About Be Foundation
BE Foundation concentrates its giving on music and arts access programs and on a Connecticut-focused nonprofit network, favoring general operating support. Its grants are large and targeted — often repeat awards — to a small set of organizations that deliver music education and statewide capacity-building. The foundation appears locally oriented (CT) and emphasizes sustaining organizations rather than project-specific funding.
Focus Areas
Youth and community music education programs (e.g., SpreadMusicNow)Performance and arts training organizations (e.g., Intempo)Connecticut nonprofit network strengthening and capacity (e.g., Connecticut RISE Network)
Who They Fund
public school districts and studentsyouth and student performers/internslocal arts and cultural organizationshistoric societies and preservation organizationsindependent journalists and local news outletscommunity members participating in workforce/civic councils
About Be Foundation
Be Foundation’s recent giving shows a steady preference for unrestricted support to a small circle of Connecticut organizations, with repeated awards to the same recipients across multiple years. One of the clearest examples is SpreadMusicNow, which received $100,000 in 2024 and $80,000 in 2023 for general operating support, reflecting the foundation’s interest in sustained music education funding rather than one-time project grants. Another recurring recipient is Intempo, which was funded at $40,000 in 2025 and $30,000 in 2024 for general operating support. The pattern extends beyond arts education: Connecticut Rise Network received $100,000 in 2023 for general operating support, and the same operating-support approach appears in grants to organizations serving local arts, civic participation, and education. Recent grants also include support for schools, libraries, and community programs, such as The Eddy School, Mark Twain Library, and Social Ventures Partners Inc. The foundation’s portfolio suggests a focus on long-term organizational stability, with awards often tied to mission-aligned capacity rather than narrowly defined projects.
What Be Foundation Funds
Arts and music education are a central theme. Be Foundation gave $5,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Redding for a youth music and art program, and earlier support to SpreadMusicNow was framed around structured music instruction for students, particularly high-need students. The foundation also backs performing arts institutions: Intempo received $40,000 in 2025 and $30,000 in 2024 for general operating support, while Ridgefield Playhouse received support in 2024 and 2023, including an annual gala sponsorship. In education and assessment, the foundation awarded $20,000 to the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment Inc to support Norwalk Public Schools’ assessment strategy. Community and civic infrastructure appear as well, including $2,500 to United Way of Western Ct for stipends tied to Governor’s Workforce Council community participation, and $2,093 to Give Local Ct Community Foundation for Litchfield Performing Arts and the CT League of History Organizations.
How Be Foundation Gives
Be Foundation’s recent awards cluster around its typical grant sizes: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $4,000, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. The distribution shows a mix of larger operating grants and smaller sponsorships or match grants. Repeat funding is common: several recipients appear in more than one year, including SpreadMusicNow, Intempo, Mark Twain Library, Gould Academy, Social Ventures Partners Inc, and Redding Historical Society. The grantmaking style is strategic and internally initiated, with proposals typically vetted by staff and external experts. It also includes support for individuals, and the foundation does not make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$98K
Total Assets
$5.9M
Total Revenue
$651K
Total Expenses
$956K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $500 and $15K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$15K
Geographic Reach
Local3 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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