Charitarian
Charitarian is a private foundation based in New York, NY. The Lawrence B. and Elyse Benenson Charitarian Foundation supports educational, environmental, artistic, and community empowerment organizations that help people.
Charitarian at a glance
In short: Charitarian gave $930K across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $42K), mostly in New York. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $930,139
- -32.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- -33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $42,279
- +1.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $27,500
- Total assets
- $2,547,995
- -12.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (9 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (78% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Charitarian
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing lists Lawrence B. Benenson as the contact, says there are no formal application requirements, and asks applicants to state the amount and purpose. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Lawrence B Benenson
Mailing address: 155 E 44Th Street 28Th Fl, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 867-0990
Website: https://charitarian.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Charitarian funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Museum of Modern Art ($135K). Together the top 10 received $702K.
Grant Size Distribution
206 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 206 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, New York organizations received 78% of grant dollars. Other leading recipient states were Texas (5%), the District of Columbia (4%), Connecticut (3%), and Maine (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Charitarian open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 22 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $41K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 714% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $930K (2024) to $1.7M (2022). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $930K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Museum of Modern Art New York, NY | General Support | $135,000 |
| UJA Federation of New York New York, NY | General Support | $125,613 |
| Chamah International New York, NY | General Support | $106,626 |
| 92ND Street Y New York, NY | General Support | $70,000 |
| Brighter Bites Houston, TX | General Support | $50,000 |
| Frick Collection New York, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| National Institute for Reproductive New York, NY | General Support | $48,150 |
| United Lubavitcher Yeshiva Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $47,000 |
| American Folk Art Musuem New York, NY | General Support | $35,000 |
| People for the American Way Washington, DC | General Support | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Charitarian?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,547,995 | $589,562 | $971,648 | $930,139 | 22 | $935,139 | $46,195 | $130,974 |
| 2023 | $2,898,151 | $178,861 | $1,436,184 | $1,381,718 | 33 | $1,393,203 | $21,614 | $156,325 |
| 2022 | $4,155,474 | $1,611,303 | $1,746,321 | $1,674,278 | 55 | $1,686,378 | $89,443 | $229,652 |
| 2021 | $4,290,492 | $2,307,537 | $1,197,178 | $1,130,442 | 43 | $1,154,770 | $390,129 | $196,086 |
| 2020 | $3,180,133 | $1,906,250 | $1,385,994 | $1,375,158 | 53 | — | — | $147,476 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charitarian reported a distributable amount of $131K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to promote good thinking and direct action by giving to educational, environmental, artistic, and community empowerment organizations. It says its work is grounded in the belief that people who have more ought to help people who have less.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Museum of Modern Art says it works to foster public awareness of modern and contemporary art. Brighter Bites says it creates communities of health through fresh food, with a focus on children and families in under-resourced communities. The National Institute for Reproductive Health says it works to protect and advance equitable access to reproductive health care. People For the American Way says it mobilizes members and activists around public policies reflecting freedom, fairness, and equal opportunity.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 22 grants totaling $930,139. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $135,000, with a median of $27,500. Its grantmaking totaled $1,381,718 across 33 grants in 2023 and $1,674,278 across 55 grants in 2022.
Among its 2024 grants, the largest were $135,000 to the Museum of Modern Art, $125,613 to UJA Federation of New York, $106,626 to Chamah International, and $70,000 to 92nd Street Y. Each was listed for general support. Other grants included $50,000 to Brighter Bites and $48,150 to the National Institute for Reproductive Health, also for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Lawrence B. Benenson is listed as trustee.
Charitarian is led by Lawrence B. Benenson, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lawrence B. Benenson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Charitarian
How much does Charitarian give each year?
Charitarian gave $930K across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 33 grants.
What is Charitarian's typical grant size?
Charitarian's median grant in 2024 was $27,500, and its average grant was $42,279, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charitarian that year got $41K on average.
Where does Charitarian give grants?
Charitarian gives mostly in New York: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does Charitarian give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Charitarian's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Charitarian's largest grantees?
Charitarian's largest 2024 grantees include Museum of Modern Art ($135,000), UJA Federation of New York ($125,613) and Chamah International ($106,626), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Charitarian?
Charitarian reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $935K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $131K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Charitarian fund?
The foundation’s mission is to promote good thinking and direct action by giving to educational, environmental, artistic, and community empowerment organizations. It says its work is grounded in the belief that people who have more ought to help people who have less. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charitarian?
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 Charitarian's EIN?
Charitarian's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-7079333. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF 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 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Charitarian's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Charitarian funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/charitarian-morg_42891126e1b74b7db3e293b63b6d93a4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_357079333_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Charitarian funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/charitarian-morg_42891126e1b74b7db3e293b63b6d93a4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Charitarian'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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