The Bender Family Foundation
The Bender Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) family foundation established in 1997 and based in Albany, New York. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization dedicated to supporting philanthropic initiatives across the Capital Region and surrounding areas.
Key facts about The Bender Family Foundation
- EIN
- 16-1526228
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $252,853
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- Average grant
- $7,437
- Median grant
- $7,495
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (11 of 34, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,360,255
- Primary geography
- New York (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Bender Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Bender Family Foundation's 34 itemized 2024 grants were New York (99%). The most frequent recipient cities were Albany, NY (16 grants), Troy, NY (4 grants), Coxsackie, NY (2 grants) and Cohoes, NY (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Bender Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 34 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 32% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Bender Family Foundation
- How to evaluate The Bender Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Bender Family Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.4M
+7.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$253K
+31.0% YoY
Grant Count
34
+25.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
+4.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bender Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $225K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation works to foster, preserve, and fund the arts, culture, education, history, and environment of New York State's Capital Region.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Humanities
- History
- Education
- Environment and natural resources
- Human services
- Youth development
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** Grants typically range from $5,000 to $15,000.
Grant Types
Ready to take the next step with The Bender Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation prioritizes funding for:
- The city of Albany
- Albany County
The foundation also considers projects within a 30-mile radius measured from the New York State Capitol Building (State Street, Albany). The foundation has supported projects in New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 34 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $2,360,255
- Total Revenues: $330,810
- Total Expenses: $310,418
- Number of Employees: 0
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $2,190,000
- Total Revenues: $1,110,000
- Total Expenses: $242,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,360,255 | $2,192,041 | $2,259,457 |
| Revenue | $330,810 | $1,106,802 | $41,467 |
| Expenses | $310,418 | $241,831 | $277,930 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $253,103 | $193,000 | $221,750 |
| Net Investment Income | $254,701 | $87,583 | $32,705 |
| Distributable Amount | $225,044 | $189,801 | $166,769 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
166 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Bender Family Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy Inc ($15,500), Arts Center of the Capital Region the ($15,000), Gov Nelson a Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MOHAWK HUDSON LAND CONSERVANCY INC Albany, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,500 |
| ARTS CENTER OF THE CAPITAL REGION THE Troy, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| GOV NELSON A ROCKEFELLER EMPIRE STATE PLAZA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Albany, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| GREENE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Coxsackie, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| HISTORIC ALBANY FOUNDATION Albany, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| HISTORIC CHERRY HILL Albany, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF RENSSELAER COUNTY Troy, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK INC Latham, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| SHAKER HERITAGE SOCIETY Albany, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY FOUNDATION Albany, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Jeffrey P. Bender — President
- M. Christian Bender — Vice-President
- Phoebe P. Bender — Secretary
- Jackie Mahoney — Treasurer
- Ten Eyck Powell Jr. — Board Member
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey P Bender | President | 1 | — |
| M Christian Bender | Vice-President | 1 | — |
| Phoebe P Bender | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Jackie Mahoney | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Ten Eyck Powell Jr | Board | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 111 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210-2214
- Telephone: 518-457-5046
- Website: www.cfgcr.org/benderff/
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Bender Family Foundation fund?
The foundation works to foster, preserve, and fund the arts, culture, education, history, and environment of New York State's Capital Region. Primary funding areas include: • Arts and culture • Humanities • History • Education • Environment and natural resources • Human services • Youth development
How do I apply for a grant from The Bender Family Foundation?
**Grant Size:** Grants typically range from $5,000 to $15,000. **Grant Types:** The foundation awards: • General operating support • Challenge grants • Grants usable as matching funds for other foundation grants • Capital campaign and capital expenditure funding **Application Guidelines:** • Pre-Application Questionnaires Due: November 3, 2026 • Application Due: June 1, 2026 • Final Decision: August 1, 2026 **Restrictions:** • Grants will not be made to the same organization in consecutive years
Where does The Bender Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation prioritizes funding for: 1. The city of Albany 2. Albany County The foundation also considers projects within a 30-mile radius measured from the New York State Capitol Building (State Street, Albany). The foundation has supported projects in New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Vermont.
What size grants does The Bender Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Bender Family Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $253K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Bender Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Bender Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $225K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Bender Family Foundation's EIN?
The Bender Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1526228. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.