Mount Rainier above forested ridges in Washington

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 91-6025144

The Behnke Foundation

A private foundation in Seattle, WA. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 11 grants and $333,071 paid in grants.

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Preselected only

The return checks the box saying the foundation gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. It still lists the details below.

Contact
Michelle McBride
601 Union Street Suite 3016
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 623-5449
Form and materials
Grant application form
Deadlines
None
Restrictions
See grant guidelines

Assets and giving by year

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.
  • Tax year 2025

    $333,071

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $1,983,580
  • Tax year 2024

    $349,275

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $2,122,986
  • Tax year 2023

    $115,847

    Grants listed
    14
    Assets, end of year
    $2,291,795
  • Tax year 2022

    $114,408

    Grants listed
    14
    Assets, end of year
    $2,259,463
  • Tax year 2021

    $183,689

    Grants listed
    10
    Assets, end of year
    $2,205,309
  • Tax year 2020

    $165,981

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $2,204,540
  • Tax year 2019

    $162,953

    Grants listed
    11
    Assets, end of year
    $2,254,485
  • Tax year 2018

    $133,084

    Grants listed
    15
    Assets, end of year
    $2,324,887

Grants paid in 2025

11 grants, largest first

As listed on the return.

  1. Cornish College of the ArtsSeattle, WA

    Art and culture

    $307,202
  2. Wellspring Family ServicesSeattle, WA

    Health and human services

    $5,869
  3. Fifth Avenue TheaterSeattle, WA

    Art and culture

    $5,500
  4. Overlake Medical CenterBellevue, WA

    Health and human services

    $3,000
  5. The Lisa McGraw Figure Skating FoundationPrinceton, NJ

    Art and culture

    $2,500
  6. Skidmore CollegeSaratoga SPGS, NY

    Education

    $2,500
  7. Planned Parenthood Grant NWSeattle, WA

    Health and human services

    $2,000
  8. Feral Cat SanctuaryLynnwood, WA

    Animal rescue

    $1,500
  9. Little Bit Therapecutic Riding CenterRedmond, WA

    Health and human services

    $1,500
  10. The Community LibraryKetchum, ID

    Health and human services

    $1,000
  11. University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA

    Education

    $500

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Human services1 grant $5,86954% of the total
  2. Education1 grant $2,50023% of the total
  3. Philanthropy and grantmaking1 grant $2,50023% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. Washington7 grants $326,571
  2. New Jersey1 grant $2,500
  3. New York1 grant $2,500
  4. Idaho1 grant $1,000
  5. California1 grant $500

Officers, directors and trustees

4 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Carl BehnkeCHAIR Hours 1Pay $0
  • Marisa BehnkeTRUSTEE Hours 0.5Pay $0
  • Merrill BehnkeTRUSTEE Hours 0.5Pay $0
  • Renee BehnkeTRUSTEE Hours 0.5Pay $0

The return

More foundations

Similar foundations

Same main cause (human services), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.

  1. Wockner FoundationSeattle, WA 17 grants Accepts applications $330,000 giving
  2. The Foss Family FoundationSeattle, WA 17 grants Preselected only $295,000 giving
  3. Seattle-Sonoran FoundationSeattle, WA 57 grants Accepts applications $390,000 giving
  4. The Family Home FoundationSeattle, WA 11 grants Preselected only $410,735 giving
  5. Sash FoundationSeattle, WA 13 grants Preselected only $230,000 giving