Foundation History and Purpose

The A.D. Henderson Foundation was founded in 1959 by Alexander D. and Lucy E. Henderson, who made their home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dedicated to improving the lives of children through education, the Hendersons also sought to meet the constantly changing needs of our society. Through the Foundation, they strove to improve the economic, social, and physical well-being of their communities. Later, their son A. Douglas Henderson, moved to Vermont and chose to expand these ideals in his new home.

Our Mission

The mission of the A.D. Henderson Foundation is to promote early learning (0-5 years) and to increase the number of children entering kindergarten ready to learn in Vermont and Broward County, Florida. We also seek to expand the capacity of nonprofit organizations in Vermont to operate efficiently. Our focus areas for capacity building include, but are not limited to mentoring and early learning.

Geographic Areas of Giving

The Foundation limits its grant-making to Broward County in Florida and the state of Vermont.

Who Should Apply
The Foundation makes grants to public entities and IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations which are not classified as private foundations. The Foundation also looks for organizations that do not discriminate in the hiring of staff or providing of services on the basis of race, age, sex, national origin, religion, disabilities, ancestry, marital status or sexual orientation.