The Legler Benbough Foundation
The Legler Benbough Foundation is a private foundation, based in San Diego, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2020. In 2020, it awarded 16 grants totaling $4.5M.
Key facts about The Legler Benbough Foundation
In short: The Legler Benbough Foundation gave $4.5M across 16 grants in 2020 (avg $283K), mostly in California. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 33-0105049
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020
- Annual giving (2020)
- $4,535,503
- Grants made (2020)
- 16
- Average grant
- $283,469
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2020 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$4.5M
-13.1% YoY
Grant Count
16
-38.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$283K
+41.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Legler Benbough Foundation reported a distributable amount of $178K for 2020 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Legler Benbough Foundation gives
- 69% of 2020 grantees were also funded in 2019. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 16 itemized 2020 grant dollars.
Cities
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 2020
Grant Size Distribution
42 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,546,613 |
| UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $675,000 |
| SAN DIEGO CONVENTION AND TOURIST BUREAU San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| NATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTER San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| OUTDOOR OUTREACH San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| RISE URBAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION La Jolla, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| BALBOA PARK ONLINE COLLABORATIVE INC San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| VOICE OF SAN DIEGO San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| URBAN YOUTH COLLABORATIVE (POLLARD) San Diego, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — |
| Revenue | $15,728 | — |
| Expenses | $4,216,610 | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $178,241 | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2020
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Legler Benbough Foundation is led by Peter K. Ellsworth, President & Director on every filing since 2019; all 4 officers listed in 2020 are compensated.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Peter K. Ellsworth
President & Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$152K (2019) → $83K (2020)
Bob Kelly
Governing Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$8K (2019) → $2K (2020)
Frederick P. Crowell
Governing Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$8K (2019) → $2K (2020)
John G. Rebelo Jr.
Governing Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$10K (2019) → $3K (2020)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2020. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2020 IRS filing
Frequently asked questions about The Legler Benbough Foundation
How much does The Legler Benbough Foundation give each year?
The Legler Benbough Foundation gave $4.5M across 16 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2019 it gave $5.2M across 26 grants.
What is The Legler Benbough Foundation's typical grant size?
The Legler Benbough Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $50,000, and its average grant was $283,469, across 16 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Legler Benbough Foundation give grants?
The Legler Benbough Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (13 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Legler Benbough Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Legler Benbough Foundation's 2020 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Legler Benbough Foundation's largest grantees?
The Legler Benbough Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include San Diego Foundation ($2,546,613), University of San Diego ($675,000) and San Diego Convention and Tourist Bureau ($400,000), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
How much is The Legler Benbough Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, The Legler Benbough Foundation reported a distributable amount of $178K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Legler Benbough Foundation's EIN?
The Legler Benbough Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0105049. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2020.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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