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 $67K across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Virginia. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $66,834
- -4.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- +17.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,630
- -18.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $250
- Total assets
- $1,657,595
- +6.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (17 of 41, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 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 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mercy House ($42K). Together the top 10 received $60K.
Grant Size Distribution
238 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 238 grants of 238 (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 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 41 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $256; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $100 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 39% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 230% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $53K (2020) to $91K (2021). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $67K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mercy House Harrisonburg, VA | Charity | $42,000 |
| Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Harrisonburg, VA | Mentor Children | $4,750 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Harrisonburg, VA | Assist Nonprofit in Community | $2,288 |
| Grottoes Pool Preservation Foundation Grottoes, VA | Mentor Children | $2,000 |
| Oasis Fine Arts & Crafts Harrisonburg, VA | Fundraising Event | $2,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club Harrisonburg, VA | Provides Grants to Businesses | $1,500 |
| Isaiah House Elizabethton, TN | Shelter | $1,500 |
| The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg Rockingham County Harrisonburg, VA | Wellfare for Elderly and Disabled | $1,500 |
| Harrisonburg Little League Harrisonburg, VA | Humanity | $1,000 |
| Special Olympics Harrisonburg, VA | Mentor Children | $1,000 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,657,595 | $176,848 | $190,965 | $66,834 | 41 | $180,650 | $93,999 | $78,388 |
| 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 |
| 2019 | $1,718,983 | $160,313 | $163,099 | $65,475 | 53 | — | $122,516 | $81,658 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd reported a distributable amount of $78K for 2025 — 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. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 41 grants totaling $66,834.
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 E. Warren Denton III, President & Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
E. Warren Denton III
President & Executive Director
Secretary & Treasurer → President & Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda Denton
Tournament Director
Director → Tournament Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$13K (2019) → $27K (2025)
Terri Denton
Former President & Executive
President & Executive Director → Former President & Executive, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$24K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $27K, to Linda Denton (Tournament Director).
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 $67K across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $70K across 35 grants.
What is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's typical grant size?
Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's median grant in 2025 was $250, and its average grant was $1,630, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd that year got $256 on average.
Where does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd give grants?
Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd gives mostly in Virginia: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Harrisonburg, VA (22 grants), Bridgewater, VA (3 grants), Grottoes, VA (2 grants) and Dayton, VA (2 grants).
Does Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 41 grants with a stated purpose on Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Church" (6 grants), "Volunteer Rescue Squad" (5 grants) and "Mentor Children" (4 grants).
Who are Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's largest grantees?
Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd's largest 2025 grantees include Mercy House ($42,000), Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance ($4,750) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County ($2,288), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd?
Denton Family Charitable Foundation Ltd reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $181K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $78K (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 2019–2025.
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 November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 17, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 10, 2026)
- 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 November 12, 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 2026-11-12. 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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