Benton Community Foundation
Benton Community Foundation is a public charity based in Corvallis, Oregon. Founded in 1953, it supports charitable work in Benton County through community grants, scholarships, and stewardship of community funds.
Benton Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Benton Community Foundation gave $1.5M across 60 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Oregon. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,498,687
- +26.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 60
- +22.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $24,978
- +3.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $13,291
- Total assets
- $43,298,199
- +13.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (17 of 60, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Oregon (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Benton Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit an application through the online grant portal during the Community Grant cycle. The 2026 cycle’s application limit and request cap applied to that past cycle: organizations could submit up to two applications, with a combined maximum request of $20,000. The foundation also offers Emerging Needs Grants for urgent, unforeseen needs; those applications are closed for 2026.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Community Grant deadline was January 19, 2026, and has passed. The website says 2027 applications will open in December 2026 but does not state a deadline.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Community Grant deadline was January 19, 2026, and has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 911, Corvallis, OR 97339
Phone: (541) 753-1603
Website: https://bcfgives.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Benton Community Foundation
Who Benton Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Arts Center ($207K). Together the top 10 received $794K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
249 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 221 grants of 249 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s Community Grants support programs serving Benton County. All grant dollars itemized in its 2025 filing went to recipients in Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 60 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Benton Community Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 60 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $16K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $829K (2021) to $1.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 60 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Arts Center Corvallis, OR | Operational Support | $207,391 |
| Unity Shelter Corvallis, OR | Financial Support | $141,000 |
| OSU College of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Corvallis, OR | Support for Graduate Students and Teaching Assistants | $111,901 |
| Grace Center for Adult Day Services Corvallis, OR | Annual Financial Support and Appliance Replacement | $59,872 |
| Strengthening Rural Families Philomath, OR | Investing in Rural Families | $53,800 |
| Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation & Development Corvallis, OR | Tarweek Folk School | $49,400 |
| PSD 17J - Philomath Community Pool Philomath, OR | Operating Costs of Philomath Swimming Pool | $48,660 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis Corvallis, OR | Operational and Program/Initiative Support | $44,004 |
| Stone Soup Corvallis Corvallis, OR | Meals-to-Go-Option Program | $39,449 |
| Whiteside Theatre Foundation Corvallis, OR | General Purpose Financial Support | $38,484 |
Ready to take the next step with Benton Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s website says about 63% of its net assets are endowed, with only income from those gifts expended for charitable purposes and principal remaining intact in perpetuity.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,298,199 | $4,697,530 | $3,074,242 | $1,498,687 | 60 | $1,332,501 |
| 2024 | $38,073,900 | $4,459,865 | $2,752,005 | $1,183,718 | 49 | $2,310,007 |
| 2023 | $34,939,617 | $3,678,969 | $2,472,831 | $1,054,728 | 53 | $626,725 |
| 2022 | $30,122,190 | $3,953,490 | $2,307,353 | $1,124,824 | 53 | $526,598 |
| 2021 | $32,226,070 | $3,908,715 | $1,841,075 | $829,010 | 34 | $1,883,622 |
| 2020 | $27,865,121 | $3,472,787 | $1,752,014 | $1,038,002 | 47 | $1,317,401 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to enhance the community through philanthropy. It also states that it aspires to co-create diverse, meaningful, and innovative charitable giving with positive impact in local communities and beyond.
Community Grant priorities are Arts and Culture, Human Services, Education and Youth Development, and Community Betterment. The foundation says capacity-building and capital projects may be funded when they fit a priority area and support children, youth, and families in Benton County.
