Bennie Family Foundation

What Bennie Family Foundation does

The Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation established in 1991 pursuant to the Last Will and Testament of songwriter Claude "Bennie" Benjamin, a St. Croix native who achieved fame in New York's Tin Pan Alley during the 1940s and 1950s. Headquartered at 301 W. Atlantic Avenue, Suite 05 in Delray Beach, Florida, the foundation is dedicated exclusively to strengthening healthcare delivery in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It operates four core programs: a Financial Assistance scholarship and loan program for healthcare professionals pursuing advanced degrees (with a practice-in-territory commitment), Medical/Health/Dental Equipment Grants to hospitals and clinics, small Community Health Education Grants up to $5,000, and the Student Nurse Extern Program run jointly with the University of the Virgin Islands and regional hospitals.

The foundation is funded by the residual Bennie Benjamin estate rather than through ongoing fundraising, and its grantmaking capacity is therefore a function of the estate's investment returns. It is governed by a three-member board—David A. Beale (President and Executive Director), Tina Beale (Corporate Secretary and Program Administrator), and Seymour Braun (Treasurer)—all of whom have served since inception. Since awarding its first grants in 1992, the foundation has deployed more than $2.5 million cumulatively into the USVI healthcare ecosystem, including capital equipment for Schneider Regional Medical Center, Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital, Frederiksted Health Center, St. Thomas East End Medical Center, the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute, and the Virgin Islands Department of Health, as well as recurring scholarship gifts to the UVI School of Nursing. Its externally distributed technology footprint is limited to funding third-party tools such as the 2025 SimX virtual reality simulation integration into the BSN curriculum.

The foundation does not operate a commercial business model: there is no pricing, fee structure, or revenue stream. Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis following review by the Board, with applications evaluated against demonstrated need and projected impact on Territorial health services. Outreach is conducted through the foundation's website, Facebook page, and earned media coverage in Virgin Islands outlets including the Virgin Islands Daily News, St. Thomas Source, St. Croix Source, and St. John Source.

Name

Bennie Family Foundation

Legal name

The Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://benniebenjaminfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, funded by songwriter Bennie Benjamin's estate, that awards scholarships, equipment grants, and education grants to strengthen healthcare delivery and workforce capacity in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Philanthropy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Healthcare philanthropy
• Medical scholarships
• Healthcare grants
• Nonprofit foundation
• Medical education funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Delray Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Estate-Based Funding: The foundation receives its funding from the estate of Claude ('Bennie') Benjamin. The foundation was established in 1991 pursuant to the Last Will and Testament of Bennie Benjamin. For more than 30 years, his estate has supported healthcare initiatives across the Territory.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation provides grants and scholarships to strengthen healthcare and public health in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its programs include financial assistance to healthcare professionals pursuing advanced degrees, medical/health/dental equipment grants to hospitals and clinics, community health education grants, and the Student Nurse Extern Program. The foundation was established in 1991 pursuant to the Last Will and Testament of songwriter Bennie Benjamin.

