Benefits Data Trust (BDT)

Benefits Data Trust (BDT) assists older adults in applying for government benefits for which they qualify, but can fail to obtain because of difficulties in the application process. BDT is funded by and partners with grantmakers and government agencies to identify persons who need assistance accessing benefits, communicates with them, and develops systems to ease burdensome application processes. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Website: wwww.bdtrust.org
Founded:

2005

CEO:

Trooper Sanders

Location: Philadelphia, PA View on map
Tax ID: 20-3455598
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $13,801,160 Revenue: $5,946,404 Expenses: $23,867,436

Contents

    BDT is one of the recipients of the $3,863,125,000 in gifts made by Mackenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, to 464 organizations that operate in communities with high food insecurity, racial inequity, poverty rates, and low access to philanthropic capital. 2

    Background

    Benefits Data Trust was founded in 2005 by Warren Kantor, a credit card executive, on the premise that older adults needed help in applying for government benefits for which they were eligible. The group uses techniques developed by the credit card industry to identify those eligible but not currently accessing benefits, communicates with them, and assists them in applying for multiple benefits at the same time via an automated application process. 3

    The trust helps low-income individuals apply for benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC), Medicaid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and other programs. 1

    BDT provides policy and practice consulting to multiple states and manages benefits centers in Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina to help those states streamline the benefits access process. The group also produces reports advocating for policy changes that would ease access to benefits programs. 4 5 6

    The organization uses data and technology for integrated service delivery that streamlines the enrollment process for multiple benefits, encourages policy improvement to modernize the application process, works to influence government regulations, and conducts outcomes research to study the benefits of expanded access to benefits. 7 8

    Partners

    Benefits Data Trust’s partners include the Ballmer Group, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, United States Department of Agriculture, and Pew Charitable Trusts. 9

    Funding

    Benefits Data Trust is funded by philanthropic organizations, and fee for services contracts with government and private groups. 10

    In 2022, BDT received a $20 million unrestricted gift from Mackenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Scott has signed the “Giving Pledge” promising to give away at least half of her wealth. Working with the Bridgespan Group, Scott is giving priority to groups working with those in poverty, facing food insecurity, or racial inequity. 11

    BDT received a five-year $5 million grant from the Ballmer Group, an organization founded by the former CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, and his wife Connie Ballmer. 12

    Leadership

    The CEO of Benefits Data Trust is Trooper Sanders, a fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation who formerly headed Wise Whisper, an advisory firm to technology startup companies and philanthropic initiatives. Sanders is on the national board of Girl Scouts of USA and on the advisory board of Military Family Research Institute. 13

    Finances

    Benefits Data Trust generated $26,526,932 in 2020 revenue consisting of $16,550,735 in contributions and grants and $9,754,528 in program services revenue. 14

    The organization reported 2020 expenses of $21,487,003 with $14,751,818 paid in salaries and benefits. 15

    BDT’s net assets at the end of 2020 were $21,415,909. 16

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $13,801,160 $5,946,404 $23,867,436 View
    2023 $32,856,270 $28,543,974 $37,203,750 View
    2022 $43,423,474 $45,979,280 $34,811,961 View
    2021 $30,702,141 $28,284,384 $28,263,040 View
    2020 $35,254,049 $26,526,932 $21,487,003 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 352

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Wendy StarnerCFO – THRU 10/5/2024$240,651
    Erika BlumenthalCOO – THRU 10/4/2024$221,859
    Alyssa WagnerCPO – THRU 10/7/2024$208,061
    Juliette Hye-Young ChoSR. DIR. OF PHILANTHROPY – THRU 8/24/2024$174,296
    Trooper SandersCEO – THRU 6/9/2024$166,891
    Sang Hoon LeeCHIEF OF STAFF – THRU 8/6/2024$153,754
    Sharon Reiko WakiyamaENTERPRISE ARCHITECT – THRU 10/4/2024$137,311
    Cassian Brigette K PowellSR. DIR. OF POLICY – THRU 8/24/2024$136,114
    Stephen RockwellCDO – THRU 6/14/2024$135,402
    Marta MiguelDIR. OF DATA ANALYTICS – THRU 8/24/2024$134,657
    Sean Shamba DonovanSR. DIR. OF INFO SYSTEM – THRU 8/24/2024$130,075

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $166,839,026
    • Number of Grants: 206
    • Number of Funders: 72

