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High Pointe Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.8M
Grant Range
Up to $0.1M00
00

High Pointe Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $804,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $10,271,358 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 33 grants (2023)
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly (from smaller amounts to $100,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts and New Hampshire
  • Application Process: No public application process

Contact Details

Location: Plaistow, NH

EIN: 04-6880299

Note: This is a private family foundation that does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The High Pointe Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1999 by Stephen R. Clark and Joan M. Clark of Plaistow, New Hampshire. Named in honor of their son Stephen who passed away in 2009, the foundation reflects the Clark family's commitment to healthcare, hospice care, and charitable giving. The foundation maintains substantial assets of approximately $10.3 million, primarily held in corporate stock investments. In 2023, the foundation distributed $804,000 through 33 grants to various nonprofit organizations. The foundation is managed exclusively by the Clark family trustees and operates without any full-time employees. The Clarks are known for their significant philanthropic contributions to the Merrimack Valley region, most notably their major gift that led to the naming of High Pointe House, a hospice facility in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in honor of their son.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The High Pointe Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, Stephen R. Clark and Joan M. Clark.

Priority Areas

Based on available grantmaking data from 2023, the foundation has demonstrated interest in:

  • Healthcare and nursing: Notable grants include $100,000 to Professional Nurses Chapter of Brigham and Women's Hospital
  • Hospice and end-of-life care: Reflecting the foundation's namesake and the Clark family's support of High Pointe House hospice facility
  • Children's charities: $45,000 grant to Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island
  • Community services: $36,000 grant to Falmouth Service Center
  • Charitable giving funds: Grants to Fidelity Charitable Giving Account

The foundation appears to focus on Massachusetts-based organizations, with particular attention to healthcare institutions and community service organizations.

What They Don't Fund

As a private family foundation without public application guidelines, the foundation has not published explicit exclusions. However, as all grants are made through trustee discretion, funding is likely limited to causes and organizations with which the trustees have personal connections or knowledge.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Stephen R. Clark
  • Joan M. Clark

Stephen and Joan Clark are community philanthropists based in New Hampshire with deep ties to the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts. They established the High Pointe Foundation in honor of their son Stephen, who passed away in 2009. The Clarks have been recognized for their commitment to quality healthcare and their ongoing support of hospice care in the region. Their most visible philanthropic legacy is the naming of High Pointe House, a 21-bed hospice facility in Haverhill, Massachusetts, which was renamed from Merrimack Valley Hospice House in 2017 following their generous donation. Since opening, High Pointe House has provided end-of-life care to more than 4,000 patients.

The foundation operates with no full-time employees, with all decisions made directly by the trustee family members.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The High Pointe Foundation does not have a public application process.

All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, Stephen R. Clark and Joan M. Clark. The foundation does not maintain a website, does not accept unsolicited applications, and does not have published application guidelines or deadlines.

Grants appear to be made to organizations with which the trustees have existing relationships or personal connections, particularly in the healthcare, hospice care, and community service sectors in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made on a rolling basis at trustee discretion throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications - the foundation does not accept public applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the foundation's grantmaking patterns, the following observations may be relevant:

Foundation Interests:

  • The foundation has a demonstrated commitment to healthcare and nursing organizations, particularly those serving the Massachusetts region
  • Hospice and end-of-life care organizations align with the foundation's mission to honor the memory of the Clark's son Stephen
  • Children's charitable organizations, particularly Make-A-Wish, have received significant support
  • Community service organizations providing direct assistance to those in need are within the foundation's funding scope

Geographic Focus:

  • Primary focus on Massachusetts-based organizations, with particular attention to the Merrimack Valley region
  • Some funding to New Hampshire organizations given the trustees' Plaistow, NH location

Personal Connection:

  • As a private family foundation operating entirely through trustee discretion, grants appear to reflect the personal interests and connections of Stephen and Joan Clark
  • The foundation's largest known gift (the naming of High Pointe House hospice facility) reflects deep personal commitment to hospice care

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: The High Pointe Foundation operates as a private family foundation and does not accept unsolicited grant applications
  • Trustee discretion: All funding decisions are made exclusively by trustees Stephen R. Clark and Joan M. Clark based on their personal philanthropic interests
  • Healthcare and hospice focus: The foundation has demonstrated particular interest in healthcare institutions, nursing organizations, and hospice care
  • Massachusetts geographic focus: Most grants support Massachusetts-based organizations, particularly in the Merrimack Valley region
  • Personal mission: The foundation honors the memory of Stephen Clark (the trustees' son who passed away in 2009), which informs the focus on healthcare and compassionate care
  • Significant capacity: With assets exceeding $10 million and annual giving of approximately $800,000, the foundation has substantial grantmaking capacity when trustees choose to support an organization
  • Relationship-based: Organizations seeking support would need to develop a personal connection with the Clark family trustees rather than submitting a formal application

References

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