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Henry P. Kendall Foundation Trust

Annual Giving
$3.5M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.5M
Decision Time
1mo

Henry P. Kendall Foundation Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3.2 million - $4 million
  • Total Assets: $92 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $500,000+ (typical: $10,000 - $300,000)
  • Number of Grants: 34-40 annually
  • Median Grant: $50,000
  • Decision Time: 4 weeks (for Food Vision Prize)
  • Geographic Focus: New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

Contact Details

Overview

The Henry P. Kendall Foundation Trust was established in 1957 as the Norfolk Charitable Trust by brothers Henry W. and John P. Kendall, renamed in 1959 to honor their father, Henry P. Kendall (1878-1959), a New England entrepreneur from Walpole, Massachusetts who built The Kendall Company through textile and manufacturing acquisitions.

With approximately $92 million in assets, the foundation distributes $3-4 million annually through 34-40 grants. The foundation's focus has evolved significantly over decades: environmental conservation in the 1970s, nuclear non-proliferation in the 1980s (notably supporting a Nobel Peace Prize winner, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War), and climate change initiatives in the 2000s. Since 2011, the foundation has concentrated exclusively on building resilient and sustainable food systems in New England.

The foundation's 2060 vision aims for 50% of food consumed in New England to be produced within the region, supporting healthy food access, sustainable farming and fishing, and thriving communities. An interim goal targets 30% regional food production by 2030. Currently, only 3.1% of New England's $120.6 billion in food expenditures goes toward local products.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

New England Food Vision Prize (Open Application)

  • Awards: $25,000 - $200,000 (up to $100,000 typical)
  • Total Annual Funding: At least $1.5 million
  • Application: Open competition with multiple annual cycles
  • Method: Online application portal

School Supply Chain Program (Invitation Only)

  • Infrastructure development
  • Equipment purchases
  • Staff capacity building for farm-to-school initiatives

Leadership Development & Networks (Invitation Only)

  • Supports state and regional organizations
  • Network mobilization and coordination
  • Professional development and policy advocacy

Priority Areas

  • Farm-to-School and Farm-to-Institution initiatives
  • Regional food system coordination across New England
  • Educational institution food procurement
  • Local food infrastructure and supply chain development
  • Food hubs and aggregation systems
  • Scratch cooking and culturally relevant food in schools
  • Student engagement and food education

Geographic Focus Areas

  • Greater Boston
  • Rhode Island
  • Route 91 corridor from Greenfield, MA to New Haven, CT
  • All six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects outside New England
  • Food sourced from outside New England for their programs
  • Recurring food purchases (for Prize funding)
  • For-profit organizations as primary applicants (may participate as partners)
  • Early childhood centers as primary applicants (may partner with K-12/higher ed)
  • Projects without educational institution partnerships (for Food Vision Prize)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Andrew W. Kendall
  • John P. Kendall
  • Kenneth F. Meyers
  • Phoebe S. Winder
  • Tore Nelson
  • Amy Longsworth

Staff

Andrew W. Kendall – Executive Director

  • Joined foundation in 2012
  • Former President of The Trustees of Reservations (12 years)
  • Led development of community farms and gardens network across Massachusetts
  • Prior experience: New Hampshire and Massachusetts Audubon; conservation work in Costa Rica
  • Education: Amherst College, Harvard Business School
  • Received Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Amherst College (2011)

Beth Zschau – Senior Program Officer

  • Joined foundation in 2023
  • Former National Impact Partnerships Director at FoodCorps (5 years)
  • Background in conservation, horticulture, agriculture, leadership development, and education
  • Education: Master's in Nonprofit Management (Northeastern University)

Holly Hannaway – Program Associate

  • Joined foundation January 2024
  • 20+ years experience in program development and community partnerships
  • Former Project Manager at Massachusetts Environmental Education Society
  • Education: MS Environmental Studies (Antioch University)

Founding Philosophy

The founders sought to "underwrite worthy, imaginative projects" with real impact, emphasizing "action more than research" and preferring to "nourish talent rather than to select projects and pay for the solutions."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Food Vision Prize (Open Application)

  • Submit through the Prize Application portal at kendall.org
  • Two or three annual application cycles
  • All applicants and educational partners must be based in New England
  • At least one K-12 or higher education institution must be part of each application

Core Grant Programs (Invitation Only) The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications for its core programs. It also discourages organizations from approaching it to seek funding outside of the Food Vision Prize.

