Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-3267113

The Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation is a private foundation established in 1983 and based in New York City. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation has been supporting nonprofit organizations for over 40 years. The foundation was founded by Charles B. Benenson, a prominent real estate developer and philanthropist.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$28.9M

-6.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.6M

-6.4% YoY

Grant Count

146

+14500.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$25K

-99.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports a broad range of causes including:

Human services
Arts and culture, including museums
Education (elementary, secondary, and higher education)
Health and diseases/conditions
Community development, including entrepreneurship, microfinance, and neighborhood revitalization
Religion, with a focus on Judaism
Children and youth

A particular emphasis of the foundation is improving education for minority youth in New York City and supporting environmental conservation efforts.

Grantmaking

The foundation operates without formal grant programs or structured application deadlines. Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion and typically support general operating expenses for nonprofit organizations.

Grant Range

$1,000 to $204,500

Review Cycle

. Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion and typically support general operating expenses for nonprofit organizations.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily serves the New York City metropolitan area and the state of New York.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $17.1M (96%)

California $386K (2%)

Virginia $202K (1%)

New Mexico $50K (0%)

Connecticut $46K (0%)

Kansas $17K (0%)

New Jersey $13K (0%)

District of Columbia $10K (0%)

+12 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Illinois Kansas Massachusetts Maryland Maine North Carolina Nebraska New Jersey New Mexico New York Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Texas Virginia Washington

Cities

AnnadaleonhudsonBaltimoreBeverly HillsBostonBronxBrooklynCalaisCharlotteCharlottesvilleChicagoCliftonEatontownEliginElmsfordEnglewoodFalls ChurchFlushingGarden CityGreenwichHamilton

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Most Recent Filing (2023-2024):

Total assets: $28.9 million to $30.9 million
Total annual giving: $3.6 million
Total revenues: $4.1 million
Total expenses: $4.5 million
Number of employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$28,858,338	$30,850,855	$31,233,782
Revenue	$2,414,810	$4,095,986	$4,278,714
Expenses	$4,376,327	$4,509,913	$5,777,764
Qualifying Distributions	$3,585,752	$3,927,202	$5,044,293
Net Investment Income	$689,235	$2,133,275	$2,270,237
Distributable Amount	$2,263,906	$1,994,557	$2,058,244

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

54 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Grateful Film Fund ($204,500), Amazon Conservation Team ($200,000), Inner-city Scholarship ($160,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
92ND STREET Y NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000
ACLU FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
AID STILL REQUIRED SANTA MONICA, CA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
AISH GLOBAL CLIFTON, NJ	GENERAL SUPPORT	$12,613
ALI FORNEY CENTER NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,000
ALOIS SOCIETY CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL SUPPORT	$100
ALS UNITED GREATER NEW YORK INC NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$206
AMAZON CONSERVATION TEAM FALLS CHURCH, VA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$200,000
ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,500
ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION LICOLN, NE	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,613

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key personnel include:

Bruce W. Benenson - Co-President (filmmaker and environmental philanthropist)
Frederick C. Benenson - Co-President, Treasurer, and Secretary
Lawrence B. Benenson - Co-President (real estate investor and arts patron serving on the boards of more than 12 charitable organizations)
Richard Kessler - Vice-President

None of the key personnel receive compensation for their roles.

Contact Information: 155 E 44th Street, 28th Floor New York, NY 10017 Phone: (212) 867-0990 EIN: 13-3267113

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BRUCE W BENENSON	CO-PRESIDENT	0.1	—
FREDERICK C BENENSON	CO-PRESIDENT	0.1	—
LAWRENCE B BENENSON	CO-PRESIDENT	0.1	—
RICHARD KESSLER	VICE-PRESIDENT	0.1	—
FREDERICK C BENENSON	TREASURER & SECRETARY	0.1	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation fund?

The foundation supports a broad range of causes including: • Human services • Arts and culture, including museums • Education (elementary, secondary, and higher education) • Health and diseases/conditions • Community development, including entrepreneurship, microfinance, and neighborhood revitalization • Religion, with a focus on Judaism • Children and youth A particular emphasis of the foundation is improving education for minority youth in New York City and supporting environmental conservati…

How do I apply for a grant from Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: approximately $3.6 million • Grant range: $1,000 to $204,500 • Median grant: $10,000 • Total grants awarded: 147 (2023) **Application Process:** The foundation operates without formal grant programs or structured application deadlines. Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion and typically support general operating expenses for nonprofit organizations.

Where does Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily serves the New York City metropolitan area and the state of New York.

What size grants does Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation award?

In 2024, Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation awarded 146 grants totaling $3.6M — an average of about $25K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation's EIN?

Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3267113. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.