The Esther and William Benenson
The Esther and William Benenson is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in NEW YORK, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 16 grants totaling $97K. Net investment income was $56K.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
-3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$97K
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
16
+6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-6.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Esther and William Benenson reported a distributable amount of $118K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About The Esther and William Benenson
Based on IRS filings
The Esther and William Benenson is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in NEW YORK, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 16 grants totaling $97K. Net investment income was $56K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,062,640 | $1,105,258 | $1,213,588 |
| Revenue | $63,102 | $1,321 | $101,422 |
| Expenses | $105,720 | $109,651 | $117,603 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $98,583 | $98,583 | $110,750 |
| Net Investment Income | $56,049 | $49,200 | $94,569 |
| Distributable Amount | $117,720 | $98,614 | $98,362 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include American Friends of Hebrew University ($50,000), U J a Federation ($10,000), Naral Pro Choice American Foundation ($4,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL | MEDICAL SUPPORT | $500 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HEBREW UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | SOCIAL AFFAIRS | $2,500 |
| WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS NEW YORK, NY | SOCIAL AFFAIRS | $1,000 |
| U J A FEDERATION NEW YORK, NY | SOCIAL AFFAIRS | $10,000 |
| COOKE CTR FOR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATION | $3,000 |
| THE WASSAIC PROJECT WASSAIC, NY | EDUCATION | $3,000 |
| SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER MONTGOMERY, AL | SOCIAL AFFAIRS | $2,500 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION NEW YORK, NY | SOCIAL AFFAIRS | $2,500 |
| HIAS UKRAINE NEW YORK, NY | SOCIAL AFFAIRS | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL BENENSON | VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| SHARON BENENSON SYDNEY | VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, TREASURER | — | — |
| AMY BENENSON | VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| BLANCHE BENENSON | PRESIDENT | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Esther and William Benenson?
The Esther and William Benenson is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in NEW YORK, NY. It holds $1.1M in total assets as of 2025.
How large is The Esther and William Benenson?
As of 2025, The Esther and William Benenson holds $1.1M in total assets with $63K in annual revenue. It awarded 16 grants totaling $97K in 2025.
Where does The Esther and William Benenson operate?
The Esther and William Benenson has awarded grants in Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Illinois, New York.
What size grants does The Esther and William Benenson award?
In 2025, The Esther and William Benenson awarded 16 grants totaling $97K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Esther and William Benenson required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Esther and William Benenson reported a distributable amount of $118K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Esther and William Benenson's EIN?
The Esther and William Benenson's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3352088. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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