The Henderson Foundation concentrates its giving on a small number of relatively large awards to local Massachusetts institutions, with a strong emphasis on K–12 classical/private schooling and nearby healthcare and special‑needs services. Grants are sizable and targeted — including repeat support for one school — suggesting relationship-driven, place‑based philanthropy focused on education and community health/service providers.
Concentrated, relationship-based giving: few (4) grants totaling $280K, with large awards and repeat funding to a single school; favors sizable, targeted grants to local institutions rather than many small donations.
Lionheart Classical Academy, Mt. Auburn Hospital, Silent Bridge
A $100,000 grant to Lionheart Classical Academy stands out in the Henderson Foundation C/o Roberta Henderson’s recent giving and points to a pattern of concentrated support for education. The foundation’s awards are often directed to a small set of organizations over multiple years, with repeated grants to Lionheart Classical Academy, Silent Bridge, Mt Auburn Hospital, Food Bank of the Rockies, and the Salvation Army. That repeat pattern suggests relationship-based philanthropy rather than a wide-open portfolio of many small checks. The foundation gives across education, healthcare, and services for children with social, communication, or developmental needs, while also supporting other charitable organizations with tax-exempt purposes. Recent awards range from six figures down to five-figure gifts, and the largest grants are often reserved for institutions that align with its core themes. Recipients include classical and private schooling, local hospital support, and organizations serving children and families. The mix of Massachusetts institutions and recipients in other states shows a regional grantmaking footprint with clear priorities rather than a single-program strategy.
Education is a clear anchor in the Henderson Foundation C/o Roberta Henderson’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $100,000 to Lionheart Classical Academy in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and in 2025 it also gave $22,500 to Salisbury School Educational Foundation in Salisbury, Maryland. Earlier support for Lionheart Classical Academy in 2023 reinforces that schooling is not a one-time theme. Healthcare appears in both hospital and broader health-support grants. The foundation gave $70,000 to Mt Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2025 and $25,000 to the same institution in 2023. It also awarded $10,000 to Newton Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, in 2025. The foundation also supports services for children with social, communication, or developmental needs. Silent Bridge in Vancouver, Washington, received $51,000 in 2025 after a $33,500 grant in 2023.
Typical awards cluster in the low thousands, with p25 at $2,000, median grant size at $5,000, and p75 at $6,000. The recent list also shows a smaller set of much larger awards, which indicates selective larger grants layered over a broader base of modest gifts. The foundation is not a funder of individuals and does not make program-related investments. Repeated grants to the same organizations across 2023 and 2025 point to ongoing relationships rather than one-off support.
$586K
$6.9M
$1.2M
$1M
Most grants fall between $2K and $6K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$6K
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Most grants land in the United States, and 36% of grants go to recipients in Massachusetts. Cambridge and Canton appear among the in-state recipient locations, alongside Brookline, Newton, and Wellesley. Outside Massachusetts, the foundation gives regionally to places such as Peterborough, New Hampshire; Vancouver, Washington; Denver, Colorado; and Bar Mills, Maine. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recent grants favor classical and private schooling, local hospital and community healthcare, and services for children with social, communication, or developmental needs. Named recipients in those areas include Lionheart Classical Academy, Mt Auburn Hospital, Silent Bridge, and Newton Wellesley Hospital.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Lionheart Classical Academy, Silent Bridge, Mt Auburn Hospital, Food Bank of the Rockies, the Salvation Army, American Agri-women Resource Center, and Saco River Theatre. That pattern suggests recurring support rather than isolated awards.
The distribution centers on smaller grants: p25 is $2,000, the median is $5,000, and p75 is $6,000. At the same time, the recent grants list includes larger awards such as $100,000 and $70,000, showing that the foundation makes a limited number of substantially larger gifts as well.