Food Vision Prize Eligibility

  • Primary Applicants: Schools, nonprofits, government entities, municipalities
  • For-profits: May participate as partners only
  • Educational Requirement: At least one K-12 or higher education institution required
  • Geographic Requirement: All applicants based in New England; food must be grown/sourced/caught within the six New England states
  • Organizations without 501(c)(3): May apply as part of a team with an eligible primary applicant

Budget Requirements

  • No match requirement
  • Indirect costs capped at 10% of project budget
  • Food expenses limited to one-time items under 5% of total budget

Decision Timeline

  • Four-week turnaround from submission deadline to decision
  • Awards are all-or-nothing (no partial funding)
  • Public announcements via email and website

Reporting Requirements

One-Year Grants:

  • 6-month verbal check-in (30 minutes)
  • Final written report (2-3 pages)
  • Final financial statement

Two-Year Grants:

  • 1-year verbal check-in (30 minutes)
  • Final written report (2-3 pages)
  • Final financial statement

Reapplication Policy

Organizations unfunded in previous rounds are eligible to reapply. However, award winners cannot submit additional primary applications within the same calendar year.

Getting on Their Radar

For organizations seeking core (invitation-only) funding:

Contact Points

Building Relationships

  • Apply for the Food Vision Prize as an entry point to demonstrate your work
  • The foundation provides grantees with wraparound support including networking, introductions, and cohort convenings
  • They actively build awareness of successful projects through storytelling and events
  • Strong partnerships with Farm to Institution New England (FINE) provide networking opportunities

What the Foundation Looks For The foundation actively identifies grantees working in their priority areas. They award approximately 40 grants annually with a median size of $50,000, targeting organizations across government agencies, regional and hyperlocal nonprofits, and educational institutions.

Application Success Factors

What Makes Strong Applications (Food Vision Prize)

  • Clear demonstration of how the project increases regional food procurement in educational institutions
  • Strong partnerships between schools, nonprofits, farmers, and food producers
  • Projects that "build resiliency, relationships, and capacity within New England's educational institution food supply chain"
  • Alignment with the 2060 vision of 50% regional food production
  • Innovation "from farm to tray" including scratch cooking, culturally relevant foods, and student engagement

Allowable Uses of Prize Funds

  • Infrastructure investment
  • Equipment purchase
  • Revolving funds for local food procurement
  • Capacity and staffing
  • Training and certification
  • Creative solutions ("Your idea here!")

Recent Successful Projects

  • Urban Food Initiative: $500,000 for Daily Table's operating needs during capital store expansion
  • Third Sector New England: $375,000 for Food to Institution Network and Farm-to-School Institute expansion
  • Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island: $200,000 to expand monkfish slider project and seafood for schools
  • Fork Food Lab: $193,369 for upcycled broccoli products for 14 colleges/30,000 students
  • Skowhegan Economic Development Corporation: $200,000 for equipment to process local crops into products for schools
  • CommonWealth Kitchen: $100,000 to support food incubator operations

Impact to Date

Since launching the Food Vision Prize, 48 teams across New England have increased regional sourcing in partnership with over 1,000 schools, reaching 400,000 students.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Food Vision Prize is your entry point: While core grants are invitation-only, the Food Vision Prize provides an accessible application pathway with multiple annual cycles and awards up to $200,000.

  2. Educational institution partnership required: Every Food Vision Prize application must include at least one K-12 or higher education institution partner.

  3. New England focus is non-negotiable: All applicants, partners, and food sources must be within the six New England states.

  4. Fast turnaround: Decisions are made within 4 weeks of application deadlines, enabling rapid project implementation.

  5. Think systemically: The foundation seeks projects that advance the 2060 vision of 50% regional food production through institutional procurement—demonstrate how your project contributes to this larger goal.

  6. Build partnerships first: Strong applications feature collaborations between schools, food hubs, farmers, and nonprofits. Contact tania@farmtoinstitution.org for help making connections.

  7. No match required, but budget wisely: Keep indirect costs under 10% and food expenses under 5% of total budget.

References

Information compiled December 2025

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