Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc
The Henry David Thoreau Foundation is a private foundation based in Somerville, Massachusetts. It supports environmental leadership through scholarships for Massachusetts high school seniors and grants for programs at U.S. colleges and universities.
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc gave $318K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), top state Massachusetts. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $317,735
- +5.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- +3.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,768
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,500
- Total assets
- $12,426,374
- +5.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (6 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (24% 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 Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc
- Invitation Only
-
Faculty grant proposals are by invitation only. Scholarship applicants apply online. The application form described on the foundation’s filing is available by request; scholarship applicants must submit the application and supplementary materials online.
- Review Cycle
- February 1 for scholarship applications and supplementary materials.
- Deadline
- February 1 for scholarship applications and supplementary materials.
- Contact
Application contact: John R Galvin Co Henry David Thorea
Mailing address: 265 Medford St, Somerville, MA 01243
Phone: (617) 666-6900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cornell University ($40K). Together the top 10 received $216K.
Grant Size Distribution
134 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 133 grants of 134 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The scholarship program is for students who reside in Massachusetts and graduate from a Massachusetts high school. Faculty grants support programs at U.S. undergraduate institutions. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (24%), New York (15%), Georgia (13%), Vermont (12%), and New Hampshire (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 27 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 109% 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 $250K (2020) to $349K (2021). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $318K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell University Ithica, NY | GRANT | $40,000 |
| Savannah State University Savannah, GA | GRANT | $40,000 |
| University of Vermont Foundation Burlington, VT | GRANT | $38,300 |
| Harvard College Cambridge, MA | Scholarship | $26,000 |
| Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Scholarship | $25,885 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA | Scholarship | $13,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Scholarship | $13,000 |
| Amherst College Amherst, MA | Scholarship | $6,500 |
| Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME | Scholarship | $6,500 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Scholarship | $6,500 |
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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 | $12,426,374 | $351,948 | $696,839 | $317,735 | 27 | $648,047 | $357,549 | $593,630 |
| 2023 | $11,755,025 | $470,123 | $655,400 | $302,154 | 26 | $614,942 | $436,346 | $552,432 |
| 2022 | $11,082,608 | $1,251,303 | $659,217 | $309,273 | 26 | $601,914 | $1,215,624 | $563,512 |
| 2021 | $13,101,606 | $1,952,349 | $644,264 | $349,472 | 28 | $614,201 | $1,949,028 | $603,381 |
| 2020 | $12,244,749 | $825,817 | $525,678 | $249,894 | 27 | — | $822,496 | $537,356 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $594K 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 describes itself as a “catalyst to action” that invests in the future of the planet by providing scholarships and grants to encourage, support, and sustain the work of young environmental leaders.
Its scholarship program supports Massachusetts high school seniors committed to environmental fields. Its Faculty Grant Program seed-funds programs at U.S. undergraduate institutions that foster environmental leadership and engaged scholarship. The foundation favors initiatives involving hands-on research and leadership opportunities, development of environmental programs, and sustainable collaborations with community or other organizations.
Among its 2024 recipients, Savannah State University received $40,000. The university describes its foundation’s mission as advancing Savannah State University and promoting the education and welfare of its faculty and students, including through scholarships and student housing. Worcester Polytechnic Institute received $13,000; it describes its mission as transforming lives and confronting global challenges through STEM education, projects, and research.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $317,735. Grant amounts ranged from $1,300 to $40,000, with a median of $6,500. The largest awards included $40,000 each to Cornell University and Savannah State University, and $38,300 to the University of Vermont Foundation. Scholarship awards included $26,000 to Harvard College and $25,885 to Dartmouth College.
The foundation’s Faculty Grant proposals are by invitation only. Scholarship applicants must apply online; the application opens October 15, and the application and supplementary materials are due February 1. The application criteria include Massachusetts residency, U.S. citizenship, graduation from a Massachusetts high school, plans to enroll in college, strong academic qualifications, and commitment to an environmental field. The application form described on the foundation’s filing is available by request. Foundation employees, trustees, officers, and selection committee members are ineligible to receive awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John R. Galvin as treasurer and trustee; Jennifer P. Galvin as president, secretary, and trustee; Scott Ellis as trustee; and Marilee Jones and David R. Magnussen on the scholarship committee. The foundation’s press kit identifies Jennifer Galvin as president.
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc is led by Jennifer P. Galvin, President, Secretary, Trustee & Executive since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jennifer P. Galvin
President, Secretary, Trustee & Executive
Secretary, Trustee & Executive → President, Secretary, Trustee & Executive, 2021
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$62K (2020) → $0 (2024)
John R. Galvin
Treasurer & Trustee
President, Treasurer & Trustee → Treasurer & Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$86K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Scott Ellis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David R. Magnussen
Scholarship Committee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Marilee Jones
Scholarship Committee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $0 (2024)
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 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $75K, to John R Galvin (Treasurer & Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc
How much does Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc give each year?
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc gave $318K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $302K across 26 grants.
What is Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $6,500, and its average grant was $11,768, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc that year got $9K on average.
Where does Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc give grants?
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's top state is Massachusetts, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (15%) and Georgia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cambridge, MA (2 grants) and Durham, NH (2 grants).
Does Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (23 grants) and "Grant" (4 grants).
Who are Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Cornell University ($40,000), Savannah State University ($40,000) and University of Vermont Foundation ($38,300), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc?
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc reported $12.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $648K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $594K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation describes itself as a “catalyst to action” that invests in the future of the planet by providing scholarships and grants to encourage, support, and sustain the work of young environmental leaders. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc?
Faculty grant proposals are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's EIN?
Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2077934. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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). Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/henry-david-thoreau-foundation-inc-morg_4bbf40aa12b44eb5a139a07a791cf18e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042077934_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/henry-david-thoreau-foundation-inc-morg_4bbf40aa12b44eb5a139a07a791cf18e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Henry David Thoreau Foundation Inc'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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