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.
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
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 |
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ALBANY INSTITUTE OF HISTORY & ART ALBANY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $13,000 |
| AMVET POST9594 RAVENA NY RAVENA, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| ARTS CENTER OF THE CAPITAL REGION THE TROY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BABY INSTITUTE THE ALBANY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CAPITAL AREA ALBANY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $9,000 |
| BRONCK MUSEUM COXSACKIE, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $500 |
| COLLAR WORKS TROY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR THE GREATER CAPITAL REGION ALBANY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $4,500 |
| CONNECT CENTER THE COHOES, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| DESTROYER ESCORT HISTORICAL MUSEUM (USS SLATER) ALBANY, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,500 |
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
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bender Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
The Reich Family Charitable Trust
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$689K
Grants
1
Total Given
$453K
Launa Beuhler Foundation for
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$2K
Grants
4
Total Given
$20K
The Hilary Grace Foundation Inc
EAST AMHERST, NY
Assets
$126K
Grants
2
Total Given
$36K
Uw E J Madden Mem Open Hearts Club 10-214880
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$307K
Hindy's Foundation
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$142K
Grants
8
Total Given
$225K
Jeanne & Thomas Hardy Family Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$3K
Grants
3
Total Given
$3K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Bender Family Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Bender Family Foundation to a real strategy.