The Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation makes large, non-public grants rather than publicly designated gifts to named nonprofits. Its giving appears to be pass-through or discretionary contributions (recorded simply as "VARIOUS"), suggesting donor-directed, anonymous, or fiscal-sponsorship style support rather than targeted public grantmaking. The foundation’s activity is highly concentrated in size but limited in disclosed detail, making its substantive programmatic priorities opaque from public records.
Very concentrated financially (two large grants totaling $8.8M) but non-specific in public records; appears to use anonymous or aggregated disbursements rather than naming repeat public grantees.
The Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation Inc makes large, discretionary grants that often appear in public filings as "Various - Information Available Upon Request," a pattern that signals limited disclosure around individual beneficiaries. In the most recent year on file, that approach included a $4,972,669 contribution in 2023 and a $3,856,350 contribution in 2024, alongside publicly named support in 2025. Those named grants show a wide charitable mix rather than a single program line: the foundation backed arts institutions, advocacy groups, conservation organizations, education programs, and health-related nonprofits. Among the disclosed gifts, it gave $204,500 to Grateful Film Fund for general support and $200,000 to Amazon Conservation Team for general support, showing that its giving can reach both cultural and environmental work. The 2025 list also includes support for organizations such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Central Park Conservancy, and Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc), indicating a portfolio that combines community-facing institutions with broader public-interest causes. Public records point to broad, unrestricted support rather than tightly specified project grants.
Arts and culture appear prominently in the named grants. In 2025, the foundation gave $110,000 to Broad Stage for general support, $95,000 to LACMA for general support, and $57,600 to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts for general support. It also provided $50,000 to MoMA PS1 (PS 1 Contemporary Art Center Inc) and $50,000 to KCRW Inc, both as general support. The foundation also backed education and youth-serving organizations. It gave $160,000 to Inner-city Scholarship for general support, $150,000 to Reed College for general support, and $50,000 to New York Jr Tennis & Learning for general support. Health and public-interest advocacy show up as well. In 2025, it awarded $100,000 to Violence Policy Center, $52,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety, and $50,000 to Aclu Foundation, each for general support.
The disclosed grants are large: the typical award sits at $4,135,430 at the 25th percentile, $4,414,510 at the median, and $4,693,589 at the 75th percentile. Public filings also show two very large contribution entries labeled "Various - Information Available Upon Request," one in 2023 and one in 2024, which suggests a recurring pattern of nonpublic or pass-through giving. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its public record is dominated by general support grants, indicating a broad, unrestricted style of giving rather than tightly earmarked project funding.
$3.6M
$28.9M
$2.4M
$4.4M
Most grants fall between $4.1M and $4.7M, with a median of $4.4M.
25th Percentile
$4.1M
Median
$4.4M
75th Percentile
$4.7M
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Notable grantees: VARIOUS — information available upon request
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in New York: 100% of grants in the data go to recipients in the HQ state, and New York is also the top state by grant count. New York City recipients include UJA Federation of NY, New York Presbyterian Fund Inc, Educational Alliance, and the ACLU Foundation. Other New York recipients appear in Long Island City and Livingston, while additional grants land in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and Falls Church. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The named grants show support for arts and culture, education, conservation, health, and public-interest advocacy. Examples include Broad Stage, Reed College, Amazon Conservation Team, Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc), and the ACLU Foundation, all as general support.
The grant-size distribution is very large: p25 is $4,135,430, the median is $4,414,510, and p75 is $4,693,589. The public record also includes much smaller named grants in 2025, but the overall distribution remains centered at multi-million-dollar levels.
Yes. The filings show two large contribution entries in consecutive years, 2023 and 2024, both labeled "Various - Information Available Upon Request." In 2025, the foundation also continued making general support grants to a range of named organizations.
Its giving is concentrated in New York. The data shows 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state, and New York is the top state by grant count. Named recipients also appear in New York City, Long Island City, and Livingston.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRATEFUL FILM FUND | STUDIO CITY, CA | $204,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMAZON CONSERVATION TEAM | FALLS CHURCH, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INNER-CITY SCHOLARSHIP | NEW YORK, NY | $160,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| REED COLLEGE | PORTLAND, OR | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BROAD STAGE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UJA FEDERATION OF NY | NEW YORK, NY | $102,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TREE PEOPLE | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VIOLENCE POLICY CENTER | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LACMA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $95,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LIFETOWN | LIVINGSTON, NJ | $88,613 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TESSERACT RESEARCH CENTER (PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES) | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS | NEW YORK, NY | $57,600 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY | NEW YORK, NY | $52,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWBELONG INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KEHILLAT ISRAEL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS(MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC) | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOMA PS1(PS 1 CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER INC) | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK JR TENNIS & LEARNING | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KCRW INC | SANTA MONICA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NAT'L RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PURCHASE COLLEGE FDN | PURCHASE, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACLU FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BIONEERSCOLLECTIVE HERITAGE | SANTA FE, NM | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VOTERIDERS | SANTA MONICA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CAMERA FOUNDATION INC | SUFFIELD, CT | $45,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WORLD MONUMENTS FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $35,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARNEGIE HALL SOCIETY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INNOCENCE PROJECT | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPACE FOR GIANTS USA | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND | WARRINGTON, PA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PROJECT INSPIRE | CLIFTON, NJ | $34,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STUDIO IN A SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $32,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRINTED MATTER | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPARKYOUTH NYC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,925 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KISS THE GROUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AID STILL REQUIRED | SANTA MONICA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OCEANIC SOCIETY | ROSS, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUSTAINABLE FOOD ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE FEMINIST INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NO KID HUNGRY SHARE OUR STRENGTH | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NANTUCKET CONSEVATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
GRATEFUL FILM FUND
$204,500GENERAL SUPPORT
BROAD STAGE
$110,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
LACMA
$95,000GENERAL SUPPORT
EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY
$52,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KEHILLAT ISRAEL
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW YORK JR TENNIS & LEARNING
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KCRW INC
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NAT'L RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ACLU FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BIONEERSCOLLECTIVE HERITAGE
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VOTERIDERS
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CAMERA FOUNDATION INC
$45,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WORLD MONUMENTS FUND
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CARNEGIE HALL SOCIETY INC
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
STUDIO IN A SCHOOL
$32,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AID STILL REQUIRED
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OCEANIC SOCIETY
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUSTAINABLE FOOD ALLIANCE INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE FEMINIST INSTITUTE
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NANTUCKET CONSEVATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT