Carl & Dorothy Bennett Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,400,000
Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations)
Grant Range: $3,000 - $910,000
Median Grant: $100,000
Assets: $19,000,000
Geographic Focus: Connecticut (primarily Stamford and Greenwich areas)

Contact Details

Address: Greenwich, CT
EIN: 06-6051371

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. They only make grants to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Carl & Dorothy Bennett Foundation Inc. was established in 1963 by Carl Bennett and his late wife Dorothy, founders of the Caldor discount department store chain. The foundation holds approximately $19 million in assets and distributes approximately $1.4 million annually through selective grants. The Bennett family has a longstanding commitment to healthcare institutions in Connecticut, particularly Stamford Hospital and Greenwich Hospital, as well as educational institutions focused on Judaic Studies. Carl Bennett passed away in December 2021 at age 101, but the foundation continues under the leadership of his children. The foundation's giving reflects the family's deep ties to Connecticut healthcare and Jewish educational and social service institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with application processes. Instead, grants are made at the discretion of the board to organizations with which the Bennett family has long-standing relationships.

Recent Grant Distribution (2023):

Stamford Health Foundation: $910,000 (hospital construction/cancer center expansion)
Greenwich Hospital: $200,000 (emergency department improvements)
Fairfield University: $100,000+ (Bennett Center for Judaic Studies)
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich: $100,000 (behavioral health services)
Additional grants ranging from $3,000 to smaller five-figure amounts

The foundation distributed 6 grants in 2023, with a median grant size of $100,000.

Priority Areas

Healthcare: The foundation's primary focus is on healthcare institutions, particularly:

Stamford Hospital/Stamford Health (now includes Bennett Medical Center and Bennett Cancer Center)
Greenwich Hospital
Emergency department improvements
Cancer treatment facilities
Hospital construction and expansion projects

Education: Support for Jewish educational institutions:

Fairfield University's Carl & Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies (founded 1994 with $1.5 million initial endowment)
Yeshiva University
The Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel

Social Services:

Jewish Family Services
Jewish Senior Services (formerly Jewish Home for the Elderly) in Fairfield/Bridgeport
Behavioral health services

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only supports preselected organizations. This effectively excludes organizations without established relationships with the Bennett family or foundation leadership.

Governance and Leadership

President: Robin Bennett Kanarek (daughter of Carl and Dorothy Bennett)
Vice Presidents: Marc Bennett and Bruce Bennett (sons of Carl and Dorothy Bennett)
Board Size: Eight members

Robin Bennett Kanarek is a registered nurse, philanthropist, and author who advocates for palliative care. She chairs the advisory board for the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at Fairfield University and founded the Kanarek Family Foundation in 2006 with her husband Joseph. She previously served on Stamford Hospital Foundation's board from 2000 to 2013.

The Bennett family's ties to Stamford Hospital date to 1974 when Carl Bennett was asked to join the hospital's board. Over the decades, the Bennett family has given more than $20 million to the Stamford Health system. In 2014, the foundation made a transformational $9.1 million gift to the Healing Reimagined campaign.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Carl & Dorothy Bennett Foundation has explicitly indicated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." The foundation maintains an established roster of grantees, primarily organizations with which the Bennett family has longstanding relationships.

Grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's board, which consists primarily of family members. Organizations cannot submit applications or proposals to be considered for funding.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's grantmaking is relationship-based and concentrated among a small number of Connecticut institutions where the Bennett family has deep historical ties. Specifically:

Stamford Hospital/Stamford Health: The family's relationship dates to 1974 when Carl Bennett joined the hospital's board. Robin Bennett Kanarek served on the Stamford Hospital Foundation board from 2000-2013.
Greenwich Hospital: The Bennett family has a personal connection to Greenwich Hospital, where all three Bennett children were born. They funded the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Community Garden at Greenwich Hospital, completed in 2006.
Fairfield University: The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies was founded in 1994 with a $1.5 million endowment from Carl and Dorothy Bennett. Robin Bennett Kanarek chairs the center's advisory board.

These relationships were built over decades through board service, personal connections, and sustained engagement. The foundation's current grantmaking patterns suggest it continues to support this same core group of institutions rather than seeking new beneficiaries.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as the foundation does not accept applications. The foundation's grantmaking is determined entirely through trustee discretion based on the family's longstanding relationships and philanthropic priorities.

Organizations that have received grants share these characteristics:

Long-term relationships with the Bennett family (often spanning decades)
Located in Connecticut, primarily in Fairfield County
Focus on healthcare delivery or Jewish education/social services
Direct board connections with Bennett family members
Major capital projects or endowed programs bearing the Bennett name

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process: This foundation exclusively supports preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications
Relationship-driven grantmaking: All current grantees have decades-long relationships with the Bennett family, often involving board service
Healthcare dominance: The majority of funding goes to Connecticut hospitals, particularly Stamford Health and Greenwich Hospital
Multi-generational commitment: The family has given over $20 million to Stamford Health alone, demonstrating sustained, concentrated giving
Named programs and facilities: The foundation's largest grants typically support capital projects or endowed programs that bear the Bennett family name (Bennett Medical Center, Bennett Cancer Center, Bennett Center for Judaic Studies)
Jewish philanthropic interests: Significant support for Jewish educational institutions and social services
Family foundation governance: Led by the three Bennett children (Robin, Marc, and Bruce), ensuring continuation of the founders' philanthropic vision
Not a viable prospect: Organizations without pre-existing Bennett family connections should not pursue this foundation as a funding prospect

References

Accessed: December 16, 2025