George B Henderson Foundation JH5090

Foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 04-6089310 Website

The George B Henderson Foundation is a private foundation established in Boston, Massachusetts in 1964. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the appearance and preservation of outdoor elements throughout Boston's public spaces.

Key facts about George B Henderson Foundation JH5090

EIN: 04-6089310
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $425,036
Grants made (2024): 15
Average grant: $28,336
Median grant: $26,000
New grantees (estimate): 73% first-time grantees (11 of 15, 2024)
Total assets: $5,836,954
Primary geography: Massachusetts (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for George B Henderson Foundation JH5090's 15 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (7 grants), Brighton, MA (2 grants) and Roxbury, MA (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 open to new grantees?

73%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 11 of 15 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $17K. How we count

Medians: $30K first-time, $17K repeat.

20% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

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

Next steps with George B Henderson Foundation JH5090

How to evaluate George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 as a funder
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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.8M

+3.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$425K

+0.4% YoY

Grant Count

+15.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$28K

-13.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 reported a distributable amount of $499K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The Foundation prioritizes capital projects that demonstrate design excellence and enhance quality of life and sense of place. Past grants have supported:

Restoration of historic buildings
Creation of new public sculpture and gardens
Restoration of historic monuments
Preservation of architectural and sculptural works

The Foundation does not fund routine care or maintenance activities, as defined by National Park Service technical standards.

Grantmaking

The Foundation operates two distinct grant programs:

Grant Range

$20,000 to $50,000

Review Cycle

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Foundation restricts all grants to projects within Boston city limits. In recent years, the designators have prioritized expanding funding to neighborhoods that have not been well represented in previous grants.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $425K (100%)

Share of all 15 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

Massachusetts

Cities

BostonDorchesterRoxburyJamaica PlainBrightonCharlestownFraminghamJamica PlainWest RoxburyEast BostonRosindale

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total assets: $5,836,954
Total revenues: $736,655
Total expenses: $518,568
Number of employees: 0

Recent Grant Activity (2024) The Foundation made 13 grants in 2024, including:

Boston Green Academy Foundation: $50,000 (Unrestricted Support)
Eliot Congregational Church of Roxbury Boston Massachusetts: $40,000 (Unrestricted Support)
Chinese Economic Development Council: $40,000 (Unrestricted Support)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$5,836,954	$5,629,078	$5,701,894
Revenue	$736,655	$453,626	$536,312
Expenses	$518,568	$514,048	$549,432
Qualifying Distributions	$457,509	$459,659	$480,698
Net Investment Income	$680,021	$392,026	$466,790
Distributable Amount	$498,516	$455,469	$456,463

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

February 28, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

68 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

2 open opportunities from George B Henderson Foundation JH5090

Foundation

George B. Henderson Foundation Regular Grant

George B Henderson Foundation JH5090

Amount

US $20,000 - US $50,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Henderson Foundation Mini-Grants Program

George B Henderson Foundation JH5090

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Boston Green Academy Foundation Inc ($50,000), Eliot Congregational Church of Roxbury ($40,000), Church of St Augustine and St Martin ($40,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BOSTON GREEN ACADEMY FOUNDATION INC Brighton, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$50,000
ELIOT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ROXBURY Roxbury, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$40,000
CHURCH OF ST AUGUSTINE AND ST MARTIN Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$40,000
CHINESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL INC Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$40,000
RUGGLES STREET BAPTIST CHURCH Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$40,000
2Life Communities Inc Brighton, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$30,000
EMERALD NECKLACE CONSERVANCY INC Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$27,500
OUR SAVIOURS LUTHERAN CHURCH East Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$26,000
VILNA SHUL BOSTON CENTER FOR JEWISH CULT Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$25,000
EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS Boston, MA	UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT	$24,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Deneen Crosby — Chair, George B. Henderson Foundation. A founding Principal and Director of Landscape Architecture at Crosby | Schlessinger | Smallridge LLC with over 40 years of design experience and more than 100 constructed projects in the Boston area. Appointed to the Boston Civic Design Commission in 2009 and served for 14 years. Fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects and recipient of the Boston Society of Architects Women in Design Award of Excellence in 2018.

Celia Grant — Board member. Former Community Engagement and Programs Director at Daily Table. Focused on leveraging cultural, artistic, and economic development to create lasting social impact in underserved communities. Graduate of Brandeis University with board service at Haley House, Clipper Ship Foundation, ABCD Boston, Historic Boston, and Discover Roxbury.

Brian Hone — Board member. Curator of Education at MassArt Art Museum and cultural producer and creative consultant.

The Foundation is administered by Hemenway & Barnes, LLP.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
John K Herbert III	Trustee	2	$19,617
Thomas E Bator	Trustee	2	$19,617
Eric U Henderson	Trustee	2	$9,730
Barclay C S Henderson	Trustee	2	$9,735

Frequently Asked Questions

What does George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 fund?

The Foundation provides support for projects focused on the enhancement and preservation of outdoor elements within Boston city limits, including parks, city streets, buildings, monuments, and architectural and sculptural works. All funded projects must be accessible and visible to the public. The Foundation prioritizes capital projects that demonstrate design excellence and enhance quality of life and sense of place. Past grants have supported: • Restoration of historic buildings • Creation of…

How do I apply for a grant from George B Henderson Foundation JH5090?

The Foundation operates two distinct grant programs: **Regular Grant Cycle** • Typical grant range: $20,000 to $50,000 • Larger grants are considered only in exceptional cases • Projects must be completed and reimbursement sought by December 31, 2026 • Supports capital projects focused on enhancement of public spaces **Mini-Grants Program** • Grants up to $7,500 • For community-based public outdoor space and public art projects • Must be completed by June 30, 2026 • Does not cover historic pres…

Where does George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 make grants?

What size grants does George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 award?

In 2024, George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 awarded 15 grants totaling $425K — an average of about $28K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, George B Henderson Foundation JH5090 reported a distributable amount of $499K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is George B Henderson Foundation JH5090's EIN?

George B Henderson Foundation JH5090's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6089310. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.