Among its 2025 grantees, Corvallis Arts Center describes its mission as inspiring creativity and contributing to community well-being through equitable access to and engagement with visual arts. Unity Shelter’s mission is providing safe shelter through collaborative care. Grace Center for Adult Day Services says it provides day services to help seniors and adults with disabilities maintain their abilities and independence. Strengthening Rural Families describes its work as promoting the health and well-being of individuals and families in rural communities. Stone Soup Corvallis says it provides free full meals to people experiencing hunger.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 60 grants totaling $1,498,687. Grants ranged from $5,050 to $207,391, with a median grant of $13,291. The largest awards included $207,391 to The Arts Center for operational support; $141,000 to Unity Shelter for financial support; and $111,901 to Oregon State University’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences for graduate students and teaching assistants. Other notable awards included $59,872 to Grace Center for Adult Day Services and $53,800 to Strengthening Rural Families.
The foundation’s website describes Community Grants as an annual program. Applications for the 2027 cycle are scheduled to open in December 2026. Applications are submitted through an online system. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, government agencies, churches or religious organizations applying for non-religious purposes, and organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Applicants must serve Benton County and meet the stated location requirements: staffed organizations must have an office in Benton County or neighboring Linn, Lane, Polk, or Lincoln County; volunteer-led organizations must provide a verifiable address or show that core volunteers live in one of those counties. Funding is not available for private individuals, political campaigns or candidates, lobbying, discrimination, or inherently religious purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rebecca Badger as chair, Xan Augerot as vice chair, Brandon Konda as treasurer, and Tom Gallagher as secretary. It also lists Nicole Wallace, Tammy Bray, Diana Simpson-Godfrey, Justin Wirth, Susan Poole, and Mamta Chowdhury as members.
Benton Community Foundation is led by Chris Quaka, President & CEO on the 2025 filing; 2 of 13 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chris Quaka
President & CEO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$179K (2025)
Rebecca Badger
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Kaufmann
Director & Philanthropic Gifts
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$104K (2025)
Susan Poole
Member
Director → Past Chair, 2024
Past Chair → Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Bray
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Justin Wirth
Member
Secretary → Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Gallagher
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tony Lapiz
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mamta Chowdhury
Member
Director → Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Wallace
Member
Treasurer → Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Konda
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diana Simpson-Godfrey
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Xan Augerot
Vice Chair
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: Cameron Howell (2020–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Christopher Quaka (2020–2024) — President & CEO
- Former: Ilene Kleinsorge (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Julie Manning (2020–2024) — Chair
- Former: Xanthippe Augerot (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Malcolm Lemay (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Diana Simpson Godfrey (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Cam Little (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Joan Reukauf (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Melissa Goff (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Pat Lampton (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Alicia Ritter (2021) — Director
- Former: Dave Gazeley (2020) — Secretary
- Former: John Turman (2020) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $179K, to Chris Quaka (President/CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Benton Community Foundation
How much does Benton Community Foundation give each year?
Benton Community Foundation gave $1.5M across 60 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 49 grants.
What is Benton Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Benton Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $13,291, and its average grant was $24,978, across 60 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Benton Community Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Benton Community Foundation give grants?
Benton Community Foundation gives mostly in Oregon: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Corvallis, OR (36 grants), Philomath, OR (8 grants), Albany, OR (3 grants) and Alsea, OR (3 grants).
Does Benton Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of Benton Community Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 60) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Financial Support" (4 grants).
Who are Benton Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Benton Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Arts Center ($207,391), Unity Shelter ($141,000) and OSU College of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences ($111,901), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Benton Community Foundation?
Benton Community Foundation reported $43.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.7M.
What does Benton Community Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to enhance the community through philanthropy. It also states that it aspires to co-create diverse, meaningful, and innovative charitable giving with positive impact in local communities and beyond. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Benton Community Foundation?
Submit an application through the online grant portal during the Community Grant cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Benton Community Foundation's EIN?
Benton Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-6022916. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Benton Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Benton Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/benton-community-foundation-morg_e766dcb52f6841b19fac6341e09fb698
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_936022916_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Benton Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/benton-community-foundation-morg_e766dcb52f6841b19fac6341e09fb698},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Benton Community 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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