Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd
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.
Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd at a glance
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.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $70,021
- -12.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 35
- -39.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,001
- +44.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $1,558,224
- -0.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (10 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd
- 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.
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and **does not accept unsolicited requests**. Its website describes requests through written proposals rather than personal meetings or letters of intent, and says proposals are reviewed for alignment with the foundation’s interests and funding priorities. It lists the requested materials as an organizational summary and community connection; intended use of funds; organization and contact details; other and anticipated continuing funding sources; leadership and accountability information; an audited current financial statement, including balance sheet; and an IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter. The foundation limits grants to nonprofit organizations in Harrisonburg and the surrounding area.
- Review Cycle
- The website says there is no formal application deadline.
- Deadline
- The website says there is no formal application deadline.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 632, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Phone: (540) 234-0602
Website: https://dentonfamilyfoundation.net
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd
Who Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
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
The most common grant size was under $50K: 237 grants of 237 (100%).
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
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $53K (2020) to $91K (2021). In 2024 it made 35 grants totaling $70K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Explore More Discovery Museum Harrisonburg, VA | Museum for Children | $30,670 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Harrisonburg, VA | Mentor Children | $6,000 |
| Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Harrisonburg, VA | Provides Grants to Businesses | $5,001 |
| Woodbine Cemetery Harrisonburg, VA | Cemetery | $4,000 |
| Oasis Fine Arts & Crafts Harrisonburg, VA | Promtes Local Artisians | $3,000 |
| Community Foundation Harrisonburg, VA | Assist Nonprofit in Community | $2,500 |
| Harrisonburg Rescue Squad Harrisonburg, VA | Volunteer Rescue Squad | $2,400 |
| Grottoes Pool Preservation Foundation Grottoes, VA | Preservation | $2,000 |
| Special Olympics Harrisonburg, VA | Special Needs | $2,000 |
| Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Harrisonburg, VA | ARTS | $1,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,558,224 | $165,089 | $220,944 | $70,021 | 35 | $211,782 | $98,492 | $77,467 |
| 2023 | $1,562,590 | $124,182 | $204,471 | $80,057 | 58 | $195,417 | $61,542 | $74,272 |
| 2022 | $1,520,640 | $219,065 | $210,704 | $88,214 | 46 | $202,783 | $157,479 | $77,974 |
| 2021 | $1,900,424 | $218,518 | $202,308 | $91,191 | 58 | $202,308 | $171,571 | $90,833 |
| 2020 | $1,795,245 | $73,762 | $122,858 | $53,491 | 40 | — | $69,234 | $79,645 |
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.
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.
The foundation’s website describes its 2024 golf tournament beneficiary as Explore More Discovery Museum and reports that $40,000 was donated to the museum through the tournament. This is a tournament amount, distinct from the $30,670 grant reported for the museum in the foundation’s 2024 grant itemization.
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
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.
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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/denton-family-charitable-foundation-ltd-morg_67f104efd0f945c2aafca9f90628c92a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_541349360_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/denton-family-charitable-foundation-ltd-morg_67f104efd0f945c2aafca9f90628c92a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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