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Henderson Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker SUDBURY, MA EIN: 04-6051095 Website

Henderson Foundation is a private trust established in 1947 and based in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The foundation received its IRS tax-exempt ruling in December 1949 and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. It is governed by four officers and trustees.

Key facts about Henderson Foundation

EIN
04-6051095
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$586,000
Grants made (2024)
73
Average grant
$8,027
Median grant
$4,000
Total assets
$6,948,737
Primary geography
Massachusetts (28% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.

Who Henderson Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Henderson Foundation's 73 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (28%), New Hampshire (19%) and Washington (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants), Fort Collins, CO (4 grants), Boston, MA (4 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants). None of its 73 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Further the Organization's Tax Exempt Purpose" (73 grants).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.9M

+2.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$586K

+0.3% YoY

Grant Count

73

-6.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$8K

+7.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Henderson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $732K 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

Henderson Foundation supports public policy organizations in the fields of foreign policy, defense, peace, and media issues. The foundation also provides funding for higher and precollege education, with minor support directed toward medical research.

Grantmaking

The foundation operates on a preselected grantmaking model, meaning it makes contributions only to charitable organizations it has identified in advance rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Grant Range

$5,000

Average Grant

$7,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Henderson Foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia, which account for 56% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 19 states.

Grant Distribution by State

23states
+15 more states

Cities

WashingtonFort CollinsBostonNycPortlandSudburyFraminghamBedfordCambridgeDenverNew YorkArlingtonSalisburyBrooklineDublinMarlboroughNewtonAllstonBar MillsBrunswick

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

  • Total assets: $6.76 million
  • Total liabilities: $309,000
  • Revenue: $669,213
  • Expenses: $936,138
  • Annual income: $3 million (reported)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$333K$666K$999K$1M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$6,948,737$6,758,887$6,804,054
Revenue$1,211,287$669,213$501,979
Expenses$1,032,764$936,138$834,894
Qualifying Distributions$696,834$632,139$641,170
Net Investment Income$911,684$425,911$243,022
Distributable Amount$732,062$593,805$620,881

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$175K$350K$525K$700K101 grants2020107 grants202184 grants202278 grants202373 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Lionheart Classical Acad…$100KMt Auburn Hospital$70KSilent Bridge$51KThe Association of Forei…$24KFood Bank of the Rockies$23KSd Usa$23KSalisbury School Educati…$23KAmerican Agri-women Reso…$15KSalvation Army$15KSaco River Theatre$13K

Grant Size Distribution

443 grants across all recorded years

436<$50K6$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Lionheart Classical Academy ($100,000), Mt Auburn Hospital ($70,000), Silent Bridge ($51,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
LIONHEART CLASSICAL ACADEMY PETERBORO, NHTO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$100,000
MT AUBURN HOSPITAL CAMBRIDGE, MATO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$70,000
SILENT BRIDGE VANCOUVER, WATO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$51,000
THE ASSOCIATION OF FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES NYC, NYTO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$24,000
FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES DENVER, COTO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$23,000
SD USA REDMOND, WATO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$23,000
SALISBURY SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION SALISBURY, MDTO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$22,500
AMERICAN AGRI-WOMEN RESOURCE CENTER COLCHESTER, VTTO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$15,000
SALVATION ARMY CANTON, MATO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$15,000
SACO RIVER THEATRE BAR MILLS, METO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE$13,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Barclay Henderson serves as the principal officer of the foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

ROBERTA HENDERSONTRUSTEE$37KCARLOS AYALATRUSTEE$37KKEVIN HENDERSONTRUSTEE$35K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
ROBERTA HENDERSONTRUSTEE1$36,667
CARLOS AYALATRUSTEE1$36,667
KEVIN HENDERSONTRUSTEE1$34,660

Contact Information

  • Address: PO Box 420, Sudbury, MA 01776-0420
  • Phone: (978) 443-9000

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Henderson Foundation fund?

Henderson Foundation supports public policy organizations in the fields of foreign policy, defense, peace, and media issues. The foundation also provides funding for higher and precollege education, with minor support directed toward medical research.

How do I apply for a grant from Henderson Foundation?

The foundation operates on a preselected grantmaking model, meaning it makes contributions only to charitable organizations it has identified in advance rather than accepting unsolicited applications. **Grant Activity:** • Total of 347 grants made, totaling $2.3 million • Median grant size: $5,000 • Average grant size: $7,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $500 to $64,000 • Annual distribution between $532,000 and $1.1 million from 2020 to 2023 • Highest grantmaking activity in 2022 with …

Where does Henderson Foundation make grants?

Henderson Foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia, which account for 56% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 19 states.

What size grants does Henderson Foundation award?

In 2024, Henderson Foundation awarded 73 grants totaling $586K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Henderson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $732K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Henderson Foundation's EIN?

Henderson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6051095. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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

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