BESS Family Foundation
The BESS Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2008 and based in Wilmington, Delaware. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.0M
+36.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
52
+44.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
-30.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, BESS Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The BESS Family Foundation provides grants to organizations that offer evidence-based mindfulness and meditation programs designed to help people address contemporary challenges. The foundation specifically focuses on work at the intersection of mindfulness and meditation with the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to a range of organizations. Recent grant recipients have included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking extends across multiple states, with primary activity in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $1,443,400
- Total Revenue: $433,080
- Total Expenses: $1,443,785
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,964,625
- Total Giving: $1,348,832
The foundation has been tax-exempt since July 2009 (EIN: 27-0284495).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,964,625 | $1,443,400 | $2,454,105 |
| Revenue | $2,055,524 | $433,080 | $73,848 |
| Expenses | $1,534,299 | $1,443,785 | $1,282,072 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,514,057 | $1,441,849 | $1,241,230 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,496,560 | $44,150 | $32,632 |
| Distributable Amount | $68,005 | $92,328 | $150,065 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
147 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Inquiring Systems Inc ($100,000), University of Wisconsin ($100,000), Garrison Institute ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC BARRE, MA | a series of three ecodharma retreats to be held at BCBS | $33,333 |
| BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC BARRE, MA | September, 2024 ecodharma retreat | $22,000 |
| BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC BARRE, MA | General & Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| BELOVED COMMUNITY CIRCLES BELMONT, MA | General & Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| BIG SPRINGS GARDEN RETREAT CENTER INC SIERRA CITY, CA | a series of three ecodharma retreats | $33,333 |
| BOUNDLESS IN MOTION BOULDER, CO | Indigenous Women's Retreat at Rocky Mountain Ecodharma retreat center | $15,000 |
| BRAIDED WISDOM INC SAN FRANCISCO, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | travel expenses associated with the 2024 Indigenous mindfulness coalition retreat led by Dr Jeffrey Proulx | $25,000 |
| CAMBRIDGE INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER INC CAMBRIDGE, MA | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| DHARMA GATES INC BROOKLYN, NY | an eight-week online series "How to Love In A Damaged World" | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Lalita Badinehal - Executive Director (2022)
- Jodi Castallo - Program Coordinator (2023)
The foundation employs approximately 4 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Chigier | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Shelly D Chigier | Trustee | 16 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BESS Family Foundation fund?
The BESS Family Foundation provides grants to organizations that offer evidence-based mindfulness and meditation programs designed to help people address contemporary challenges. The foundation specifically focuses on work at the intersection of mindfulness and meditation with the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss.
How do I apply for a grant from BESS Family Foundation?
The foundation makes grants to a range of organizations. Recent grant recipients have included: • Inquiring Systems ($125,000) • Natural Dharma Fellowship ($125,000) • Mind and Life Institute ($100,000) • University of Wisconsin Foundation In 2023, the foundation made 27 grants totaling approximately $1,048,749 in additional giving beyond the three major grants listed above. Typical grant awards range from $129,000 to $150,000. Based on 2024 filings, the foundation reported total giving of $1,3…
Where does BESS Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking extends across multiple states, with primary activity in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
What size grants does BESS Family Foundation award?
In 2024, BESS Family Foundation awarded 52 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is BESS Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, BESS Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is BESS Family Foundation's EIN?
BESS Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0284495. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in BESS Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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