Benedict Silverman Foundation
The Benedict Silverman Foundation is a New York, NY-based private foundation that supports evidence-based literacy programs for children in grades K–2, along with educational, food security, and social service organizations. The foundation’s website describes literacy as a basic need and says it works with public schools and organizations to expand access to effective tutoring.
Benedict Silverman Foundation at a glance
In short: Benedict Silverman Foundation gave $2.6M across 9 grants in 2024 (avg $291K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,621,808
- -4.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 9
- -35.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $291,312
- +48.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $57,000
- Total assets
- $37,281,156
- +0.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Benedict Silverman 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: Co Citrin 50 Rockefeller Plz, New York, NY 10020
Phone: (212) 697-1000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Benedict Silverman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Reading Institute ($2.0M). Together the top 9 received $2.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 20 grants of 57 (35%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 4% to New Jersey, 2% to Pennsylvania, and less than 1% to Georgia. The foundation’s website says Reading Go! is distributed to public school students and organizations across the United States and internationally.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Benedict Silverman Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 217% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2022) to $2.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 9 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Reading Institute New York, NY | Operational Support - Science of Reading Interventions | $2,010,000 |
| Fund for the City of New York New York, NY | Food Pantry | $200,000 |
| South Asian Council for Social Services Flushing, NY | Food Pantry | $125,000 |
| Elijah's Promise Inc New Brunswick, NJ | Food Pantry | $100,000 |
| It Takes a Village Tyler Hill, PA | Food Pantry | $57,000 |
| Chalkbeat New York, NY | Support the Science of Reading | $50,000 |
| Riverside Church New York, NY | Donation of Food and Shelter | $50,000 |
| Canisius College Buffalo, NY | Pilot Sites - Grant Funds | $18,337 |
| Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation Inc Lawrenceville, GA | Literacy Programming | $11,471 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $37,281,156 | $2,190,914 | $4,161,759 | $2,621,808 | 9 | $4,005,513 | $1,211,021 | $1,847,262 |
| 2023 | $37,174,331 | $1,348,250 | $4,322,535 | $2,748,835 | 14 | $4,676,783 | $1,175,617 | $1,819,411 |
| 2022 | $38,128,731 | $814,394 | $3,333,559 | $1,636,243 | 9 | $3,221,032 | $1,140,461 | $1,986,477 |
| 2021 | $38,701,910 | $5,378,775 | $3,951,766 | $2,796,939 | 14 | $3,873,891 | $970,365 | $1,985,113 |
| 2020 | $37,288,364 | $9,210,174 | $3,182,645 | $2,608,400 | 11 | — | $913,249 | $2,007,446 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it creates and sustains organizations providing evidence-based literacy programs for children in grades K–2. Its direct charitable activity is described as helping children achieve literacy by disseminating high-quality, cost-effective programs for schools and families.
The foundation’s website also identifies support for educational, food security, and social service organizations. Among its grantees, The Reading Institute says it develops and expands Science of Reading-aligned early literacy instruction and interventions. Elijah’s Promise describes its mission as empowering lives through training, education, and social services, and alleviating hunger by providing nutritious meals. South Asian Council for Social Services says it works to connect underserved communities with vital resources.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 9 grants totaling $2,621,808. Awards ranged from $11,471 to $2,010,000, with a median grant of $57,000.
The largest 2024 grant was $2,010,000 to The Reading Institute for operational support of Science of Reading interventions. Other grants included $200,000 to the Fund for the City of New York for a food pantry; $125,000 to the South Asian Council for Social Services for a food pantry; $100,000 to Elijah’s Promise for a food pantry; and $57,000 to It Takes a Village for a food pantry. The foundation also awarded $50,000 to Chalkbeat to support the Science of Reading and $50,000 to Riverside Church for food and shelter.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jayne Bentzen as president, Diane Archer as secretary, and Allison Jaffin, Scott Harrison, Rhahime Bell, and Stephen Presser as trustees.
Benedict Silverman Foundation is led by Jayne Bentzen, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jayne Bentzen
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allison Jaffin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Harrison
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rhahime Bell
Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Presser
Trustee
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Archer
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Rhamie Bell (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Benedict Silverman Foundation
How much does Benedict Silverman Foundation give each year?
Benedict Silverman Foundation gave $2.6M across 9 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.7M across 14 grants.
What is Benedict Silverman Foundation's typical grant size?
Benedict Silverman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $57,000, and its average grant was $291,312, across 9 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Benedict Silverman Foundation give grants?
Benedict Silverman Foundation gives mostly in New York: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants).
Does Benedict Silverman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 11% of Benedict Silverman Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Food Pantry" (4 grants).
Who are Benedict Silverman Foundation's largest grantees?
Benedict Silverman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Reading Institute ($2,010,000), Fund for the City of New York ($200,000) and South Asian Council for Social Services ($125,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Benedict Silverman Foundation?
Benedict Silverman Foundation reported $37.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Benedict Silverman Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it creates and sustains organizations providing evidence-based literacy programs for children in grades K–2. Its direct charitable activity is described as helping children achieve literacy by disseminating high-quality, cost-effective programs for schools and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Benedict Silverman 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 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.
Does Benedict Silverman 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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