Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Annapolis, Maryland. It made 12 grants totaling $110,115 in 2024 to charitable organizations, including groups working in child advocacy, public media, food access, and other areas.
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc gave $110K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $110,115
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- Average grant
- $9,176
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $263,116
- Primary geography
- Maryland (70% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Application form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions are listed as not applicable.
- Contact
Application contact: Karen Besson
Mailing address: 2516 Lyon Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403
Phone: (410) 925-4399
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Eastport Yacht Club Foundation ($20K). Together the top 10 received $108K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 22 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland, 16% to recipients in the District of Columbia, and 14% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
How Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc gives
- In 2024 it paid out 767% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $96K (2020) to $110K (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $110K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Eastport Yacht Club Foundation Annapolis, MD | General | $20,000 |
| Voices for Children Ellicott City, MD | General | $20,000 |
| National Public Radio Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Baltimore, MD | General | $10,000 |
| The American Academy in Berlin New York, NY | General | $10,000 |
| Pride of Baltimore II Inc Baltimore, MD | General | $10,000 |
| Moveable Feast Baltimore, MD | General | $10,000 |
| American Association for the Advancement of Science Washington, DC | General | $8,000 |
| SPCA of Anne Arundel County Annapolis, MD | General | $5,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $263,116 | $32,380 | $118,658 | $110,115 | 12 | $110,115 | $23,837 | $14,359 |
| 2020 | $727,435 | $19,764 | $98,367 | $96,000 | 10 | — | $17,397 | $21,220 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $14K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for VOICES FOR CHILDREN, whose mission is to recruit and train community volunteers to serve as court-appointed advocates for children determined by the court to have been abused or neglected. MOVEABLE FEAST describes its mission as improving the health of Marylanders experiencing food insecurity and chronic illness through medically tailored meals and nutrition education. NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO describes its mission as creating a more informed public through noncommercial programming and collaboration with member public radio stations.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $110,115 through 12 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $15 to $20,000, with a median of $10,000. Larger awards included $20,000 each to EASTPORT YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION and VOICES FOR CHILDREN; $10,000 each to NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY IN BERLIN, PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, and MOVEABLE FEAST; and $8,000 to the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. Other recipients were SPCA OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY ($5,000), DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS ($5,000), IMPACT100 GREATER CHESAPEAK ($2,100), and MARYLAND FOOD BANK ($15). The stated purpose for each grant was general.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
KAREN BESSON was listed as president on the 2024 filing.
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc is led by Karen Besson, President on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Karen Besson
President
On filings since 2020
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 Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc
How much does Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc give each year?
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc gave $110K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,176, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc give grants?
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc gives mostly in Maryland: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (16%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (4 grants), Annapolis, MD (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Eastport Yacht Club Foundation ($20,000), Voices for Children ($20,000) and National Public Radio ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc?
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc reported $263K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $110K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $14K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for VOICES FOR CHILDREN, whose mission is to recruit and train community volunteers to serve as court-appointed advocates for children determined by the court to have been abused or neglected. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's EIN?
Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-0967177. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/karen-sachs-besson-foundation-inc-morg_42119dab59d641ce83d5f9d8714a693a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_850967177_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/karen-sachs-besson-foundation-inc-morg_42119dab59d641ce83d5f9d8714a693a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc'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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