Best Friends Foundation
Best Friends Foundation is a Washington, DC–based public charity focused on youth development through school programs addressing social-emotional behavior, bullying, violence, and other risk behaviors. Its website describes seminars and programs for students in elementary, middle, and high school, and says the programs have served adolescents in the District of Columbia and sites across the country.
Best Friends Foundation at a glance
- Total assets
- $247,290
- Revenue (2025)
- $965,215
- Net investment income (2025)
- $37
- Expenses (2025)
- $849,319
- 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 Best Friends Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 5335 Wisconsin Ave Nw 440, Washington, DC 20015
Phone: (202) 274-1835
Website: https://bestfriendsfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Best Friends Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 58 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Washington, DC. Its website says it has served adolescents in DC public schools and sites across the country, and that its programs may operate in public, private, and religious schools. The 2023 grants listed include recipients in an individual recipient, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Is Best Friends Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 56% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2023). 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 2021 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2022) to $50K (2021). In 2023 it made 19 grants totaling $32K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity Washington University Washington, DC | Scholarship for ingrid tchouamo, nicole lopez and yeira melara | $5,805 |
| 4 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $8,000 |
| Harrisburg University Harrisburg, PA | Scholarship for Okikiola Ajana Adegboro | $2,000 |
| Kent State University Kent, OH | Scholarship for Sorochi Ewelike and Kyra Black | $2,000 |
| Morgan State University Baltimore, MD | Scholarship for Dawntay Bynum and Mekayla Ellerbe | $2,000 |
| Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA | Scholarship for Ciera Townsend and Jazmin Smith | $2,000 |
| Alabama A&M Univeristy Normal, AL | Scholarship for Alcia Bangura | $1,000 |
| Marshall University Huntington, WV | Scholarship for Kyrese Jenkins | $1,000 |
| Mercy College Dobbs Ferry, NY | Scholarship for Kenyon Simms | $1,000 |
| Montgomery College Rockville, MD | Scholarship for Christopher Vasquez | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $247,290 | $965,215 | $849,319 | — | — | — | $37 |
| 2023 | $568,439 | $1,069,511 | $687,530 | $31,805 | 19 | $31,805 | $26 |
| 2022 | $188,750 | $707,252 | $651,075 | $17,000 | 14 | — | $12 |
| 2021 | $152,807 | $659,336 | $652,481 | $50,270 | 25 | — | — |
| 2020 | $149,768 | $537,730 | $449,725 | — | — | — | $14 |
| 2019 | $48,484 | $454,191 | $428,845 | — | — | — | $9 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to promote healthy social-emotional behavior and prevent student engagement in activities that could put them at risk, with particular attention to bullying and violence. Its website describes character education and prevention programming addressing bullying, violence, drugs, and abuse.
The 2023 grantee list includes colleges and university-related organizations. The grantees describe their own missions as supporting higher education and their institutions: An individual recipient Central University’s foundation says it fosters and promotes higher education in an individual recipient, specifically at the university; St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s organization says it builds relationships and a culture of giving in support of the college; an individual recipient Community College’s foundation says it develops resources for the college’s educational programs, facilities, and opportunities; West Chester University Student Services says it operates group student activities involving financial matters; and Morehouse College’s National Alumni Association says it supports the ideals and interests of Morehouse College.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported giving $31,805 through 19 grants in 2023, an average of about $1,674 per grant. In 2022, it reported $17,000 through 14 grants, averaging about $1,214 per grant. Its 2025 filing lists a grant count of zero.
Examples of 2023 grantees include an individual recipient Central University ($2,000), St. Mary’s College of Maryland ($1,000), an individual recipient Community College ($1,000), West Chester University ($1,000), and Morehouse College ($1,000).
The website describes a separate process for schools seeking to start a Best Friends program or request a seminar. Applications to begin programs may be submitted by school superintendents, principals, teachers, and guidance counselors. Schools are directed to request application information from the foundation and apply for an appropriate seminar, such as “Kindness is Cooler” for fifth through eighth grade or “Stop the Silence, Prevent the Violence” for ninth through twelfth grade. The school district or private school is responsible for securing program funding; the website says the foundation has some funds available for seminars at no cost. Federal funds may support a program only with prior permission from the foundation. The website does not specify an application deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elayne G Bennett Med as founder and president; Curtis Adams MD, Mary Malphrus MBA, Martha Kendrick JD, Vicki Tiahrt, and Bridget Overcash as directors; Timothy Overcash CPA as treasurer; and Rosemary Stein MD as vice president. The foundation’s website identifies Elayne Bennett as its founder and president.
Best Friends Foundation is led by Elayne G. Bennett Med, Founder & President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elayne G. Bennett Med
Founder & President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$66K (2019) → $195K (2025)
Bridget Overcash
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Curtis Adams MD
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martha Kendrick JD
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vicki Tiahrt
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Malphrus MBA
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosemary Stein MD
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Overcash CPA
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ceil Malphrus MBA (2019) — 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 $195K, to Elayne G Bennett Med (Founder/President).
Frequently asked questions about Best Friends Foundation
How large is Best Friends Foundation?
Best Friends Foundation reported $247K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $965K.
What does Best Friends Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to promote healthy social-emotional behavior and prevent student engagement in activities that could put them at risk, with particular attention to bullying and violence. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Best Friends Foundation?
Best Friends Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check bestfriendsfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Best Friends Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Washington, DC. Its website says it has served adolescents in DC public schools and sites across the country, and that its programs may operate in public, private, and religious schools. The 2023 grants listed include recipients in an individual recipient, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
What is Best Friends Foundation's EIN?
Best Friends Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1844471. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 17, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 19, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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Best Friends Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?