Massachusetts is the top giving state by grant count, with 36% of grants going to recipients there. The grants also extend regionally to nearby and other U.S. states, including New Hampshire, Washington, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, and Oregon.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIONHEART CLASSICAL ACADEMY | PETERBORO, NH | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MT AUBURN HOSPITAL | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $70,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SILENT BRIDGE | VANCOUVER, WA | $51,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| THE ASSOCIATION OF FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES | NYC, NY | $24,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SD USA | REDMOND, WA | $23,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES | DENVER, CO | $23,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SALISBURY SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | SALISBURY, MD | $22,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SALVATION ARMY | CANTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN AGRI-WOMEN RESOURCE CENTER | COLCHESTER, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SACO RIVER THEATRE | BAR MILLS, ME | $13,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NEWTON WELLESLEY HOSPITAL | NEWTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ACCURACY IN MEDIA | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| HALO TRUST | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MENTAL HEALTH GLOBAL | SPRING, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UNITED HELP UKRAINE | GAITHERSBURG, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| RAINFOREST TRUST | WARRENTON, VA | $8,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| DANA FARBERJIMMY FUND | BOSTON, MA | $6,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| HANOVER THEATRE | WORCESTER, MA | $6,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NEADS | PRINCETON, MA | $6,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| OPEN STAGE THEATRE COMPANY | FORT COLLINS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SAVE THE POUDRE WATERKEEPER | FORT COLLINS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CONNECTICUT COLLEGE | NEW LONDON, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PUBLIC RADIO FOR THE FRONT RANGE | FORT COLLINS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MONADNOCK COMMUNITY HOSPITAL | PETERSBOROUGH, NH | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SECOND AMENDMENT INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| HELLEN GEE CHEN SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | NEWTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BATES COLLEGE | LEWISTON, ME | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BOSTON | BROOKLINE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL | AVON, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CITIZEN JOURNALISM FOUNDATION | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| LOOMIS CHAFFEE SCHOOL | WINDSOR, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ASIA INITIATIVES | NEW YORK, NY | $4,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| WOMEN'S ENVIRONMENT & DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (WEDO) | NEW YORK, NY | $4,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| REBIRTH | PLACEHOLDER, MA | $4,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| WORLD BOSTON | BOSTON, MA | $4,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB | MARLBORO, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| RECOVERY WITHOUT WALLS | WEST FALMOUTH, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CAPE COD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | HYANNIS, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| OLD FRIENDS CLUB | KIRKLAND, WA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UKRANIAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| GATEWAY COMMUNITY SERVICE | PORTLAND, ME | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MASSACHUSETTS ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN | BOSTON, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CAMBRIDGE ELLIS SCHOOL | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NYC, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CAMP GLENBROOK | ALLSTON, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MAINE STATE BALLET | PORTLAND, ME | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE |
LIONHEART CLASSICAL ACADEMY
$100,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
MT AUBURN HOSPITAL
$70,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SILENT BRIDGE
$51,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
THE ASSOCIATION OF FOREIGN PRESS CORRESPONDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES
$24,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SD USA
$23,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SALISBURY SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$22,500TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SALVATION ARMY
$15,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
AMERICAN AGRI-WOMEN RESOURCE CENTER
$15,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SACO RIVER THEATRE
$13,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
NEWTON WELLESLEY HOSPITAL
$10,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY
$10,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
MENTAL HEALTH GLOBAL
$10,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
UNITED HELP UKRAINE
$10,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
DANA FARBERJIMMY FUND
$6,500TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
HANOVER THEATRE
$6,500TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
OPEN STAGE THEATRE COMPANY
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SAVE THE POUDRE WATERKEEPER
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
PUBLIC RADIO FOR THE FRONT RANGE
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
MONADNOCK COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
SECOND AMENDMENT INSTITUTE
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
HELLEN GEE CHEN SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
BATES COLLEGE
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BOSTON
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
AVON OLD FARMS SCHOOL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
LOOMIS CHAFFEE SCHOOL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
REBIRTH
$4,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
WORLD BOSTON
$4,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
RECOVERY WITHOUT WALLS
$3,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
CAPE COD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$3,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
OLD FRIENDS CLUB
$3,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
UKRANIAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
$3,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
GATEWAY COMMUNITY SERVICE
$2,500TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
CAMBRIDGE ELLIS SCHOOL
$2,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$2,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
CAMP GLENBROOK
$2,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE
MAINE STATE BALLET
$2,000TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE