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The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation

Annual Giving
$114.4M
Grant Range
$4000K - $219.5M

The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation

IMPORTANT NOTE

This foundation is completing its 10-year spending down period and will cease operations on December 31, 2025. They are not accepting new grant applications. This overview is provided for informational and historical reference purposes.

Quick Stats

  • Total Assets (2023): $491.9 million
  • Annual Giving (2023): $114.4 million
  • Total Spend Down (2016-2025): $1.4 billion
  • Organizations Supported: 300+
  • Number of Grants (2023): 161
  • Grant Range: $4 million - $219.5 million (for major institutional partnerships)
  • Geographic Focus: Washington, DC metropolitan area and national engineering programs
  • Application Process: No public applications accepted; invitation only

Contact Details

Website: https://clarkfoundationdc.org

Address: 4445 Willard Ave Ste 740, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-4657

Phone: 301-657-7191

Media Contact: Elle Wassertzug at elle.wassertzug@clarkfoundationdc.org (through December 2025)

Overview

The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation (originally Clark Charitable Foundation Inc, EIN 52-1512330) was established in 1987 by A. James Clark, founder of Clark Enterprises, and his wife Alice. In 2010, before his death in March 2015, Mr. Clark mandated that the vast majority of his estate be spent down within 10 years. From 2016 to 2025, the Foundation executed a strategic spending down of over $1.4 billion to equip future engineers, reinvest in Washington, DC (the city where Mr. Clark built his business success), and serve post-9/11 veterans and their families.

The Foundation's investment-minded, trust-based approach focused on making sizable, multi-year grants to carefully selected organizations, working strategically with grantees to build capacity and infrastructure for long-term sustainability beyond the Foundation's sunset. The Foundation was named the 2023 NSPA Large Provider of the Year and received recognition as Penn State's 2023 Foundation Partner of the Year.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation organized its grantmaking into three strategic focus areas:

1. Engineering Initiatives ($592 million invested)

  • The A. James Clark Scholars Program: Established at 11 universities with perpetual support for 475 scholars annually through the Clark Scholars Program Network based at University of Maryland
  • Major university partnerships ranging from $11 million to $219.5 million
  • Focus on students typically underrepresented in engineering with support beyond financial aid
  • Universities include: University of Maryland, Duke, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, George Washington University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and others

2. DC Initiatives ($455 million invested)

  • Over 200 DC-area organizations supported
  • Maternal and Child Health: Investments in MedStar Health (Safe Babies Safe Moms Program), Children's National (Parent and Child Network), Community of Hope
  • Education Pathways: Support for Digital Pioneers Academy, CityBridge Education (2017-2024), student college access programs
  • Community Strengthening: Capital Area Food Bank, DC Central Kitchen, A Wider Circle

3. Veterans Initiatives ($176 million invested)

  • 243,000 unique transition services provided for post-9/11 veterans and their families
  • Categories: Employment (127,000 services), Medical/Mental Health (85,000 services), Community Connection (9,500 services), Education, Housing, Leadership Development
  • Grantees include Dog Tag Inc Fellowship Program, Operation Homefront, veterans' employment and entrepreneurship programs

Priority Areas

  • Engineering education with focus on underrepresented students
  • Maternal and infant health in Washington, DC
  • College access and success pathways
  • Veterans transition services (employment, health, housing, education)
  • Community organization capacity building

What They Don't Fund

As an invitation-only foundation completing its sunset, they do not consider:

  • Unsolicited proposals
  • New organizational partnerships (as of 2024-2025)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Courtney Clark Pastrick, Board Chair

  • Daughter of A. James Clark
  • Foundation President (1987-2015), Board Chair (2015-2025)
  • Attorney with extensive nonprofit leadership experience
  • Education: Duke University (B.A.), Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D.)
  • Quote: "While this investment in Penn State is an exciting development for the Clark Foundation, we are most looking forward to meeting the students that will soon arrive on campus. Their promise, their ideas, their commitment to improving their communities and solving problems — they are my father's legacy."

