The Behnke Foundation
The Behnke Foundation is a private family foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its stated purpose is to help improve quality of life in the communities where the Behnke families live and work, and it has supported the Neddy artist award program in memory of painter Robert E. (“Ned”) Behnke since 1996.
The Behnke Foundation at a glance
In short: The Behnke Foundation gave $333K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), mostly in Washington. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $333,071
- -4.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $30,279
- -4.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $1,983,580
- -6.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (98% 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 The Behnke Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The filing identifies Michelle McBride as the contact and lists a grant application form as the required form and materials. It directs applicants to see the grant guidelines for restrictions. The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2025 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2025 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Michelle Mcbride
Mailing address: 601 Union Street Suite 3016, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 623-5449
Website: https://www.behnkefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Behnke Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cornish College of the Arts ($307K). Together the top 10 received $333K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 60 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated purpose refers to communities where the Behnke families live and work. Its 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Washington recipients: 98% of the total. The reported shares were 1% each for New Jersey and New York, and 0% each for Idaho and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Behnke Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 191% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 229% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $114K (2022) to $349K (2024). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $333K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cornish College of the Arts Seattle, WA | Art and Culture | $307,202 |
| Wellspring Family Services Seattle, WA | Health and Human Services | $5,869 |
| Fifth Avenue Theater Seattle, WA | Art and Culture | $5,500 |
| Overlake Medical Center Bellevue, WA | Health and Human Services | $3,000 |
| The Lisa McGraw Figure Skating Foundation Princeton, NJ | Art and Culture | $2,500 |
| Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | Education | $2,500 |
| Planned Parenthood Grant NW Seattle, WA | Health and Human Services | $2,000 |
| Feral Cat Sanctuary Lynnwood, WA | Animal Rescue | $1,500 |
| Little Bit Therapecutic Riding Center Redmond, WA | Health and Human Services | $1,500 |
| The Community Library Ketchum, ID | Health and Human Services | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Behnke Foundation?
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 | $1,983,580 | $227,118 | $366,524 | $333,071 | 11 | $337,494 | $201,088 | $147,166 |
| 2024 | $2,122,986 | $214,510 | $383,319 | $349,275 | 11 | $353,493 | $188,730 | $148,400 |
| 2023 | $2,291,795 | $179,464 | $147,132 | $115,847 | 14 | $120,063 | $154,878 | $140,468 |
| 2022 | $2,259,463 | $204,231 | $150,077 | $114,408 | 14 | $121,516 | $178,640 | $148,264 |
| 2021 | $2,205,309 | $217,715 | $216,946 | $183,689 | 10 | $186,870 | $191,302 | $164,412 |
| 2020 | $2,204,540 | $142,599 | $192,544 | $165,981 | 11 | — | $118,099 | $144,688 |
| 2019 | $2,254,485 | $122,309 | $192,711 | $162,953 | 11 | — | $99,005 | $144,653 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Behnke Foundation reported a distributable amount of $147K 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
The foundation states that it aims to improve quality of life in communities where the Behnke families live and work. Its website describes the Neddy as a visual-arts award program: eight regional artists are selected as finalists, with two receiving unrestricted awards of $25,000 each and the other six receiving $1,500 each. These are awards to artists through the program, rather than grants for outside applicants.
The 2025 filing lists grants for art and culture, health and human services, education, and animal rescue. Among the recipients, Wellspring Family Services describes its mission as ending the cycle of family homelessness and working toward a community where every child has a safe and stable home. Skidmore College describes its mission as educating predominantly full-time undergraduates and preparing graduates to continue learning and make informed, responsible choices. The University of San Diego describes itself as a contemporary Catholic university advancing academic excellence to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful world.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $333,071 through 11 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $307,202; the median grant was $2,500. The largest grant was $307,202 to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle for art and culture. Other notable grants included $5,869 to Wellspring Family Services, $5,500 to Fifth Avenue Theater, and $3,000 to Overlake Medical Center.
The foundation’s website says that its partnership with Cornish College of the Arts began in 2012 and that Cornish houses the Neddy program. The foundation’s 2025 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Carl Behnke as chair and Marisa Behnke, Merrill Behnke, and Renee Behnke as trustees. The foundation’s website identifies its trustees as Carl G. Behnke, Renee J. Behnke, Marisa W. Behnke, and Merrill Behnke, and lists Michelle McBride as director.
The Behnke Foundation is led by Carl Behnke, Chair on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carl Behnke
Chair
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marisa Behnke
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Merrill Behnke
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Renee Behnke
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Behnke Foundation
How much does The Behnke Foundation give each year?
The Behnke Foundation gave $333K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $349K across 11 grants.
What is The Behnke Foundation's typical grant size?
The Behnke Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $30,279, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Behnke Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Behnke Foundation give grants?
The Behnke Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (4 grants).
Does The Behnke Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Behnke Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Health and Human Services" (5 grants) and "Art and Culture" (3 grants).
Who are The Behnke Foundation's largest grantees?
The Behnke Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cornish College of the Arts ($307,202), Wellspring Family Services ($5,869) and Fifth Avenue Theater ($5,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Behnke Foundation?
The Behnke Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $337K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $147K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Behnke Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it aims to improve quality of life in communities where the Behnke families live and work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Behnke Foundation?
The filing identifies Michelle McBride as the contact and lists a grant application form as the required form and materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Behnke Foundation's EIN?
The Behnke Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6025144. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Behnke Foundation 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 29, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Behnke Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-behnke-foundation-morg_5ac64aad11ff4427a0891ce95c348473
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_916025144_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Behnke Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-behnke-foundation-morg_5ac64aad11ff4427a0891ce95c348473},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Behnke Foundation'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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