The Hope Initiative for a Better Life
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life is a Houston, Texas-based private foundation. Its 2024 filing describes its direct charitable activity as contributions to the improvement of arts and health organizations.
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life at a glance
In short: The Hope Initiative for a Better Life gave $106K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), top state New York. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $106,362
- +55.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- +50.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,864
- +3.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,800
- Total assets
- $377,244
- -13.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (6 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Hope Initiative for a Better Life
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 121 N Post Oak Lane No 1005 1005, Houston, TX 77024
Phone: (713) 715-8205
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hope Initiative for a Better Life funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Friends of Louvre ($40K). Together the top 10 received $106K.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 49 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Houston, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in New York (38%), an unidentified state (33%), Illinois (14%), Washington, DC (8%), and Texas (5%). Listed 2024 recipients also included organizations in Florida and Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Hope Initiative for a Better Life open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 12 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 53% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 633% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $46K (2022) to $106K (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $106K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Friends of Louvre New York, NY | Charitable Contribution | $40,000 |
| American Friends of the Verbier Festival | Charitable Contribution | $22,300 |
| The American Friends of Versailles Chicago, IL | Charitable Contribution | $15,000 |
| American Friends of Vaux-Le-Vicomte | Charitable Contribution | $13,250 |
| International Red Cross Washington, DC | Charitable Contribution | $7,500 |
| Gaston Lenotre Scholarship Inc Houston, TX | Charitable Contribution | $4,000 |
| Texan French Alliance for the Arts Houston, TX | Charitable Contribution | $1,600 |
| Women in Philanthropy of Sarasota - Selby Gardens Sarasota, FL | Charitable Contribution | $1,000 |
| Food for the Hungry Phoenix, AZ | Charitable Contribution | $912 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Charitable Contribution | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hope Initiative for a Better Life?
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 | $377,244 | $138,041 | $194,186 | $106,362 | 12 | $106,362 | $41 | $16,807 |
| 2023 | $433,389 | $140,250 | $152,025 | $68,281 | 8 | $68,281 | $539 | $22,134 |
| 2022 | $482,969 | $159,721 | $143,154 | $45,947 | 12 | $45,947 | $95 | $18,309 |
| 2021 | $466,402 | $129,602 | $132,579 | $69,537 | 5 | $69,537 | $19 | $15,321 |
| 2020 | $469,379 | $125,000 | $97,356 | $46,193 | 12 | — | — | $19,358 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hope Initiative for a Better Life reported a distributable amount of $17K 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 foundation does not state a mission in the provided information. Its 2024 filing describes contributions to arts and health organizations. Its grants also show support for organizations whose work includes humanitarian aid, disaster response, art and culture, and ocean cleanup; these are activities described by the grantees, not stated as the foundation’s own focus areas. For example, Food for the Hungry describes its work as Christian humanitarian aid and global development, while World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston describes connecting Houston communities with art, and American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup describes work to remove and recycle waste from oceans and other areas.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 12 grants totaling $106,362. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $40,000, with a median grant of $2,800. Its largest grants included $40,000 to American Friends of Louvre, $22,300 to American Friends of the Verbier Festival, $15,000 to The American Friends of Versailles, $13,250 to American Friends of Vaux-le-Vicomte, and $7,500 to International Red Cross. Other grants included $4,000 to Gaston Lenotre Scholarship Inc, $1,600 to Texan French Alliance for the Arts, $912 to Food for the Hungry, $500 to World Central Kitchen, $200 to The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and $100 to American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marie S Bentz as director/president, Alan E Bentz as director/secretary, and Marilyn Bentz as director.
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life is led by Marie S. Bentz, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marie S. Bentz
Director & President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Alan E. Bentz
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Marilyn Bentz
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Hope Initiative for a Better Life
How much does The Hope Initiative for a Better Life give each year?
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life gave $106K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $68K across 8 grants.
What is The Hope Initiative for a Better Life's typical grant size?
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life's median grant in 2024 was $2,800, and its average grant was $8,864, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hope Initiative for a Better Life that year got $13K on average.
Where does The Hope Initiative for a Better Life give grants?
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life's top state is New York, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (14%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (3 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Who are The Hope Initiative for a Better Life's largest grantees?
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life's largest 2024 grantees include American Friends of Louvre ($40,000), American Friends of the Verbier Festival ($22,300) and The American Friends of Versailles ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hope Initiative for a Better Life?
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life reported $377K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $106K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hope Initiative for a Better Life fund?
The foundation does not state a mission in the provided information. Its 2024 filing describes contributions to arts and health organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hope Initiative for a Better Life?
The foundation states that it 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 Hope Initiative for a Better Life's EIN?
The Hope Initiative for a Better Life's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3933586. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hope Initiative for a Better Life 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hope Initiative for a Better Life funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hope-initiative-for-a-better-life-morg_deba7cbc6fb9455faa341b351d80fe42
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263933586_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hope Initiative for a Better Life funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hope-initiative-for-a-better-life-morg_deba7cbc6fb9455faa341b351d80fe42},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Hope Initiative for a Better Life'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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