The Jim Henson Foundation
The Jim Henson Foundation is a private foundation based in Long Island City, New York. Founded in 1982 by Jim Henson, it supports the creation and development of innovative live contemporary puppet theater in the United States.
The Jim Henson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Jim Henson Foundation gave $227K across 50 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in New York. 34% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $227,250
- -12.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 50
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,545
- -21.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $6,673,580
- +0.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (10 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (73% 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 Jim Henson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Review Cycle
- The website’s 2027 Artist Grants cycle listed a March 3, 2026 letter-of-intent deadline and a September 9, 2026 full-application deadline for applicants who passed the first stage. Both deadlines have passed. Its 2026 Presenter’s Grants cycle listed March 25 and April 15, 2026 deadlines; those have also passed.
- Deadline
- The website’s 2027 Artist Grants cycle listed a March 3, 2026 letter-of-intent deadline and a September 9, 2026…
- Contact
Application contact: Cheryl Henson
Mailing address: 37-18 Northern Blvd Suite 400, Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: (212) 439-7504
Email: info@hensonfoundation.org
Website: https://hensonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Jim Henson Foundation
Who The Jim Henson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Puppeteers of America Inc ($28K across 8 grants). Together the top 10 received $153K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
241 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 240 grants of 241 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website describes Artist Grants for new works by American artists. In filing year 2025, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 12% to Minnesota, 5% to Illinois, 3% to California, and 2% to Connecticut. Presenter’s Grants are limited to theaters in New York City.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Jim Henson Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 29 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 48% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $227K (2025) to $288K (2023). In 2025 it made 50 grants totaling $227K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dixon Place New York, NY | Puppet Production | $10,000 |
| Here Arts Center New York, NY | Puppet Production | $10,000 |
| New Victory Theater New York, NY | Puppet Production | $10,000 |
| La Mama New York, NY | Puppet Production | $10,000 |
| Automata Los Angeles, CA | Puppet Production | $7,000 |
| Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival Chicago, IL | Puppet Production | $7,000 |
| Fractured Atlas New York, NY | Puppet Production | $7,000 |
| Fractured Atlas New York, NY | Puppet Production | $7,000 |
| Great Small Works New York, NY | Puppet Production | $7,000 |
| Here Arts Center New York, NY | Puppet Production | $7,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Jim Henson 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 | $6,673,580 | $525,718 | $478,287 | $227,250 | 50 | $394,514 | $428,075 | $358,666 |
| 2024 | $6,629,579 | $2,967,828 | $499,284 | $261,000 | 45 | $452,762 | $1,722,314 | $215,353 |
| 2023 | $4,169,876 | $668,615 | $534,180 | $288,000 | 53 | $499,592 | $814,556 | $197,841 |
| 2022 | $4,032,892 | $893,497 | $440,740 | $253,000 | 45 | $406,637 | $355,869 | $193,417 |
| 2021 | $3,580,253 | $728,685 | $409,340 | $235,500 | 48 | $383,334 | $540,342 | $203,861 |
| 2020 | $3,260,805 | $443,745 | $466,717 | $286,500 | 53 | — | $215,887 | $180,983 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jim Henson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $359K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation was founded to promote and develop the art of puppetry in the United States. Its website says Artist Grants support new contemporary puppet theater and are to be used toward puppetry, including building and performing puppets and integrating them into a piece. The Foundation defines a puppet as an object given the appearance of life through direct or indirect manipulation by the human hand.
Its 2025 grants included support for theater venues and organizations. For example, Great Small Works describes its own work as creating and presenting theatrical work of high artistic quality, addressing contemporary social issues, exploring popular theater forms, and fostering community. The Brick Theater describes its mission as producing original theater at its Brooklyn space. Chicago International Puppet Theater describes its work as creating innovative puppetry performances drawing on musical, literary, and puppetry traditions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 50 grants totaling $227,250. Awards ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $4,000. The largest grants included $10,000 each to Dixon Place, HERE Arts Center, New Victory Theater, and La MaMa, all for puppet production. Other listed awards included $7,000 to Automata and $7,000 to Chicago International Puppet Theater, also for puppet production.
The Foundation’s website describes three Artist Grant categories: Workshop Grants ($4,000), Production Grants ($10,000), and Family Grants ($5,000). Workshop Grants support development and workshopping; Production Grants support new works ready to premiere in the coming year. Presenter’s Grants are invitation-only and available to New York City theaters with a history of presenting puppet theater. The website lists Presenter’s Grant levels of $5,000 and $10,000.
The Foundation’s 2025 filing says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website describes an annual Artist Grants process with a letter of intent stage, followed by an invitation to submit a full application. Applicants submit materials online, including a project description, biography, budget, visual, and video. The filing states that grants are for American artists creating new works of contemporary live puppet theater. The website says funds can be awarded only to nonprofit organizations, so artists without 501(c)(3) status need a fiscal sponsor.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cheryl Henson as president, Richard Termine as vice president, Hanne Tierney as secretary, and Louis Borodinsky as treasurer. It also lists Bruce Cannon, Sean Cawelti, Kristin Haverty, Maiko Kikuchi, Rowan Magee, and Preston Whiteway as directors. The Foundation’s website states that Cheryl Henson has served as president since 1992.
The Jim Henson Foundation is led by Cheryl Henson, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cheryl Henson
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2025)
Bruce Cannon
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Haverty
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maiko Kikuchi
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Preston Whiteway
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rowan Magee
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sean Cawelti
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hanne Tierney
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Louis Borodinsky
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Termine
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Chris Green (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Janie Geiser (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Tarish Jeghetto Pipkins (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Pam Arciero (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Blair Thomas (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Chamindika Wanduragala (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Leslie Strongwater (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Dan Hurlin (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Raymond Carr (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kurt Hunter (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Leslee Asch (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ping Chong (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $5K, to Cheryl Henson (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Jim Henson Foundation
How much does The Jim Henson Foundation give each year?
The Jim Henson Foundation gave $227K across 50 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $261K across 45 grants.
What is The Jim Henson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Jim Henson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,545, across 50 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Jim Henson Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Jim Henson Foundation give grants?
The Jim Henson Foundation gives mostly in New York: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (12%) and Illinois (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (28 grants), Minneapolis, MN (8 grants), Brooklyn, NY (3 grants) and Silver Lake, NY (3 grants).
Does The Jim Henson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 50 grants with a stated purpose on The Jim Henson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Puppet Production" (40 grants), "Patch (Puppetry at the Carriage House)" (4 grants) and "Allelu Award" (3 grants).
Who are The Jim Henson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Jim Henson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Puppeteers of America Inc ($28,000 across 8 grants), Here Arts Center ($25,000 across 4 grants) and Fractured Atlas ($21,000 across 4 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jim Henson Foundation?
The Jim Henson Foundation reported $6.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $395K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $359K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Jim Henson Foundation fund?
The Foundation was founded to promote and develop the art of puppetry in the United States. Its website says Artist Grants support new contemporary puppet theater and are to be used toward puppetry, including building and performing puppets and integrating them into a piece. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Jim Henson Foundation?
The Jim Henson Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check hensonfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is The Jim Henson Foundation's EIN?
The Jim Henson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3133702. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Jim Henson 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Jim Henson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-jim-henson-foundation-morg_8d82a70638a8425cab33a07455ac9135
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133133702_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Jim Henson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-jim-henson-foundation-morg_8d82a70638a8425cab33a07455ac9135},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Jim Henson 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.
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