?
In 2024, Benedict Silverman Foundation awarded 9 grants totaling $2.6M — an average of about $291K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Benedict Silverman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Benedict Silverman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Benedict Silverman Foundation's EIN?
Benedict Silverman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1441980. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Benedict Silverman Foundation'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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