Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd logo

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd

Private foundation · Grantmaker Harrisonburg, VA EIN: 54-1349360 Website

The Denton Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Established in 1985 by E. Warren Denton, Jr., it supports nonprofit organizations and a wide range of human needs, with a stated emphasis on Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Key facts about Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd

In short: Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd gave $70K across 35 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in Virginia. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
54-1349360
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$70,021
Grants made (2024)
35
Average grant
$2,001
Median grant
$500
New grantees (estimate)
29% first-time grantees (10 of 35, 2024)
Total assets
$1,558,224
Primary geography
Virginia (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Deadline
The website says there is no formal application deadline.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.6M

-0.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$70K

-12.5% YoY

Grant Count

35

-39.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

+44.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd reported a distributable amount of $77K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd open to new grantees?

29%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 10 of 35 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $620; repeat grants $3K. How we count

Medians: $300 first-time, $750 repeat.

  • 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving fell 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 273% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s mission is to help people reach their potential in spiritual, educational, social, and economic life, become independent and self-sufficient, and improve their quality of life. Its stated focus areas are community, education, church, athletics, and the arts, particularly music. The foundation also says it supports smaller programs and a wide variety of human needs.

Its 2024 grants included a children’s museum, a children’s mentoring organization, a downtown economic-development organization, a cemetery, arts organizations, a rescue squad, Special Olympics, and a camp for people with disabilities. The grantee descriptions provide additional context: Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance describes its work as revitalizing historic downtown Harrisonburg; Special Olympics says it fosters inclusion through sports, health, and education; and Boys and Girls Club says it aims to help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 35 grants totaling $70,021. Grants ranged from $100 to $30,670, with a median grant of $500. Among the largest were $30,670 to Explore More Discovery Museum, $6,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County, $5,001 to Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, $4,000 to Woodbine Cemetery, and $3,000 to Oasis Fine Arts & Crafts.

Review Cycle

The website says there is no formal application deadline.

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation says it focuses significantly on Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia, where five generations of the Denton family have resided. Its website describes its grantmaking as focused on Harrisonburg and the surrounding area. The 2024 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Virginia recipients and less than 1% to West Virginia recipients.

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.

Cities

HarrisonburgLinvilleWeyers CaveBridgewaterDaytonVeronaWaynesboroStauntonBaltimoreBristowElktonNew MarketRichmondTimbervilleWinchesterAlexandriaArlingtonBergtonBig IslandBrandywine

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K40 grants2020 58 grants2021 46 grants2022 58 grants2023 35 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $53K (2020) to $91K (2021). In 2024 it made 35 grants totaling $70K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Explore More Discovery Museum: $31KExplore More Discovery Museum$31KBig Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County: $6KBig Brothers Big Sisters ofHarrisonburg-Rockingham County$6KHarrisonburg Downtown Renaissance: $5KHarrisonburg DowntownRenaissance$5KWoodbine Cemetery: $4KWoodbine Cemetery$4KOasis Fine Arts & Crafts: $3KOasis Fine Arts & Crafts$3KCommunity Foundation: $3KCommunity Foundation$3KHarrisonburg Rescue Squad: $2KHarrisonburg Rescue Squad$2KGrottoes Pool Preservation Foundation: $2KGrottoes Pool PreservationFoundation$2KSpecial Olympics: $2KSpecial Olympics$2KAny Given Child Shenandoah Valley: $2KAny Given Child ShenandoahValley$2K

The largest 2024 recipient was Explore More Discovery Museum ($31K). Together the top 10 received $59K.

Grant Size Distribution

237 grants across all recorded years

237<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 237 grants of 237 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Explore More Discovery Museum Harrisonburg, VAMuseum for Children$30,670
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Harrisonburg, VAMentor Children$6,000
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Harrisonburg, VAProvides Grants to Businesses$5,001
Woodbine Cemetery Harrisonburg, VACemetery$4,000
Oasis Fine Arts & Crafts Harrisonburg, VAPromtes Local Artisians$3,000
Community Foundation Harrisonburg, VAAssist Nonprofit in Community$2,500
Harrisonburg Rescue Squad Harrisonburg, VAVolunteer Rescue Squad$2,400
Grottoes Pool Preservation Foundation Grottoes, VAPreservation$2,000
Special Olympics Harrisonburg, VASpecial Needs$2,000
Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Harrisonburg, VAARTS$1,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $1,558,224 $165,089 $220,944 $70,021
2023 $1,562,590 $124,182 $204,471 $80,057
2022 $1,520,640 $219,065 $210,704 $88,214
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,558,224$1,562,590$1,520,640
Revenue$165,089$124,182$219,065
Expenses$220,944$204,471$210,704
Qualifying Distributions$211,782$195,417$202,783
Net Investment Income$98,492$61,542$157,479
Distributable Amount$77,467$74,272$77,974

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Terri Denton as president/executive director, E. Warren Denton III as secretary/treasurer, and Linda Denton as director. The foundation’s website lists E. Warren Denton, III (Tripp) as president/executive director, Linda Denton as tournament director, and Terri Lynn Denton as a volunteer.

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd is led by Terri Denton, President & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Terri Denton

    President & Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $24K (2020) → $24K (2024)

  • Linda Denton

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $13K (2020) → $13K (2024)

  • E. Warren Denton III

    Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Terri Denton — President/Executive Director: $24KTerri DentonPresident/Executive Director$24KLinda Denton — Director: $13KLinda DentonDirector$13K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $24K, to Terri Denton (President/Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 632, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Phone: (540) 234-0602
Website: https://dentonfamilyfoundation.net

Frequently asked questions about Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd

How much does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd give each year?

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd gave $70K across 35 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $80K across 58 grants.

What is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's typical grant size?

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $2,001, across 35 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd that year got $620 on average.

Where does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd give grants?

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd gives mostly in Virginia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Harrisonburg, VA (29 grants).

Does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 35 grants with a stated purpose on Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Church" (5 grants) and "Fire Department" (3 grants).

Who are Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's largest grantees?

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's largest 2024 grantees include Explore More Discovery Museum ($30,670), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County ($6,000) and Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance ($5,001), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd?

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $212K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $77K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd fund?

The foundation’s mission is to help people reach their potential in spiritual, educational, social, and economic life, become independent and self-sufficient, and improve their quality of life. Its stated focus areas are community, education, church, athletics, and the arts, particularly music. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd?

The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's EIN?

Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1349360. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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