The Dillon Henry Foundation
The Dillon Henry Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. It honors Dillon Henry’s memory and supports charitable work connected to its mission of encouraging compassion and personal responsibility to improve the world.
Key facts about The Dillon Henry Foundation
In short: The Dillon Henry Foundation gave $141K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 26-0869143
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $141,346
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $14,135
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $536,850
- Primary geography
- California (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation says it accepts new proposals and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None stated in the 2024 filing.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$537K
+2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$141K
-1.6% YoY
Grant Count
10
+150.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-60.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dillon Henry Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Dillon Henry Foundation gives
- Giving fell 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 475% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to create a worldwide community of people who show compassion and take personal responsibility for making the world better, while encouraging people who have benefited to “pass it forward.”
Its website highlights projects and partnerships including the Congo Peace School, the Surfrider Foundation, a Palisades High School scholarship, CASA of an individual recipient, Jewish World Watch, the Rwandan Orphans Project, and WITNESS. The foundation’s 2024 filing also lists grants to organizations and educational institutions. For example, Action Kivu Inc describes its mission as providing assistance to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. UC Riverside’s alumni association describes its mission as preserving and promoting the relationship between the university and its alumni, while Sarah Lawrence College describes its mission as graduating diverse citizens of the world who take intellectual and creative risks.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $141,346. Grants ranged from $500 to $117,846, with a median of $1,000. The largest awards were $117,846 to Action Kivu Inc and $15,000 to the Surfrider Foundation; both were listed as general support.
Other listed 2024 awards included $2,000 each to the University of California, an individual recipient, and the University of California, Riverside; $1,000 each to the University of California, an individual recipient, Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Southern California; and $500 each to Otis College, the University of California, Berkeley, and Santa Monica College. The filing lists all 10 grants as general support.
Review Cycle
None stated in the 2024 filing.
How to Apply
The foundation says it accepts new proposals and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its 2024 filing names Harriet Zaretsky as the contact and refers applicants to “Item 2D” for forms and materials. The filing states that scholarships are for graduating seniors at Palisades Charter High School who will attend a two- or four-year college or university, have attended the high school for at least two years, submit an essay, application, and one recommendation letter, and have financial need.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 1% to recipients in New York. The filing lists the foundation’s location as Santa Monica, California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $141K (2024) to $236K (2020). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $141K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Action Kivu Inc ($118K). Together the top 8 received $138K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($3,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
42 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 42 (88%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Action Kivu Inc Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $117,846 |
| Surfrider Foundation San Clemente, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $3,000 |
| University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, NY | General Support | $1,000 |
| University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| Otis College Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $500 |
| University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA | General Support | $500 |
| Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA | General Support | $500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $536,850 | $168,589 | $155,620 | $141,346 |
| 2023 | $523,881 | $189,241 | $161,974 | $143,705 |
| 2022 | $496,614 | $163,376 | $166,860 | $154,195 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $536,850 | $523,881 | $496,614 |
| Revenue | $168,589 | $189,241 | $163,376 |
| Expenses | $155,620 | $161,974 | $166,860 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $141,346 | $143,705 | $154,195 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,058 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $29,787 | $26,670 | $26,481 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Harriet Zaretsky and Taylor Winter as officers/directors. The foundation’s website lists Harriet Zaretsky, Taylor Henry, Anne Roberts, Ariel Handelman, Alexandra Zaretsky, Jace Winter, Brian Henry, and Christina S. under “Board Of Directors.”
The Dillon Henry Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Harriet Zaretsky
Officer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Taylor Winter
Officer & Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Taylor Henry (2020–2023) — Officer & Director
- Former: Stephen Henry (2020–2022) — Officer & Director
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.
Contact
Application contact: Harriet Zaretsky
Mailing address: 801 Latimer Road, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Phone: (310) 459-2689
Frequently asked questions about The Dillon Henry Foundation
How much does The Dillon Henry Foundation give each year?
The Dillon Henry Foundation gave $141K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $144K across 4 grants.
What is The Dillon Henry Foundation's typical grant size?
The Dillon Henry Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $14,135, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Dillon Henry Foundation give grants?
The Dillon Henry Foundation gives mostly in California: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (3 grants).
Does The Dillon Henry Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Dillon Henry Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Dillon Henry Foundation's largest grantees?
The Dillon Henry Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Action Kivu Inc ($117,846), Surfrider Foundation ($15,000) and University of California - Riverside ($2,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($3,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 95% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Dillon Henry Foundation?
The Dillon Henry Foundation reported $537K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $141K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $30K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Dillon Henry Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to create a worldwide community of people who show compassion and take personal responsibility for making the world better, while encouraging people who have benefited to “pass it forward.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Dillon Henry Foundation?
The foundation says it accepts new proposals and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Dillon Henry Foundation's EIN?
The Dillon Henry Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0869143. 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.
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