Frederick R Benson Trust
The Frederick R Benson Trust is a private foundation established in 1950 and located in Terre Haute, Indiana. It operates as an independent, non-operating foundation focused on grantmaking to charitable organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.4M
-4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$84K
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
51
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-5.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frederick R Benson Trust reported a distributable amount of $77K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$1,000
Average Grant
amount varies by year
Review Cycle
**Restrictions:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Vigo County, Indiana (Terre Haute area)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- $1,383,816 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving:
- $84,000–$85,000 in distributions
Tax Status:
- EIN: 35-6011748
- 501(c)(3) organization
- IRS ruling year: 1953
- Private non-operating foundation
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,383,816 | $1,442,270 | $1,463,206 |
| Revenue | $41,999 | $78,350 | $58,318 |
| Expenses | $100,453 | $99,286 | $103,261 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $85,269 | $85,297 | $86,420 |
| Net Investment Income | $26,815 | $64,361 | $41,477 |
| Distributable Amount | $76,701 | $69,613 | $72,589 |
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
248 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley ($28,000), 14th & Chestnut Community Center ($2,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters Wabash Valley ($2,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 14th & Chestnut Community Center Terre Haute, IN | General support | $2,000 |
| American Red Cross of the Wabash Valley Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $28,000 |
| Art Spaces Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $400 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Wabash Valley Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
| Candles Holocaust Museum Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $1,500 |
| Catholic Charities Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $1,000 |
| Council on Domestic Abuse Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $1,500 |
| Covenant Cooperative Ministry Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $500 |
| Friends of the Arboretum Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $300 |
| Gibault Inc Terre Haute, IN | General Support | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- First Financial Bank NA - Trustee (2 hours per week, $15,000 compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Financial Bank NA | Trustee | 2 | $15,418 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The trust awarded a $2,000 general support grant to the League of Terre Haute in 2024, demonstrating continued grantmaking activity in the local community.
COVID-19 Grants Awarded to 31 Organizations by The Frederick P. Lenz FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does Frederick R Benson Trust fund?
The trust's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Frederick R Benson Trust?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $200 to $28,333 • Median grant size: $1,000 • Average grant amount varies by year • Total annual giving: approximately $84,000–$85,000 **Application Process:** • Written application required, including statement of need and use of proceeds • Verification of 501(c)(3) status required • No stated deadline **Restrictions:** • Funding is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations located in Vigo County, Indiana
Where does Frederick R Benson Trust make grants?
Vigo County, Indiana (Terre Haute area)
What size grants does Frederick R Benson Trust award?
In 2024, Frederick R Benson Trust awarded 51 grants totaling $84K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Frederick R Benson Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Frederick R Benson Trust reported a distributable amount of $77K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Frederick R Benson Trust'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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