Berenstein Family Foundation
The Berenstein Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux City, Iowa. It made 23 grants totaling $16,820 in filing year 2025, with 96% of grant dollars going to recipients in Iowa.
Berenstein Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Berenstein Family Foundation gave $17K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $731.304), mostly in Iowa. 43% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,820
- -0.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +64.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $731
- -39.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $225,851
- +4.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (10 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Berenstein Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing requests a one-page letter explaining how the contribution would be used, along with proof of the requesting organization’s tax-exempt status. It lists Greg L. Berenstein as the person to contact. Awards have no restrictions unless specified when a contribution is made.
- Review Cycle
- The filing states there are no specific timeframes for submitting requests.
- Deadline
- The filing states there are no specific timeframes for submitting requests.
- Contact
Application contact: Greg L Berenstein
Mailing address: 310 Pelletier Dr, Sioux City, IA 51104
Phone: (773) 502-4734
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Berenstein Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sioux City Symphony ($2K). Together the top 10 received $13K.
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 106 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to Iowa recipients, 3% to Washington recipients, and 1% to Nebraska recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Berenstein Family Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 23 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $587; repeat grants $842. How we count
Medians: $385 first-time, $600 repeat.
- 35% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2022) to $21K (2020). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $17K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux City Symphony Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| First Presbyterian Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Congregation Beth Shalom Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Center for Siouxland Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Girls Inc Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $1,300 |
| June E Nylen Cancer Center Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Safe Places Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| United Way Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Saturday in the Park Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Kwit Sioux City, IA | Unrestricted | $600 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $225,851 | $30,449 | $21,544 | $16,820 | 23 | $16,820 | $29,857 | $19,510 |
| 2024 | $216,946 | $18,841 | $20,917 | $16,850 | 14 | $16,850 | $17,831 | $18,035 |
| 2023 | $219,022 | $18,025 | $22,127 | $17,426 | 17 | $17,426 | $16,620 | $17,407 |
| 2022 | $223,124 | $11,782 | $18,722 | $16,575 | 19 | $16,575 | $10,555 | $17,894 |
| 2021 | $230,064 | $20,961 | $24,844 | $17,225 | 33 | $17,225 | $19,317 | $18,455 |
| 2020 | $233,947 | $11,921 | $26,604 | $20,891 | 23 | — | $9,280 | $18,718 |
| 2019 | $248,630 | $19,519 | $24,228 | $18,360 | 21 | — | $17,800 | $18,240 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Berenstein Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Examples of organizations it supported in 2025 include the Center for Siouxland, whose stated mission is to provide social services for low-income and elderly individuals; Saturday in the Park Inc., which says it promotes musical entertainment and cultural enhancement in the tri-state region around Sioux City, including through a free music festival; and Hope Street of Siouxland, which says it connects the community through services for people experiencing homelessness, addictions, and mental illness.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $16,820. Grants ranged from $100 to $2,000, with a median of $500. The largest listed awards were $2,000 each to Sioux City Symphony, First Presbyterian, and Congregation Beth Shalom; $1,500 to Center for Siouxland; and $1,300 to Girls Inc. The listed 2025 grants were designated unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Zena Berenstein as secretary-director and Craig S. Berenstein and Greg L. Berenstein as directors.
Berenstein Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Greg L. Berenstein
Director
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Craig S. Berenstein
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Zena Berenstein
Sec.-Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Marvin S. Berenstein (2019–2021) — Pres.-Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $3K, to Greg L Berenstein (Director).
Frequently asked questions about Berenstein Family Foundation
How much does Berenstein Family Foundation give each year?
Berenstein Family Foundation gave $17K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $17K across 14 grants.
What is Berenstein Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Berenstein Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $731, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Berenstein Family Foundation that year got $587 on average.
Where does Berenstein Family Foundation give grants?
Berenstein Family Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sioux City, IA (20 grants).
Does Berenstein Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Berenstein Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Berenstein Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Berenstein Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sioux City Symphony ($2,000), First Presbyterian ($2,000) and Congregation Beth Shalom ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Berenstein Family Foundation?
Berenstein Family Foundation reported $226K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20K (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 Berenstein Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Berenstein Family Foundation?
The filing requests a one-page letter explaining how the contribution would be used, along with proof of the requesting organization’s tax-exempt status. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Berenstein Family Foundation's EIN?
Berenstein Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1461615. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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