The Henry L and Grace Doherty
The Henry L and Grace Doherty Charitable Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Delaware in 1947 and granted charitable status in October 1948. Based in Sea Girt, New Jersey, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focused mission in marine sciences and oceanographic research.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.4M
-5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+39.6% YoY
Grant Count
34
-15.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
+64.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Henry L and Grace Doherty reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to promote the marine sciences and education, and to assist institutions engaged in oceanographic activities. The foundation has indicated that only limited expansion of activities is anticipated in the foreseeable future.
The foundation provides funding in the following areas:
- Marine science
- Education and higher education
- Physical and earth sciences
- Human services
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made grants totaling approximately $250,000 to Save the Sound (general support), $35,000 to Upstream Alliance (general support), and $10,000 to The Berkshire School (general support), among other grants.
Review Cycle
provided by the foundation.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across various locations in the United States, including Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of December 2023-2024)
- Total assets: $11,959,888 (2023); $11,351,123 (2024)
- Total revenues: $776,250 (2023); $1,199,816 (2024)
- Total expenses: $1,190,000 (2023); $1,561,581 (2024)
- Investment income and dividends: $225,509 (2024)
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $873,713 (2024)
Major Donors
The foundation's major donors are reported as Mrs. Henry L. Doherty and Helen Lee Lassen.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,351,123 | $11,959,888 | $12,177,539 |
| Revenue | $1,199,816 | $776,250 | $3,238,991 |
| Expenses | $1,561,581 | $1,189,487 | $1,222,510 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,331,505 | $1,002,640 | $1,006,443 |
| Net Investment Income | $963,492 | $575,262 | $3,034,736 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,410,999 | $1,176,832 | $1,191,892 |
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
161 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Lamont Doherty Earth Observation ($250,000), Save the Sound ($250,000), Oregon State University ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP BOONE, NC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $7,000 |
| BERKSHIRE SCHOOL SHEFFIELD, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BROOKLYNORG BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,300 |
| CEREBAL PALSY OF WESTCHESTER RYE BROOK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION ANNAPOLIS, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| ELIM FELLOWSHIP LIMA, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
| FOODBANK OF SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA NORFOLK, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| FORTY EIGHT GRANTEES UNDER 2550 PER GRANTEE SEA GIRT, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $60,700 |
| FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include Walter R. Brown, who serves as President/Director. The foundation has one employee on staff.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WALTER R BROWN | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 10 | $50,000 |
| ANN BILLINGSLEY | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $10,000 |
| LUANN MASTERSON | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $10,000 |
| HELEN LEE BILLINGSLEY | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $10,000 |
| KIYOKO BROWN | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $10,000 |
| JAMES R BILLINGSLEY JR | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 5 | $25,000 |
| JACOB C RARDIN IV | TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $20,000 |
| AMY W RARDIN | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $10,000 |
| WALTER O BROWN | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $10,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported marine science and oceanographic research initiatives, including funding for Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, which received foundation support for a research and education position.
TY 2023 Form 990PF - Foundation SearchFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Henry L and Grace Doherty fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to promote the marine sciences and education, and to assist institutions engaged in oceanographic activities. The foundation has indicated that only limited expansion of activities is anticipated in the foreseeable future. The foundation provides funding in the following areas: • Marine science • Education and higher education • Physical and earth sciences • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Henry L and Grace Doherty?
**Grant Activity & Amounts** In 2024, the foundation made grants totaling approximately $250,000 to Save the Sound (general support), $35,000 to Upstream Alliance (general support), and $10,000 to The Berkshire School (general support), among other grants. In 2023, the foundation reported total giving of $864,400. **Application Process** The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding. There are no confirmed application deadlines provided by the foundation.
Where does The Henry L and Grace Doherty make grants?
The foundation supports projects across various locations in the United States, including Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and other states.
What size grants does The Henry L and Grace Doherty award?
In 2024, The Henry L and Grace Doherty awarded 34 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $35K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Henry L and Grace Doherty required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Henry L and Grace Doherty reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Henry L and Grace Doherty's EIN?
The Henry L and Grace Doherty's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6401292. 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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