Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2025, it reported 27 grants totaling $157,975, primarily for scholarships, along with general operating support for a public library.
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn at a glance
In short: Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn gave $158K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $157,975
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,851
- -4.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $3,447,343
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (75% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Application forms and materials are available upon request. No award restrictions are listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Susan Cencia - Bny Mellon N A
Mailing address: PO Box 185, Pittsburgh, PA 15230
Phone: (412) 234-0023
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Indiana University of Pennsylvania ($25K). Together the top 10 received $101K.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($22,800), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 137 grants of 137 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Pennsylvania recipients received 75% of the foundation’s 2025 grant dollars. The filing also reports shares of 3% each for recipients in Washington, DC; Wisconsin; Georgia; and Tennessee. Listed recipients include organizations in Pennsylvania communities such as Indiana, Pittsburgh, Blairsville, Erie, and Greenville, as well as institutions in Washington, DC; Madison, Wisconsin; Atlanta, Georgia; and Nashville, Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $154K (2024) to $194K (2022). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $158K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA | Scholarships | $25,300 |
| University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | Scholarships | $18,000 |
| Blairsville Public Library Blairsville, PA | General Operating | $15,275 |
| Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA | Scholarships | $10,800 |
| Gannon University Erie, PA | Scholarships | $7,500 |
| 5 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $22,800 |
| Theil College Greenville, PA | Scholarships | $5,100 |
| American University Washington, DC | Scholarships | $5,100 |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA | Scholarships | $4,800 |
| Belmont University Nashville, TN | Scholarships | $4,800 |
Ready to take the next step with Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
EIN: 25-6276186.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,447,343 | $131,775 | $209,996 | $157,975 | 27 | $181,550 | $104,189 | $195,692 |
| 2024 | $3,524,951 | $48,358 | $203,851 | $153,575 | 25 | $178,682 | $63,417 | $179,326 |
| 2023 | $3,681,044 | $20,827 | $218,488 | $154,275 | 29 | $192,456 | $64,786 | $173,048 |
| 2022 | $3,875,612 | $331,921 | $255,376 | $194,420 | 26 | $215,153 | $304,472 | $197,813 |
| 2021 | $3,802,531 | $734,756 | $181,144 | $158,300 | 30 | — | $723,930 | $181,282 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn reported a distributable amount of $196K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for educational institutions, including colleges and universities, and for a public library. Most of the listed largest grants were designated for scholarships; a grant to Blairsville Public Library was designated for general operating support.
The grantees describe their own missions in varied terms. For example, the University of Pittsburgh describes itself as a research university serving its home region, Pennsylvania, and the nation through education and research. Point Park University says it provides education in an urban setting and prepares students for civic and professional lives. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine describes its mission as preparing students for health professions through education, research, clinical care, and community services.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $157,975 through 27 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $25,300, with a median grant of $4,000. Its largest reported grants included:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
BNY Mellon N.A. is listed as trustee.
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's only listed officer is BNY Mellon N A, Trustee on every filing since 2022 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
BNY Mellon N A
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$34K (2022) → $44K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: BNY Mellon NA (2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $44K, to BNY Mellon N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn
How much does Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn give each year?
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn gave $158K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $154K across 25 grants.
What is Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's typical grant size?
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $5,851, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn give grants?
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (3 grants).
Does Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn give general operating support?
Occasionally: 4% of Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (26 grants).
Who are Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's largest grantees?
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's largest 2025 grantees include Indiana University of Pennsylvania ($25,300), University of Pittsburgh ($18,000) and Blairsville Public Library ($15,275), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($22,800), which are not listed by name. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn?
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $182K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $196K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for educational institutions, including colleges and universities, and for a public library. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn?
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's EIN?
Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6276186. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 7, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/benz-william-l-and-margaret-l-fdn-morg_684c2a6c74f1499a8c73c43dc8324e59
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_256276186_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Benz William L \& Margaret L Fdn funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/benz-william-l-and-margaret-l-fdn-morg_684c2a6c74f1499a8c73c43dc8324e59},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. 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 Benz William L & Margaret L Fdn'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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