The Bahnik Foundation Inc
The Bahnik Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Oyster Bay, New York. In its 2026 filing, it reported 87 grants totaling $4,657,750, with nearly all grant dollars going to recipients in New York.
The Bahnik Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Bahnik Foundation Inc gave $4.7M across 87 grants in 2026 (avg $54K), mostly in New York. 14% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $4,657,750
- +30.8% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 87
- +1.2% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $53,537
- +29.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $88,241,850
- +7.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (12 of 87, 2026)
- Primary geography
- New York (99% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Bahnik Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 190 Pine Hollow Road, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
Phone: (516) 922-6000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Bahnik Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Portledge School ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $4.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
355 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 318 grants of 355 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York. The filing also lists Vermont, Tennessee, Rhode Island, and California, each at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 87 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Bahnik Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 12 of 87 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 85% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 74% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2021) to $4.7M (2026). In 2026 it made 87 grants totaling $4.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Portledge School Locust Valley, NY | General Purpose | $1,290,000 |
| St Francis Hospital Roslyn, NY | General Purpose | $1,120,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Oyster Bay Oyster Bay, NY | General Purpose | $999,250 |
| Stony Brook Foundation Stony Brook, NY | General Purpose | $200,000 |
| Northwell Health Foundation New Hyde Park, NY | General Purpose | $125,000 |
| Oyster Bay Main Street Association Oyster Bay, NY | General Purpose | $80,000 |
| North Shore Land Alliance Huntington, NY | General Purpose | $60,000 |
| Cradle of Aviation Garden City, NY | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Oyster Bay, NY | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| East Woods School Oyster Bay, NY | General Purpose | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Bahnik Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $88,241,850 | $11,161,191 | $5,082,555 | $4,657,750 | 87 | $4,674,652 | $10,772,342 | $4,935,028 |
| 2025 | $81,963,351 | $5,418,907 | $4,586,241 | $3,559,750 | 86 | $3,575,593 | $5,019,965 | $4,632,140 |
| 2024 | $81,010,907 | $43,444,242 | $3,533,089 | $3,164,500 | 69 | $3,180,080 | $38,380,254 | $3,634,711 |
| 2023 | $41,247,138 | $4,395,438 | $2,722,351 | $2,673,750 | 57 | $2,687,055 | $3,766,142 | $3,403,082 |
| 2022 | $39,589,582 | $2,940,435 | $2,476,287 | $2,408,700 | 56 | $2,421,186 | $2,408,724 | $3,650,507 |
| 2021 | $39,137,748 | $4,102,238 | $2,275,162 | $2,212,350 | 55 | — | $3,149,977 | $2,803,950 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bahnik Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.9M for 2026 — 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 2026 grants include support for schools, health and research organizations, community organizations, and other charitable recipients. For example, Portledge School describes its mission as providing a college-preparatory program in an inclusive community; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory says it conducts biological sciences research, particularly in molecular biology and genetics; and Oyster Bay Main Street Association describes work to revitalize the hamlet while preserving its historic integrity.
Grantmaking
In 2026, the foundation made 87 grants totaling $4,657,750. Grants ranged from $500 to $1,290,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Its largest listed awards were $1,290,000 to Portledge School, $1,120,000 to St. Francis Hospital, and $999,250 to Boys and Girls Club of Oyster Bay. Other listed grants included $200,000 to Stony Brook Foundation, $125,000 to Northwell Health Foundation, and $80,000 to Oyster Bay Main Street Association. The listed grants generally state “general purpose” as the purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Michele Bahnik Mercier as president, Claude A Bahnik as vice president and treasurer, and Lore Bahnik as secretary.
The Bahnik Foundation Inc is led by Michele Bahnik Mercier, President since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Michele Bahnik Mercier
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Claude A. Bahnik
Vice President & Treasurer
Vice President → Vice President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lore Bahnik
Secretary
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Roger L. Bahnik Dec (2023) — President
- Former: Roger L. Bahnik (2021–2022) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 The Bahnik Foundation Inc
How much does The Bahnik Foundation Inc give each year?
The Bahnik Foundation Inc gave $4.7M across 87 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $3.6M across 86 grants.
What is The Bahnik Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Bahnik Foundation Inc's median grant in 2026 was $5,000, and its average grant was $53,537, across 87 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bahnik Foundation Inc that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Bahnik Foundation Inc give grants?
The Bahnik Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Oyster Bay, NY (15 grants), New York, NY (13 grants), Garden City, NY (8 grants) and Cold Spring Harbor, NY (4 grants).
Does The Bahnik Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Bahnik Foundation Inc's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (87 of 87) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Bahnik Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Bahnik Foundation Inc's largest 2026 grantees include Portledge School ($1,290,000), St Francis Hospital ($1,120,000) and Boys and Girls Club of Oyster Bay ($999,250), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Bahnik Foundation Inc?
The Bahnik Foundation Inc reported $88.2M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Bahnik Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants include support for schools, health and research organizations, community organizations, and other charitable recipients. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bahnik Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Bahnik Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Bahnik Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3216930. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does The Bahnik 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Bahnik Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bahnik-foundation-inc-morg_c9c3969b281a49c9abd330efb993cdba
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_113216930_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Bahnik Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bahnik-foundation-inc-morg_c9c3969b281a49c9abd330efb993cdba},
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 The Bahnik 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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