The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC, filing as a Form 990-PF organization. Its filing reports grants to preselected charitable organizations, including support for National Geographic Society, Yale University, Friends of Acadia, and organizations working in the Washington, DC, area.
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation at a glance
In short: The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation gave $3.9M across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $126K), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,893,333
- +94.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +1450.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $125,591
- -87.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $18,826,449
- -10.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (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 The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation
- 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: 5185 Macarthur Blvd Nw 460, Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (415) 284-8697
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was National Geographic Society ($2.1M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
33 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 21 grants of 33 (64%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia (70%), Connecticut (15%), Maine (10%), Maryland (3%), and Virginia (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation gives
- In 2024 it paid out 468% 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 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.0M (2023) to $3.9M (2024). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $3.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Geographic Society Washington, DC | To support the base camp project fund and the base camp maintenance fund | $1,600,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | To support the school of architecture's dean's endowed scholarship fund | $500,000 |
| National Geographic Society Washington, DC | To support the base camp project fund and the base camp maintenance fund | $400,000 |
| Friends of Acadia Bar Harbor, ME | Support for the "Raise the Roof" Campaign | $250,000 |
| Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the D of C Washington, DC | Support for the Earthquake Repair Project | $166,666 |
| National Geographic Society Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve Seal Harbor, ME | Support for renovation and restoration of the abby aldrich rockefeller garden | $125,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Support the women in architecture and philanthropy initiative for the yale school of architecture | $100,000 |
| Building Bridges Across the River Washington, DC | Support for 11th street bridge park ($25k) and support for skyland workforce development ($25k) | $50,000 |
| Washington DC Police Foundation Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
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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 | $18,826,449 | $1,623,426 | $3,934,644 | $3,893,333 | 31 | $3,915,446 | $1,373,426 | $837,107 |
| 2023 | $21,137,667 | $463,327 | $2,015,094 | $2,000,000 | 2 | $2,010,306 | $344,426 | $301,818 |
| 2022 | $668 | $1,000 | $332 | — | — | $129 | — | $28 |
| 2021 | — | $35,677 | $35,677 | — | — | $35,677 | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $837K 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
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied activities. For example, National Geographic Society describes its mission as increasing and sharing geographic knowledge through science, exploration, education, and storytelling. Friends of Acadia says it preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of Acadia National Park’s natural beauty, ecological vitality, and cultural resources. Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve describes its mission as conserving and sharing the beauty of its historic lands and gardens.
Other 2024 recipients include Yale University, the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia, Anacostia Riverkeeper, and Building Bridges Across the River. Building Bridges says it seeks to improve quality of life for children, youth, and families east of the Anacostia River through its work with THEARC and the Skyland Workforce Center.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $3,893,333. Grants ranged from $6,667 to $1,600,000, with a median grant of $25,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $1,600,000 and $400,000 to National Geographic Society for its Base Camp Project and Base Camp Maintenance funds, plus $150,000 in general operating support; $500,000 to Yale University for the School of Architecture’s Dean’s Endowed Scholarship Fund; $250,000 to Friends of Acadia for its “Raise the Roof” campaign; and $166,666 to the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the District of Columbia for an earthquake repair project. Other grants included $125,000 to Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve for renovation and restoration of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, and $50,000 to Building Bridges Across the River for 11th Street Bridge Park and Skyland workforce development.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brendan P. Bechtel as President/Director, Helen B. Bechtel as Vice President/Secretary/Director, and Lila Lee as Treasurer.
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation is led by Brendan P. Bechtel, President & Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brendan P. Bechtel
President & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Helen B. Bechtel
Vice President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Lila Lee
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation
How much does The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation give each year?
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation gave $3.9M across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.0M across 2 grants.
What is The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's typical grant size?
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $125,591, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation give grants?
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (15%) and Maine (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (18 grants) and New Haven, CT (2 grants).
Does The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 68% of The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's largest grantees?
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include National Geographic Society ($2,150,000 across 3 grants), Yale University ($600,000 across 2 grants) and Friends of Acadia ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation?
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation reported $18.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $837K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation?
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 Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's EIN?
The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-2824870. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does The Brendan & Helen Bechtel 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Brendan & Helen Bechtel Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-brendan-and-helen-bechtel-foundation-morg_603edffa2dc54a9b963251efd2eac5b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_862824870_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Brendan \& Helen Bechtel Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-brendan-and-helen-bechtel-foundation-morg_603edffa2dc54a9b963251efd2eac5b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Brendan & Helen Bechtel 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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