Henry P. Kendall Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Its stated geographic focus is New England, and its work centres on regional food supply chains, local food procurement, farm-to-school and policy change, so organisations working in those areas in the region are the clearest fit.
- Most of its grants fall between $500 and $250,000, and half of its grants to organisations are $50,000 or less, so a request in the tens of thousands is a realistic starting point, although the largest grant in the filing was $500,000.
- Its grant programmes are invitation-only, so a cold request may not reach them; for the New England Food Vision Prize, submit a Letter of Interest that lists each partner's contact details, explains how the primary applicant and partners relate, and addresses all four Prize criteria.
- In the filing, 59% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had funded before, so relationships through its networking, introductions and cohort convenings may matter as much as a first request.
- For the New England Food Vision Prize only, it does not fund recurring food purchases, endowments, research or extensive planning efforts, and a for-profit business cannot be the primary applicant.
Overview
Henry P. Kendall Foundation is a US private foundation based in Marion, MA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Henry P. Kendall Foundation envisions a strong, resilient and sustainable New England food economy that is broadly accessible and provides lasting health, economic and environmental benefits. Its work supports regional supply-chain coordination, leadership development, networks and mobilisation around New England Feeding New England, alongside the advancement of public priorities. Its invitation-only grant programmes support organisations and projects that increase local food procurement and sourcing at educational institutions, and strengthen regional and state organisations working towards long-term systemic change and policy change. Through the New England Food Vision Prize, educational institutions and their partners are encouraged to advance scratch cooking, culturally relevant foods, regional procurement, student engagement and regional collaboration. The Foundation also provides grantees with networking, introductions, cohort convenings and specialised consulting.
Themes
- Local food procurement
- Farm-to-school
- Leadership development
- Policy change
Geographic Focus
New England.
What They Don't Fund
- New England Food Vision Prize only: Recurring purchase of food; Endowment; Research or extensive planning efforts; for-profit businesses may not serve as the primary applicant
How to apply
For the New England Food Vision Prize, applicants submit a Letter of Interest with each partner’s contact details and an explanation of the relationship between the primary applicant and partner.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 59% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 112 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Projects should increase student access to healthy, locally produced ingredients and build reliable, growing demand from schools, colleges and universities.
- Partners should bring the experience and relationships needed to implement the project and achieve its goals.
- Projects should prioritise students and communities with limited access to fresh, regionally produced food and farm-to-school programming.
- The plan should show ongoing local and regional purchasing by schools beyond the grant period.
- Letters of Interest should address all four Prize criteria.
- The Foundation uses reporting and check-ins to learn what is working, build relationships and improve its grantmaking.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 59% of grant dollars went to organisations Henry P. Kendall Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 39 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Urban Food Initiative · Provide operating stability during historic inflation and pandemic impact$500,0002024 tax year
- University of New Hampshire · 1. support food systems network expansion with operating support 2. creating culturally connected cafeterias in the manchester nh school district 3. operating support to build a thriving and sustainable food system in new hampshire 4.operating support for the state's farm to school and school garden networks$310,8942024 tax year
- Third Sector New England · 1. strengthen regional farm to school movement 2. support the 7th annual farm to school insititute and professional learning opportunities 3. engage a diverse coalition of food system stakeholders in advocacy efforts$300,0002024 tax year
- Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund · 1. support transformative projects to make systematic food system changes 2. operating support for vt sustainable jobs fund$275,0002024 tax year
- Skowhegan Economic Development Corporation · Expand capacity to manufacture upcycled nutritious grain cereals for college students$200,0002024 tax year
- Commercial Fisheries Center Of Ri · Building demand for underutilized fish species in school food$200,0002024 tax year
- Fork Food Lab · Upcycling broccoli processing byproducts$193,3692024 tax year
- Intervale Center · Expanding institutional food markets$150,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Tore C Nelson — Trustee
- Kenneth F Meyers — Trustee
- Phoebe S Winder — Trustee
- Andrew W Kendall — Trustee / Executive Director
- John P Kendall — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,361,333 | $3,968,969 | $85,868,743 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,864,998 | $3,213,795 | $91,972,668 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,771,350 | $3,279,854 | $96,901,010 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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