The Kendeda Fund was a private philanthropic foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, established in 1993 and designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The fund was named after the three children of founder Diana Blank: Kenny, Dena, and Danielle. Operating for 30 years, the Kendeda Fund concluded its philanthropic activities at the end of 2023, having distributed over $1 billion in grants throughout its existence.
Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$60.3M
-6.3% YoY
Grant Count
208
-22.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$290K
+21.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kendeda Fund reported a distributable amount of $968K for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Kendeda Fund's mission centered on supporting the dignity of individuals and the sustainability of communities through investments in transformative leaders and ideas. The foundation's work was guided by founder Diana Blank's curiosity about the natural world, discomfort with her own unexpected wealth and privilege, and sense of urgency to address pressing global challenges.
Primary funding areas included:
- Climate change and land conservation
- Girls' rights and women's rights
- Gun violence prevention
- Racial and economic justice
- Employee ownership expansion
Grantmaking
The Kendeda Fund distributed over $1 billion in grants during its 30-year history. Recent grant activity included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Tax-exempt status: April 2007
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 20-6881642
2023 Financial Data:
- Revenue: $13.1 million
- Expenses: $64 million
- Total Assets: $0
- Total Liabilities: $0
Total Giving: Over $1 billion distributed from 1993 through 2023
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $50,691,664 | $107,220,402 |
| Revenue | $13,093,829 | $10,995,328 | $29,360,526 |
| Expenses | $64,031,476 | $67,686,258 | $70,280,988 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $63,746,695 | $67,289,979 | $69,612,615 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,943,363 | $10,934,617 | $34,594,581 |
| Distributable Amount | $967,764 | $3,816,853 | $6,461,845 |
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 2023
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2023 grants, the largest include American Jewish World Service Inc ($4,900,000), Bozeman Public Library Foundation Inc ($3,000,000), Earthjustice ($2,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A SANCTUARY FOR MILITARY FAMILIES INC GRANBY, CO | family therapeutic retreats fund and general organizational support fund | $125,000 |
| A SANCTUARY FOR MILITARY FAMILIES INC GRANBY, CO | Operating Reserve Fund | $262,302 |
| ABSAROKA BEARTOOTH WILDERNESS FOUNDATION RED LODGE, MT | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF GEORGIA INC ATLANTA, GA | General & Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| ALVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH RUNNING STRONG ALEXANDRIA, VA | SCHH Productions, Inc and the Remaining Native documentary funds | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC ETNA, NH | Promoting Girls' Rights fund in India, Kenya and the Dominican republic | $4,900,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC ETNA, NH | Participation fund of AJWS staff, as well as staff of FAT, CREA and Nirantar in Kendeda Dialogues | $4,800 |
| AMERICAN RIVERS INC WASHINGTON, DC | the Northern Rockies Office | $20,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | Charitable Event | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Diana Blank - Founder of the Kendeda Fund. She derived wealth from the Home Depot empire and made the strategic decision to spend down the foundation rather than operate in perpetuity, completing her philanthropic journey at age 81.
Dena Kimball - Executive Director of the Kendeda Fund, took the helm of the foundation in 2014. She is Diana Blank's daughter.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
From 2023 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan Edwards -CIBC Pvt Wealth mgt | Trustee | 1 | $54,419 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Kendeda Fund concluded operations on December 31, 2023, marking the end of its 30-year philanthropic journey. This decision reflected founder Diana Blank's commitment to "giving while living" strategies and fully utilizing resources within a single lifetime, similar to philanthropic models employed by figures such as Julius Rosenwald and Chuck Feeney.
Prior to its closure, the foundation made significant final grants, including major commitments to clean energy projects and employee ownership initiatives. The fund also created comprehensive documentation of its 30-year journey and philanthropic approach to serve as a resource and invitation for others engaged in similar giving work.
Justice Climate Fund Awarded $2.5 Million Grant to Advance Clean Energy ProjectsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kendeda Fund fund?
The Kendeda Fund's mission centered on supporting the dignity of individuals and the sustainability of communities through investments in transformative leaders and ideas. The foundation's work was guided by founder Diana Blank's curiosity about the natural world, discomfort with her own unexpected wealth and privilege, and sense of urgency to address pressing global challenges. Primary funding areas included: • Climate change and land conservation • Girls' rights and women's rights • Gun viole…
How do I apply for a grant from The Kendeda Fund?
The Kendeda Fund distributed over $1 billion in grants during its 30-year history. Recent grant activity included: • $24 million awarded to expand employee ownership • $5 million granted to unlock clean energy projects in under-resourced communities • $2.5 million awarded to advance clean energy projects in the South The foundation was known for its trust-based approach to philanthropy and for providing flexible, unrestricted funding to grantees. The fund also supported operational stability fo…
What size grants does The Kendeda Fund award?
In 2023, The Kendeda Fund awarded 208 grants totaling $60.3M — an average of about $290K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Kendeda Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Kendeda Fund reported a distributable amount of $968K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Kendeda Fund's EIN?
The Kendeda Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6881642. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kendeda Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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