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $20,004,0002022 National Philanthropic TrustHUMAN SERVICES
    $20,000,0002022 MacKenzie ScottMacKenzie Scott made an unrestricted grant of $20 million to Benefits Data Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that uses A.I. to connect low-income Americans with public benefits.
    $20,000,0002022 MacKenzie ScottMackenzie Scott made an unrestricted grant of $20 million to Benefits Data Trust, a national nonprofit that harnesses The power of data, technology, and policy to provide efficient and dignified access to assistance.
    $5,500,0002021 Blue Meridian PartnersTO PROVIDE COVID-19 SUPPORT
    $5,000,0002021 Walmart FoundationHUNGER RELIEF AND HEALTHY EATING
    $5,000,0002020 Blue Meridian PartnersTo provide covid-19 support
    $4,265,0002020 Robin Hood FoundationGENERAL
    $3,500,0002022 Blue Meridian PartnersTO SUPPORT SCALING PLAN
    $3,200,0002022 The Pew Charitable TrustsCivic Life
    $2,625,0002020 Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management IncCOMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES
    $2,500,0002022 Walmart FoundationHEALTHIER FOOD FOR ALL
    $2,145,0802021 Robin Hood FoundationPOVERTY RELIEF
    $2,045,0002022 Robin Hood FoundationPOVERTY RELIEF
    $1,800,0002020 The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation IncTO SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS ORGANIZATIONS TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE GOAL OF MAXIMIZING THE ENROLLMENT OF OLDER ADULTS INTO BENEFITS PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE
    $1,750,0002023 Gates FoundationTo reduce barriers and increase access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid through implementation of a telephonic signatures and targeted outreach
    $1,620,0002023 Robin Hood FoundationPOVERTY RELIEF
    $1,545,6402024 Walmart FoundationHEALTHIER FOOD FOR ALL
    $1,500,0002023 Blue Meridian PartnersTO SUPPORT SCALING PLAN
    $1,275,0002021 Tides FoundationHEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
    $1,250,0002021 Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management IncCOMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES
    $1,000,0002021 No Kid Hungry by Share Our StrengthCHILDHOOD HUNGER PROGRAMS
    $1,000,0002020 Robert Wood Johnson FoundationCovid-19 – To provide general operating support to Benefits Data Trust.
    $1,000,0002020 Walmart FoundationNational giving
    $990,0002021 Robert Wood Johnson FoundationTo (1) provide technical assistance to four to seven Medicaid agencies and partners to implement new policies and processes to reduce the number of people who move on and off of Medicaid, incurring disruptions in health care; (2) conduct a national scan of data-matching efforts between Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); and (3) provide technical assistance to at least three states to improve data-sharing by and coordination between Medicaid and SNAP.
    $892,5002023 Hunger Solutions New York IncSubcontractor

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Benefits Data Trust.” Center for High Impact Philanthropy – University of Pennsylvania. January 26, 2022. https://www.impact.upenn.edu/benefits-data-trust/.
    2. Scott, MacKenzie. “Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All.” Medium. March 23, 2022. https://mackenzie-scott.medium.com/helping-any-of-us-can-help-us-all-f4c7487818d9.
    3. “Home.” Center for High Impact Philanthropy – University of Pennsylvania. May 2, 2022. https://www.impact.upenn.edu/.
    4. “Where We Work.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/where-we-work/.
    5. “Policy Tools.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/policy/.
    6. “Healthcare Innovation.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/healthcare-innovation/.
    7. “System Change Efforts.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/system-change/.
    8. “Research.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/research/.
    9. “Our Partners.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/our-partners/.
    10. “Benefits Data Trust,” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part I, Lines 8, 9.
    11. Brubaker, Harold. “Mackenzie Scott Gives Philly Nonprofit $20M to Help Needy Get Government Benefits.” Philadelphia Inquirer. March 22, 2022.
    12. Ballmer Group Awards $5 Million to Benefits Data Trust.” Philanthropy News Digest. January 20, 2022. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/ballmer-group-awards-5-million-to-benefits-data-trust.
    13. “Trooper Sanders.” Benefits Data Trust. Accessed May 15, 2022. https://bdtrust.org/trooper-sanders/.
    14. “Benefits Data Trust,” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part I, Lines 12, 8, 9.
    15. “Benefits Data Trust,” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part I, Lines 15, 18.
    16. “Benefits Data Trust,” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part I, Line 22.