The Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation concentrates large, targeted gifts in Greater New Orleans, with a strong emphasis on healthcare and Catholic faith-based institutions. Its funding pattern shows multi-million dollar commitments to a few anchor organizations—most notably Ochsner Clinic and local Catholic education and church entities—reflecting a preference for established, mission-driven institutions in its home region.
Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation’s largest recent gifts have gone to Ochsner Clinic Foundation, including multiple $2.6 million grants and a $2.1 million grant, signaling a sustained commitment to major regional healthcare institutions. The foundation’s giving also reaches deeply into Catholic education and church infrastructure in New Orleans, with repeated $1 million support for Jesuit High School and large grants to the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Notre Dame Seminary, and Catholic Community Foundation. Across the recent grants list, the pattern is clear: the foundation favors established organizations that serve healthcare, education, and faith-based needs in Greater New Orleans. The grants include both one-time awards and repeated support across multiple years, often at large amounts that stand out from the rest of the portfolio. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent record, including Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Jesuit High School, Catholic Community Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank, Archbishop Rummel High School, Notre Dame Seminary, and Clover NOLA Inc. The mix of hospitals, Catholic schools, seminaries, food assistance, and community organizations points to a foundation that funds core civic and religious institutions rather than a broad open-call portfolio.
Healthcare is the most visible program area in the recent grants. The foundation gave $2.6 million to Ochsner Clinic Foundation in 2025, following prior grants of $2.6 million in 2023 and $2.1 million in 2024, all tied to the organization’s mission or charitable work. Catholic education is another recurring theme: Jesuit High School received $1 million in 2023 and again in 2024, and Jesuit High School of New Orleans Foundation Inc. received $1 million in 2025 to support the mission of the organization. The foundation also supports Catholic institutional infrastructure. Catholic Community Foundation received $1,687,200 in 2025 and $692,000 in 2024, while the Archdiocese of New Orleans received a $593,800 grant in 2023. Beyond that, the portfolio includes grants for food assistance, with Second Harvest Food Bank receiving $500,000 in both 2023 and 2024 and another $500,000 in 2025. That mix shows support for service delivery, education, and faith-based operations.
$9.6M
$89K
$9.6M
$9.6M
Most grants fall between $3K and $100K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$100K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeRegístrate gratis para ver qué tan bien se adapta tu organización sin fines de lucro a este financiador, obtener un pitch generado por IA y descubrir fundaciones similares.
Concentrated, high-value grants to a small number of repeat grantees—large multi-grant commitments rather than many small awards—focused on local institutions in New Orleans/Louisiana.
Notable grantees: Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Catholic Community Foundation, Jesuit High School (and Jesuit High School of New Orleans Foundation), Archdiocese of New Orleans
Typical grant size ranges from $2,500 at the 25th percentile to $5,000 at the median, with the 75th percentile at $100,000. The recent grant list shows a small number of very large awards alongside many smaller grants, which suggests a portfolio built around anchor gifts rather than evenly distributed funding. Recipients also appear across multiple years, including several repeat awards to the same organizations from 2023 through 2025. The foundation is a charitable foundation, does not fund individuals, and is not listed as making program-related investments.
The foundation’s grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Louisiana, with 82% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and Louisiana as the top state by grant count. New Orleans is the main recipient city, with many awards landing there, alongside Metairie and a smaller number in Jackson, Mississippi. The country distribution is entirely domestic: all 197 grants went to U.S. recipients. This is a local giving pattern centered on Greater New Orleans, with limited out-of-state activity.
The recent grants point to healthcare, Catholic education, and Catholic institutional support. Examples include grants to Ochsner Clinic Foundation for charitable and mission support, Jesuit High School for charitable support, and Catholic Community Foundation and the Archdiocese of New Orleans for mission-oriented funding.
The typical grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants also include several much larger awards in the hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars.
Louisiana is the top state by grant count, and 82% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. New Orleans appears repeatedly in the recent grants list, with additional awards in Metairie and a smaller presence in Jackson, Mississippi.
Yes. The recent record shows multi-year support for several recipients, including Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Jesuit High School, Catholic Community Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank, Archbishop Rummel High School, Notre Dame Seminary, and Clover NOLA Inc.
