Frederick R Benson Trust
The Frederick R Benson Trust is a private foundation based in Terre Haute, Indiana. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing limits awards to 501(c)(3) organizations in Vigo County.
Frederick R Benson Trust at a glance
In short: Frederick R Benson Trust gave $83K across 53 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Indiana. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $83,000
- -1.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 53
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,566
- -4.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,352,989
- -2.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (6 of 53, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (100% 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 Frederick R Benson Trust
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants should submit a written application explaining the need and use of proceeds and provide verification of 501(c)(3) status. Awards are limited to 501(c)(3) organizations in Vigo County.
- Contact
Application contact: First Financial Bank Na Trust
Mailing address: One First Financial Plaza, Terre Haute, IN 47807-3226
Phone: (812) 238-6257
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Frederick R Benson Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley ($28K). Together the top 10 received $46K.
Grant Size Distribution
255 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 255 grants of 255 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing limits awards to 501(c)(3) organizations in Vigo County. All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 53 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Frederick R Benson Trust open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 53 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $625; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $74K (2020) to $87K (2021). In 2025 it made 53 grants totaling $83K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $27,667 |
| 14th & Chestnut Community Center Terre Haute, IN | General support | $2,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Wabash Valley Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Gibault Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Hamilton Center Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| St Benedict Church Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Swope Art Museum Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Vigo County Historical Society Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Wabash Valley Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Wabash Valley Breast Cancer Survivors Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
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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 | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,352,989 | $69,040 | $99,867 | $83,000 | 53 | $84,409 | $53,582 | $79,949 |
| 2024 | $1,383,816 | $41,999 | $100,453 | $84,000 | 51 | $85,269 | $26,815 | $76,701 |
| 2023 | $1,442,270 | $78,350 | $99,286 | $84,000 | 48 | $85,297 | $64,361 | $69,613 |
| 2022 | $1,463,206 | $58,318 | $103,261 | $85,000 | 52 | $86,420 | $41,477 | $72,589 |
| 2021 | $1,508,149 | $170,424 | $104,447 | $87,000 | 51 | $88,212 | $154,189 | $85,000 |
| 2020 | $1,442,172 | $45,848 | $88,020 | $74,000 | 51 | — | $33,152 | $77,749 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frederick R Benson Trust reported a distributable amount of $80K 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 mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated work includes behavioral healthcare and wellness, residential and mental health treatment for young people, neighborhood services, meals for older and disabled people, and animal shelter and welfare. For example, Hamilton Center says it provides behavioral healthcare, wellness, and human development services to its community; Terre Haute Area Meals on Wheels says it provides nutritious meals and checks on recipients’ well-being; and Terre Haute Humane Society says it shelters and cares for animals and educates the public about humane treatment.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust awarded 53 grants totaling $83,000. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $27,667, with a median of $1,000. The largest listed award was $27,667 to American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley for general support. Other listed $2,000 awards went to 14th & Chestnut Community Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters Wabash Valley, Gibault Inc, Hamilton Center Inc, St Benedict Church, Swope Art Museum, Vigo County Historical Society, Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Wabash Valley, and Wabash Valley Breast Cancer Survivors.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
First Financial Bank NA is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Frederick R Benson Trust's only listed officer is First Financial Bank NA, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
First Financial Bank NA
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$13K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $16K, to First Financial Bank NA (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Frederick R Benson Trust
How much does Frederick R Benson Trust give each year?
Frederick R Benson Trust gave $83K across 53 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $84K across 51 grants.
What is Frederick R Benson Trust's typical grant size?
Frederick R Benson Trust's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,566, across 53 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frederick R Benson Trust that year got $625 on average.
Where does Frederick R Benson Trust give grants?
Frederick R Benson Trust gives mostly in Indiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Terre Haute, IN (48 grants) and Indianapolis, IN (2 grants).
Does Frederick R Benson Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Frederick R Benson Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (53 of 53) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Frederick R Benson Trust's largest grantees?
Frederick R Benson Trust's largest 2025 grantees include American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley ($27,667), 14th & Chestnut Community Center ($2,000) and Big Brothers Big Sisters Wabash Valley ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Frederick R Benson Trust?
Frederick R Benson Trust reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $84K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $80K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Frederick R Benson Trust fund?
No mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated work includes behavioral healthcare and wellness, residential and mental health treatment for young people, neighborhood services, meals for older and disabled people, and animal shelter and welfare. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Frederick R Benson Trust?
The filing states that 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 Frederick R Benson Trust's EIN?
Frederick R Benson Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-6011748. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Frederick R Benson Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/frederick-r-benson-trust-morg_dbe48c3ea80e4993983dd80b08bfdb13
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_356011748_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Frederick R Benson Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/frederick-r-benson-trust-morg_dbe48c3ea80e4993983dd80b08bfdb13},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Frederick R Benson Trust'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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