About Richard A Henson Foundation
The Richard A. Henson Foundation concentrates its giving on regional community infrastructure in Maryland’s Eastern Shore and nearby areas, prioritizing higher education, youth development, and place-based cultural institutions. Grants skew toward capital campaigns and substantial operating support for a small set of repeat grantees (community college and university foundations, Junior Achievement, regional museums and service organizations). The foundation favors large, project-focused awards that build local facilities and sustain youth and community-serving programs.
Focus Areas
Capital projects for regional higher education (community college and university planetarium/capital campaigns)Youth financial literacy and workforce readiness programs (Junior Achievement on the Eastern Shore)Regional cultural institutions and museums (aviation museum capital projects)Community housing and neighborhood stability (Habitat for Humanity support)Scouting and youth membership/capacity support (Delmarva Council, Boy Scouts)
Who They Fund
cultural and educational institutions (museums, planetariums)young children / early learners
About Richard A Henson Foundation
Richard a Henson Foundation Inc concentrates large, recurring grants around Salisbury and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, with a clear preference for capital campaigns and ongoing support for local institutions. The foundation’s recent pattern includes repeated seven-figure-scale commitments to community college, youth development, and cultural projects, alongside operating support for service organizations that serve the same region. One of its most visible priorities is education infrastructure: Wor Wic Community College Foundation received $401,000 in 2024 and $400,000 in 2025 for capital campaign work. Youth financial literacy is another sustained thread, shown by $446,667 to Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore in 2024 for capital campaign and operations, following a similar grant in 2023 for operating expenses. The foundation also backs place-based cultural assets, including $433,333 to Hagerstown Aviation Museum for a capital campaign and $200,000 to Salisbury University Foundation for a new planetarium. Across these grants, the foundation supports physical facilities, recurring programs, and organizations tied to community-serving infrastructure.
What Richard A Henson Foundation Funds
Higher education is a major theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $401,000 in 2024 and $400,000 in 2025 to Wor Wic Community College Foundation for capital campaign support, and $200,000 in 2024 to Salisbury University Foundation for a new planetarium. Youth development is another visible area: Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore received $446,667 in 2023 for operating expenses and the same amount in 2024 for capital campaign and operations. The foundation also supports community stability and services. Habitat for Humanity received $201,000 in 2023 for operating expenses, while Healthport received $125,000 in 2025 for a capital campaign. Cultural and heritage programming appears in grants such as $32,000 in 2025 to Skipjack Heritage for operating expenses and $50,000 in 2023 to National Folk Festival for operating expenses.
How Richard A Henson Foundation Gives
Typical grants fall in a mid-five-figure range, with p25 at $7,578, median at $16,421, and p75 at $41,750. The recent record also shows several much larger awards, especially for capital campaigns and ongoing support. Grantmaking is clearly repetitive: the same organizations appear across multiple years, including Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, Wor Wic Community College Foundation, Salisbury Christian School, and Delmarva Council Boy Scouts of America. The foundation uses a mix of general grantmaking channels, including LOI-driven and invited application processes. Its stated program types include charitable projects, operating support, scholarships, and capital campaigns.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.1M
Total Assets
$36.7M
Total Revenue
$2.6M
Total Expenses
$1.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $42K, with a median of $16K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$16K
75th Percentile
$42K
Geographic Reach
Local3 states funded
About 93% of grants go to recipients in MD.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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