The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Westbrook, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports 29 grants totaling $114,185, with recipients including organizations providing senior services, healthcare and research, education, and other programs.
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc gave $114K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Connecticut. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $114,185
- +26.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +20.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,937
- +4.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,800
- Total assets
- $1,521,989
- +97.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 26, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (60% 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 David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a written request stating the reason for the grant request, with Sharon L. Bender as the contact. Applicants must qualify as exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Review Cycle
- N/A, according to the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- N/A, according to the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Sharon L Bender
Mailing address: 167 Kingfisher Lane, Westbrook, CT 06498
Phone: (203) 397-9026
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mozaic Senior LKife ($25K). Together the top 10 received $90K.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 116 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 15% to New York, 9% to New Jersey, and 4% each to Maryland and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 26 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 94% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 143% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $34K (2021) to $114K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $114K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mozaic Senior LKife Bridgeport, CT | Elderly Hursing Home Services | $25,000 |
| Towers Foundation New Haven, CT | 2024 Ground Floor Renovation | $18,000 |
| Hadassah Connecticut West Orange, NJ | Support Hospitals | $10,000 |
| ORT America New York, NY | Support Program | $5,000 |
| Connecticut Public Radio Hartford, CT | Support Program | $5,000 |
| American Parkinson Disease Assoc Staten Island, NY | Support Program | $5,000 |
| Michael J Fox Foundation Hagerstown, MD | Parkinson Research | $5,000 |
| Parkinson's Foundation Miami, FL | Parkinson Research | $5,000 |
| PKD Foundation Kansas City, MO | Fundin Research | $5,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Manchester, CT | Healthcare Education | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The David and Sharon Bender Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,521,989 | $874,556 | $122,269 | $114,185 | 29 | $114,185 | $13,022 | $79,576 |
| 2024 | $770,296 | $79,184 | $97,711 | $90,540 | 24 | $90,540 | $12,016 | $69,492 |
| 2023 | $800,343 | $194,081 | $74,674 | $55,750 | 20 | $55,750 | — | $48,696 |
| 2022 | $560,500 | $456,655 | $63,594 | $58,885 | 20 | $58,885 | $451,946 | $13,927 |
| 2021 | $160,104 | $38,217 | $37,300 | $34,290 | 23 | — | $35,207 | $10,866 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $80K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and purposes. For example, the PKD Foundation describes its own mission as funding research, advocating for patients, and building community for people affected by PKD. The Anti-Defamation League says its mission is to stop the defamation of Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment for all. Save the Sound describes its mission as protecting and improving the land, air, and water of the Long Island Sound region.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $114,185. Grants ranged from $25 to $25,000, with a median of $1,800. Its largest listed grants included $25,000 to Mozaic Senior LKife in Bridgeport, Connecticut; $18,000 to Towers Foundation in New Haven, Connecticut; and $10,000 to Hadassah Connecticut in West Orange, New Jersey. Other listed awards included $5,000 each to ORT America, Connecticut Public Radio, the American Parkinson Disease Association, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Parkinson’s Foundation, the PKD Foundation, Planned Parenthood, the Anti-Defamation League, and Jewish Family Services of New Haven.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David S. Bender as President, Sharon L. Bender as Vice President, and Stuart A. Margolis as Director.
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc is led by David S Bender, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David S Bender
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stuart A Margolis
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Sharon L Bender
Vice President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc
How much does The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc give each year?
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc gave $114K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $91K across 24 grants.
What is The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $1,800, and its average grant was $3,937, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc give grants?
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Connecticut: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (15%) and New Jersey (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New Haven, CT (8 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Woodbridge, CT (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Program" (7 grants).
Who are The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Mozaic Senior LKife ($25,000), Towers Foundation ($18,000) and Hadassah Connecticut ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc?
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $114K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $80K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and purposes. For example, the PKD Foundation describes its own mission as funding research, advocating for patients, and building community for people affected by PKD. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1133956. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-david-and-sharon-bender-family-foundation-inc-morg_a30bc58085264bd5975053e23e3fd630
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261133956_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The David and Sharon Bender Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-david-and-sharon-bender-family-foundation-inc-morg_a30bc58085264bd5975053e23e3fd630},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 David and Sharon Bender Family 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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