Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Eleva, WI EIN: 46-4315166

BENNE-FIT VALLEY FOUNDATION INC is a Form 990-PF private foundation located in Eleva, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports 17 grants totaling $44,221, including support for a church capital-improvement project, rodeo support, veterans, scholarships, and charitable organizations.

Key facts about Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc

In short: Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc gave $44K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Wisconsin. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
46-4315166
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$44,221
Grants made (2025)
17
Average grant
$2,601
Median grant
$250
New grantees (estimate)
35% first-time grantees (6 of 17, 2025)
Total assets
$679,617
Primary geography
Wisconsin (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$680K

-5.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$44K

-16.1% YoY

Grant Count

17

+41.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$3K

-40.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $37K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

35%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 6 of 17 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count

Medians: $700 first-time, $200 repeat.

  • 29% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 199% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 128% 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.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, homelessness services, veterans’ support, health care, and hunger relief.

The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Tarleton State University says its mission includes providing financial support to the university and scholarships for students attending it. Hope Gospel Mission says it offers Christ-centered, life-changing help to homeless and needy people in western Wisconsin. Feed My People says it works to eliminate hunger by distributing food and household products through programs serving low-income people in 14 west-central Wisconsin counties. Rainbow Hospice Care says it provides comfort, care, and meaning for terminally ill patients and support for their families and friends.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $44,221. Grants ranged from $50 to $29,100, with a median grant of $250.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin and 11% to recipients in Texas. Arizona, Missouri, and Alabama each received 1% of grant dollars.

Grant Distribution by State

13states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.

Cities

ElevaEau ClaireManitowish WatersCincinnatiStephenvilleStrumWashingtonJeffersonMilwaukeePresque IsleHartlandIndianapolisKansas CityMadisonPigeon FallsStaten IslandWhitewaterArlingtonBoscobelBraintree

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K5 grants2020 11 grants2021 10 grants2022 15 grants2023 12 grants2024 17 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2021) to $53K (2024). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $44K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

East Bennett Valley Church: $29KEast Bennett Valley Church$29KTarleton State University: $5KTarleton State University$5KAmerican Legion Post 0459: $4KAmerican Legion Post 0459$4KEleva Strum High School: $2KEleva Strum High School$2KChildren's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation Inc: $1KChildren's Hospital ofWisconsin Foundation Inc$1KHope Gospel Mission Inc: $1KHope Gospel Mission Inc$1KSalvation Army: $1KSalvation Army$1KCowboy Church: $400Cowboy Church$400Central Presbyterian Church: $250Central Presbyterian Church$250Community Church Lake: $250Community Church Lake$250

The largest 2025 recipient was East Bennett Valley Church ($29K). Together the top 10 received $43K.

Grant Size Distribution

65 grants across all recorded years

65<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 65 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
East Bennett Valley Church Eleva, WICapital Improvement Projects$29,100
Tarleton State University Stephenville, TXRodeo Support$5,000
American Legion Post 0459 Eleva, WISupport of local veterans and christmas wreaths for veteran gravesites.$3,821
Eleva Strum High School Strum, WIScholarship Program$1,500
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation Inc Milwaukee, WISupport Children's Hospital$1,000
Hope Gospel Mission Inc Eau Claire, WIHelp the Homeless in Western Wisconsin$1,000
Salvation Army Eau Claire, WIGeneral Support$1,000
Cowboy Church CASA Grande, AZGeneral Support$400
Central Presbyterian Church Kansas City, MOGeneral Support$250
Community Church Lake Dadeville, ALGeneral Support$250

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $679,617 $13,204 $51,417 $44,221
2024 $717,830 $18,850 $56,450 $52,735
2023 $763,270 $12,222 $43,415 $32,420
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$20K$40K$60K$80K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$679,617$717,830$763,270
Revenue$13,204$18,850$12,222
Expenses$51,417$56,450$43,415
Qualifying Distributions$46,898$54,552$33,375
Net Investment Income$9,673$16,952$2,182
Distributable Amount$36,658$39,567$57,157

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 8, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 10, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 24, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 23, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Fred H. Lawton as president, Eric M. Lawton as vice president, John Gorman as treasurer, T. Andrew Detling as secretary, and Becky Kayser as forest manager.

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc is led by Fred H. Lawton, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Fred H. Lawton

    President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Becky Kayser

    Forest Manager

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eric M. Lawton

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Gorman

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • T. Andrew Detling

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

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.

Contact

Mailing address: N44783 County Road V, Eleva, WI 54738
Phone: (715) 287-4159

Frequently asked questions about Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc

How much does Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc give each year?

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc gave $44K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $53K across 12 grants.

What is Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $250, and its average grant was $2,601, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.

Where does Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc give grants?

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Eleva, WI (3 grants) and Eau Claire, WI (3 grants).

Does Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 47% of Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include East Bennett Valley Church ($29,100), Tarleton State University ($5,000) and American Legion Post 0459 ($3,821), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc?

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc reported $680K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $47K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $37K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, homelessness services, veterans’ support, health care, and hunger relief. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc?

The foundation states that it 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 Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's EIN?

Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4315166. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Benne-Fit Valley Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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