Product overview

The Bennie and Martha Benjamin Foundation is a healthcare philanthropy organization offering a portfolio of programs including Financial Assistance (scholarship/loan program for healthcare professionals), Medical Equipment Grants, Community Health Education Grants, and the Student Nurse Extern Program. The Foundation was established in 1991 pursuant to the Will of songwriter Bennie Benjamin to improve healthcare in the U.S. Virgin Islands through funding equipment, scholarships, and educational programs. Programs are designed to recruit and retain qualified healthcare professionals in the territory and upgrade healthcare facilities and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Assistance Program Scholarship and loan program providing financial assistance to healthcare professionals pursuing advanced degrees in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with recipients required to commit to practicing in the Territory. Covers advanced degrees in nursing, midwifery, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, allied health fields, audiology, laboratory technician, and dental assistant/technician programs.
• Medical/Health/Dental Equipment Grants Grants awarded to hospitals, public health clinics, and not-for-profit service providers for medical, health, and dental equipment and supplies where there is demonstrated unmet need. Equipment funded has included ultrasound machines, urinalysis machines, EKG machines, blood count machines, Blood Mobile, cardiac catheterization units, and neonatal/pediatric equipment.
• Community Health Education Grants Small grants up to $5,000 for community-based organizations engaged in health services delivery, public health education, and information dissemination through various media channels. Targets community-facing health education initiatives in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Student Nurse Extern Program Partnership program between the University of the Virgin Islands and regional hospitals providing summer employment for nursing students to shadow registered nurses. The program has achieved a documented 90%+ retention rate of RNs practicing in the USVI after completion.
• Benjamin Medical Lecture Series Ongoing educational programming providing medical lectures and training sessions for healthcare professionals in the U.S. Virgin Islands, supporting continuing medical education in the Territory.
• BSN Education Technology Initiative Initiative supporting the University of the Virgin Islands School of Nursing integration of SimX virtual reality simulation technology into the BSN curriculum, including a Voices in Nursing Leadership Speaker Series, allowing students to practice high acuity scenarios including pediatric asthma emergencies, cardiac arrest, and mental health crises.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% retention rate of UVI nursing graduates who completed the Student Extern Program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• University of the Virgin IslandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with UVI School of Nursing for scholarships, equipment donations (including simulation technology), and the Student Nurse Extern Program. Foundation has donated mannequins, childbirth simulators, nursing tools, computers, and funded nurse lecture series.
• Schneider Regional Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor grantee receiving support for Labor and Delivery Suite, Medical Library, surgical technician training, laboratory technician training, and student nurse extern program hosting.
• Governor Juan F. Luis HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor grantee receiving equipment including Blood Mobile, Emergency Room Equipment, Cardiac Catheterization Unit, Neonatalogy equipment, and support for cardiac center.
• Frederiksted Health Care CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived over $50,000 in equipment donations including ultrasound machine, EKG machine, and urinalysis machine for ob-gyn department.
• St. Thomas East End Medical CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived automated blood count machine and industrial-grade refrigeration system to enable on-site lab results processing and CDC-compliant vaccine storage.
• Charlotte Kimelman Cancer InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived Neoprobe Gamma Detection Device and Medical Auditorium with Audio Visual Capability.
• Virgin Islands Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of equipment for Emergency Medical Services, Dental Clinics, Eye Clinics, Audiological Equipment for Newborns, and support for pharmacy services.
• Virgin Islands Cardiac CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived Medical Auditorium with Audio Visual Capability and supported establishment of the first Interventional Cardiology program in the Virgin Islands.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• United Way of the USVI: A USVI-focused nonprofit that raises and distributes funds to community health and social service agencies. Operates in the same territory with overlapping grantee relationships, though its funding sources and programs differ from the Benjamin Foundation's healthcare-specific focus.

Broad incumbents

• The Pew Charitable Trusts: A national philanthropic organization funding health, civic, and other initiatives. Comparable in operating as a grantmaking foundation addressing community health needs, though with significantly broader programmatic scope.
• Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation: A national foundation dedicated to improving the education of health professionals. Comparable mission focus on healthcare education and workforce development, though operating at a far larger national scale rather than a single territory.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The largest U.S. philanthropy focused exclusively on health and healthcare, including workforce pipeline programs. Operates a parallel mission at national scale and has historically engaged in rural and underserved-area health workforce initiatives similar to the Benjamin Foundation's USVI focus.
• Kresge Foundation: A national foundation with a Health program that funds health equity, healthcare access, and workforce development initiatives. Comparable in funding health-system improvements for underserved populations, though at national scale.
• New York Community Trust: One of the largest community foundations in the U.S., with a long history of grantmaking in health, education, and social services. Comparable grantmaking model and target beneficiary profile at a much larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• The Commonwealth Fund: A national foundation promoting a high-performing healthcare system with particular attention to vulnerable populations including those in U.S. territories. Comparable in addressing healthcare access and equity, though at policy/national scale.

Direct peers

• Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands: A community foundation serving the U.S. Virgin Islands with comparable geographic focus and grantmaking scope, addressing a similar set of local nonprofits and community health priorities. Directly comparable as a USVI-based philanthropic entity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bennieandmarthabenjaminfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bennie Family Foundation