The Henderson Family Foundation
The Henderson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Braintree, Massachusetts. It makes charitable contributions to organizations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
The Henderson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Henderson Family Foundation gave $197K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Ohio. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $197,150
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,322
- -9.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $4,353,028
- +13.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (59% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Henderson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 30 Braintree Hill Office Pk 104, Braintree, MA 02184
Phone: (781) 848-1163
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Henderson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($116K). Together the top 10 received $190K.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 135 grants of 137 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The reported shares were Ohio 59%, Georgia 13%, Massachusetts 9%, Florida 8%, and Delaware 8%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Henderson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 16 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 85% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $165K (2019) to $228K (2023). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $197K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Cincinnati, OH | Charitable | $116,400 |
| Homeless Children Foundation Atlanta, GA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| St Andrews School of Delaware Middletown, DE | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Vero Beach Museum of Art Vero Beach, FL | Charitable | $9,750 |
| Boston Symphony Orchestra Boston, MA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Cleveland Clinic Indian River Medical Center Foundation Vero Beach, FL | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Charitable | $5,000 |
| The Trustees of the Smith College Northampton, MA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston Boston, MA | Charitable | $2,000 |
| New England Conservatory of Music Boston, MA | Charitable | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Henderson Family Foundation?
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 | $4,353,028 | $791,498 | $276,024 | $197,150 | 16 | $200,345 | $735,321 | $235,999 |
| 2024 | $3,837,554 | $874,603 | $242,951 | $190,000 | 14 | $193,005 | $826,363 | $213,824 |
| 2023 | $3,205,902 | $291,833 | $280,231 | $228,000 | 46 | $230,735 | $251,615 | $184,791 |
| 2022 | $3,194,300 | $303,929 | $222,039 | $165,500 | 31 | $168,042 | $225,791 | $191,233 |
| 2021 | $3,134,591 | $648,852 | $214,908 | $167,000 | 30 | $169,325 | $607,269 | $207,205 |
| 2020 | $2,700,647 | $239,422 | $204,780 | $169,500 | 29 | — | $206,358 | $166,600 |
| 2019 | $2,666,005 | $158,907 | $203,891 | $165,000 | 26 | — | $126,423 | $168,587 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Henderson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $236K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, St. Andrew’s School of Delaware says it develops students’ independence, character, mind, and spirit; the Boston Symphony Orchestra says its mission is to make music and provide educational and training programs; and Orca Conservancy says it works to protect killer whales and the wild places on which they depend.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $197,150. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $116,400, with a median of $3,500.
The largest reported grants included $116,400 to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund in Cincinnati, Ohio; $25,000 to Homeless Children Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia; $15,000 to St. Andrew’s School of Delaware in Middletown, Delaware; $9,750 to Vero Beach Museum of Art in Florida; and $5,000 each to Boston Symphony Orchestra and Cleveland Clinic Indian River Medical Center Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Carol T. Henderson and Mary Gilligan as trustees.
The Henderson Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carol T. Henderson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Gilligan
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robert P. Henderson (2019) — Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Henderson Family Foundation
How much does The Henderson Family Foundation give each year?
The Henderson Family Foundation gave $197K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $190K across 14 grants.
What is The Henderson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Henderson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,500, and its average grant was $12,322, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Henderson Family Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does The Henderson Family Foundation give grants?
The Henderson Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Georgia (13%) and Massachusetts (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (5 grants) and Vero Beach, FL (3 grants).
Does The Henderson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Henderson Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (16 grants).
Who are The Henderson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Henderson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($116,400), Homeless Children Foundation ($25,000) and St Andrews School of Delaware ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Henderson Family Foundation?
The Henderson Family Foundation reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $200K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $236K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Henderson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, St. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Henderson Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Henderson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Henderson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3506549. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Henderson Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 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 May 11, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Henderson Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Massachusetts
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
The Boston Foundation funds nonprofits and community initiatives focused on equity and opportunity, including child well-being, economic opportunity, community wealth, and community leadership, primarily in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, while specific programs offer amounts such as $50,000; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
2,375
Total Given
$228.4M
Eastern Bank Foundation
Wakefield, MA
Eastern Bank Foundation supports economic inclusion and mobility, including small businesses, early childhood development, affordable housing, and workforce development. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $2,002,500, with a median of $2,500, primarily in Massachusetts and also in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. It accepts online applications and does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$266.7M
Grants
1,786
Total Given
$19.0M
Barr Foundation
Boston, MA
The Barr Foundation funds arts and creativity, climate, education, and New England’s social sector, primarily through long-term support for organizations in New England. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $3.275 million, with a median of $80,000. Its filing says it accepts only requests from preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests, though its website describes program-page inquiries and occasional open calls.
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
903
Total Given
$123.2M
Liberty Mutual Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
Liberty Mutual Foundation funds basic needs such as food and shelter, education and workforce development, and climate and community infrastructure, including homelessness and community preparedness programs. Its 2024 grants had a median of $35,000, and most funding supports organizations or programs serving the Boston area, though it also gives elsewhere. It accepts unsolicited online requests on a rolling basis, with no submission deadlines.
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
706
Total Given
$50.6M
Cummings Foundation Grants Inc (FKA Oneworld Boston Inc)
Woburn, MA
Cummings Foundation Grants Inc. funds nonprofits working in human services, education, healthcare, fairness and justice, and the environment, primarily in greater Boston and eastern Massachusetts. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $3.5 million, with a median of $35,000; it accepts letters of inquiry through an online portal during its application cycle, which was not open at the time described.
Assets
$258.2M
Grants
658
Total Given
$38.2M
American Tower Corporation Foundation
Boston, MA
Assets
$15.4M
Grants
632
Total Given
$1.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Henderson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-henderson-family-foundation-morg_81f5e449f8a9413e98739298ff3f140b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043506549_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Henderson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-henderson-family-foundation-morg_81f5e449f8a9413e98739298ff3f140b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 The Henderson Family Foundation'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.
The Henderson Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?