Its geographic scope is local. The grant list is entirely U.S.-based, with 197 grants to U.S. recipients, and most of the activity is concentrated in Louisiana.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation | New Orleans, LA | $2,600,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Catholic Community Foundation | New Orleans, LA | $1,687,200 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Jesuit High School of New Orleans Foundation Inc | New Orleans, LA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Notre Dame Seminary | New Orleans, LA | $502,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Archbishop Rummel High School | Metairie, LA | $500,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | New Orleans, LA | $500,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| National World War II Museum Inc | New Orleans, LA | $500,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| LA SPCA | New Orleans, LA | $300,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Bastion Community of Resilience | New Orleans, LA | $250,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Good Shepherd Nativity School | New Orleans, LA | $200,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Clover NOLA Inc (Formerly Kingsley House Inc) | New Orleans, LA | $200,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| New Orleans Museum of Art | New Orleans, LA | $105,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris | Etna, NH | $105,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| CAF America | Alexandria, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| The Papal Foundation | Bala Cynwyd, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| UNCF | New Orleans, LA | $100,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Louisiana Key Academy | Baton Rouge, LA | $100,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| 2024 N O Book Festival | New Orleans, LA | $100,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Metairie Park Country Day School | Metairie, LA | $100,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| FRIENDS OF LPB | Baton Rouge, LA | $75,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Governors Mansion Preservation Foundation Inc | Baton Rouge, LA | $50,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| WORLD MONUMENTS FUND | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| The Emerge Foundation | Baton Rouge, LA | $50,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Make-a-wish Texas Gulf South and Louisiana | Metairie, LA | $38,618 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Catholic Herald Institute | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Greater New Orleans Educational Television Foundation | New Orleans, LA | $15,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| New Orleans Ballet Association | New Orleans, LA | $13,500 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities | New Orleans, LA | $10,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Dominican Sisters-St Cecilia Congregation | Nashville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Holy Name of Jesus School & Parish | New Orleans, LA | $10,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Lifecycles Louisiana | Mandeville, LA | $7,500 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Southern Dominican Providence USA | Metairie, LA | $6,120 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | $6,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Mount Vernon ladies Association of the Union | Mount Vernon, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Boys Hope Girls Hope | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Teach for America | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Metanoia Inc | Zachary, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Association of the US Army | Mandeville, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Original Divine Mercy Institute | Richland Hills, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| YMCA Children's Unified Benefits and Service | Metairie, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Leukemia & Lymphoma Society | Port Chester, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| The Cenacle on the La | Metairie, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Families Helping Families | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Cherish Times Two | Houma, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| City Park Conservancy | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| The Historic New Orleans Collection | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| Dress for Success New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
| New Orleans Association of Firechiefs Firefighter Relief Fund Inc | New Orleans, LA | $5,000 | 2025 | To support the mission of the organization |
Catholic Community Foundation
$1,687,200To support the mission of the organization
Jesuit High School of New Orleans Foundation Inc
$1,000,000To support the mission of the organization
Notre Dame Seminary
$502,000To support the mission of the organization
Archbishop Rummel High School
$500,000To support the mission of the organization
To support the mission of the organization
National World War II Museum Inc
$500,000To support the mission of the organization
Bastion Community of Resilience
$250,000To support the mission of the organization
Good Shepherd Nativity School
$200,000To support the mission of the organization
To support the mission of the organization
New Orleans Museum of Art
$105,000To support the mission of the organization
CAF America
$100,000To support the mission of the organization
The Papal Foundation
$100,000To support the mission of the organization
UNCF
$100,000To support the mission of the organization
2024 N O Book Festival
$100,000To support the mission of the organization
FRIENDS OF LPB
$75,000To support the mission of the organization
Governors Mansion Preservation Foundation Inc
$50,000To support the mission of the organization
WORLD MONUMENTS FUND
$50,000To support the mission of the organization
The Emerge Foundation
$50,000To support the mission of the organization
Make-a-wish Texas Gulf South and Louisiana
$38,618To support the mission of the organization
Catholic Herald Institute
$25,000To support the mission of the organization
To support the mission of the organization
To support the mission of the organization
Dominican Sisters-St Cecilia Congregation
$10,000To support the mission of the organization
Holy Name of Jesus School & Parish
$10,000To support the mission of the organization
Lifecycles Louisiana
$7,500To support the mission of the organization
Southern Dominican Providence USA
$6,120To support the mission of the organization
To support the mission of the organization
To support the mission of the organization
Boys Hope Girls Hope
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Teach for America
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Metanoia Inc
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Association of the US Army
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Original Divine Mercy Institute
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
YMCA Children's Unified Benefits and Service
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
The Cenacle on the La
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Families Helping Families
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Cherish Times Two
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
The Historic New Orleans Collection
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
Dress for Success New Orleans
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART
$5,000To support the mission of the organization
New Orleans Association of Firechiefs Firefighter Relief Fund Inc
$5,000To support the mission of the organization