McInerney Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $4,492,740 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: Approximately $5,000 - $1,356,500
• Geographic Focus: Connecticut, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts
• Total Assets: $7,643,192

Contact Details

Address: 355 Riverside Ave, 2nd Floor, Westport, CT 06880

Phone: (203) 642-3631

Note: The foundation does not appear to have a public website or published application guidelines.

Overview

The McInerney Family Foundation was established in 1997 and received its IRS tax-exempt status in 1998. Based in Westport, Connecticut, this private family foundation is overseen by trustees Thomas E. McInerney and Paula McInerney. Tom McInerney is CEO and co-founder of Bluff Point Associates, a private equity firm, and previously served as a general partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe for 24 years. The foundation distributed $4,492,740 in grants during 2024, making 25 awards, representing a significant increase from 5 awards in 2023 and 2 awards in 2022. With total assets of approximately $7.6 million, the foundation focuses primarily on education, human services, and community support organizations across the northeastern United States, with particular emphasis on Catholic education and organizations serving vulnerable populations in their geographic region.

Funding Priorities

Recent Major Grants

Based on available 2024 grant data, significant awards included:

• Foundations in Education: $1,356,500 - Supporting Catholic education in the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut
• St. John's Bread and Life: $1,000,000 - Brooklyn-based food security and poverty alleviation program serving 446,000 individuals annually
• Domus Kids: $720,000 - Stamford, Connecticut youth support organization helping disconnected and disengaged young people

Priority Areas

The foundation primarily supports:

• Catholic Education: Major support for Catholic schools and educational initiatives in the Diocese of Bridgeport and beyond, including scholarships, innovation grants, and teacher professional development
• Human Services: Organizations addressing food insecurity, poverty, homelessness, and basic needs
• Youth Development: Programs supporting at-risk and disconnected youth
• Geographic Focus: Connecticut, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though as a private family foundation, they appear to focus on established relationships rather than broad-based grantmaking.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Thomas E. McInerney - CEO and co-founder of Bluff Point Associates, a private equity firm based in Westport, Connecticut. Previously a general partner at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe for 24 years, and held executive positions at Momentum Technologies and Automatic Data Processing (ADP). He served on St. John's University's board of trustees for 13 years, including 5 years as chair, and received an honorary doctorate in 2001. He is Past Chair of Foundations in Education.
• Paula McInerney - Serves on multiple nonprofit boards including Vice Chair of Domus Kids' Board of Directors in Stamford, Connecticut, and on the Finance and Innovation and Leadership Grant Committees for Foundations in Education.

The McInerneys have five children and thirteen grandchildren and reside in Westport, Connecticut. In addition to their foundation's grantmaking, they made a personal $5.5 million gift to Foundations in Education, described as transformational for Catholic education in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Neither trustee receives compensation for their foundation service.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The McInerney Family Foundation does not have a public application process. This is a private family foundation that appears to make grants through trustee discretion based on existing relationships and personal connections to the causes and organizations they support.

The foundation's grantmaking is proactive, with trustees identifying and selecting organizations aligned with their philanthropic interests, particularly in Catholic education, youth services, and community support within their geographic focus areas.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation without an open application process, grant decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, the following factors characterize their grantmaking approach:

• Established Relationships: The foundation supports organizations where the trustees have direct involvement or connection. Paula McInerney serves on the boards of both Domus Kids and Foundations in Education, two of the foundation's major grant recipients.

• Shared Geographic Connection: The foundation focuses on Connecticut (particularly Fairfield County where they reside), New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts, suggesting a preference for organizations in their regional sphere.

• Catholic Education Focus: The McInerneys have demonstrated deep commitment to Catholic education through both their foundation grants and personal giving, particularly within the Diocese of Bridgeport's school system.

• Substantial Impact Grants: Recent grantmaking shows a pattern of making fewer but larger grants - 25 awards in 2024 totaling $4.5 million, compared to just 5 awards in 2023. Top grants range from $720,000 to over $1.3 million, indicating preference for significant impact investments.

• Organizations Serving Vulnerable Populations: Grant recipients address critical needs including food insecurity, youth development, education access, and community support services.

• Multi-Year Relationships: The dramatic increase in giving from 2022 to 2024 suggests the foundation may provide escalating support to organizations they come to know and trust over time.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - there is no public application process to pursue
• Grantmaking is driven by the trustees' personal connections, board service, and philanthropic priorities
• The foundation makes significant grants (often six figures) to a small number of carefully selected organizations
• Catholic education, particularly in the Diocese of Bridgeport, represents a core funding priority
• Geographic focus on northeastern states, especially Connecticut and New York
• Organizations serving vulnerable populations - youth, families facing food insecurity, and underserved communities - align with their mission
• Board relationships matter: Paula McInerney's service on nonprofit boards correlates with major foundation grants to those organizations

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - McInerney Family Foundation (EIN 13-3949885), accessed January 12, 2026 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133949885

2. Cause IQ - The McInerney Family Foundation, accessed January 12, 2026 https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-mcinerney-family-foundation,133949885/

3. Instrumentl - The McInerney Family Foundation 990 Report, accessed January 12, 2026 https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/mcinerney-family-foundation

4. Foundations in Education - Board of Trustees, accessed January 12, 2026 https://www.foundationsineducation.org/board-of-trustees/

5. Foundations in Education - "$5.5 Million Gift to Transform the Paradigm of Catholic Education," accessed January 12, 2026 https://www.foundationsineducation.org/5-5-million-gift-transform-paradigm-catholic-education/

6. Domus Kids - Board of Directors, accessed January 12, 2026 https://domuskids.org/our-story/board-of-directors/

7. Philanthropy New York - McInerney Family Foundation Profile, accessed January 12, 2026 https://philanthropynewyork.org/redhen/org/1117

8. St. John's Bread & Life - Organization website, accessed January 12, 2026 https://www.breadandlife.org/