Robert J. Flanagan, Board Director

  • Chair of the Board of Clark Enterprises
  • Former CEO & President of Clark Enterprises
  • CPA with background in business and private equity

Lawrence C. Nussdorf, Board Director (1946-2020)

  • Chairman & CEO of Clark Enterprises
  • Quote: "Once he put you in charge, he gave you full authority and responsibility"

Executive Leadership

Joe Del Guercio, President and CEO (2016-2025)

  • Led strategic direction during the 10-year spending down period
  • Background: Nearly two decades in venture capital and private equity; also served as CEO of Clark Enterprises
  • First-generation college student
  • Quote: "As the son of Italian immigrants and first-generation college student, our work with the Clark Scholars is incredibly important to me"

Ashley Davis, Chief Operating Officer (2017-2025)

  • Oversaw operations, grant administration, performance measurement, and communications
  • 20 years experience in nonprofit and philanthropic sectors

Program Directors

Natalie Grandison, Director of Higher Education and Strategy (2018-2025)

  • Managed the A. James Clark Scholars Program across 11 campuses
  • Oversaw $219.5 million investment to University of Maryland

Danielle Hamberger, Director of DC Education Programs and Strategy (2010-2025)

  • Led strategic efforts to improve educational outcomes in Washington, D.C.

Mike Monroe, Director of Veterans' Programs and Strategy (2017-2025)

  • Former Marine and U.S. Naval Academy graduate

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Instead, the Foundation employs a dedicated team that conducts extensive research and outreach to identify potential grantees through their network of trusted community leaders and subject-matter experts. They conduct rigorous due diligence to evaluate each organization's capacity to effectively steward funds and produce measurable results.

As the Foundation is completing its sunset phase and will cease operations on December 31, 2025, they are not identifying new grantees.

Grant Awards Process

When the Foundation was actively making grants, their process included:

  • Proactive identification of organizations aligned with their three focus areas
  • Multi-year, flexible funding commitments
  • Trust-based approach emphasizing grantee expertise
  • CEO Del Guercio described their approach: "When we began working with [organizations], we asked the organization how our funding could best serve its mission – which is how my father approached every single partnership with organizations he respected. He deferred to their expertise and asked them to lead, to ensure that his funding would have maximum impact."

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process. The Foundation identified and approached potential grantees through their own research process.

Success Rates

  • 161 grants awarded in 2023
  • Over 300 organizations supported during the 2016-2025 spending down period
  • Success required alignment with one of three strategic focus areas and demonstrated organizational capacity for large-scale grants

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the Foundation does not accept applications and is ceasing operations in 2025.

Foundation Success Factors

While the Foundation did not accept applications, their documented approach to selecting and working with grantees provides insight into what made partnerships successful:

Investment-Minded Approach

The Foundation viewed grants as investments rather than gifts, focusing on long-term organizational capacity and sustainability. Del Guercio described engaging with grantees in a spend-down context as "a different way of thinking about due diligence and relationships, requiring working with organizations to strategically think about the long term."

Trust-Based Philosophy

Board Chair Courtney Clark Pastrick emphasized her father's partnership philosophy: "When we began working with Headstrong in 2020, we asked the organization how our funding could best serve its mission – which is how my father approached every single partnership with organizations he respected. He deferred to their expertise and asked them to lead, to ensure that his funding would have maximum impact."

Capacity Building Focus

The Foundation prioritized "partnering with grantees to think strategically about their missions, operations and outcomes to support them in building the infrastructure they need to be stronger and more sustainable over the long term."

Alignment with Core Values

Successful partnerships demonstrated:

  • Alignment with the Foundation's three focus areas (engineering, DC community, veterans)
  • Demonstrated capacity to manage large-scale grants effectively
  • Ability to produce measurable outcomes
  • Commitment to serving underrepresented populations or underserved communities

Multi-Year Commitments

The Foundation made sizable, multi-year investments (examples: $219.5 million to University of Maryland, $30+ million total to Duke, $15.5 million to Penn State) focused on creating lasting impact beyond the Foundation's operational lifetime.

Engineering Education Philosophy

Courtney Clark Pastrick on their scholars program: "Our engineering investments are grounded in the belief that students typically underrepresented in this field can succeed in top-tier programs with targeted support that goes beyond financial aid. We are so grateful to partner with Penn State as they consistently demonstrate their commitment to cultivating the Scholars as not just engineers but future leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Foundation Status: The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation is completing its 10-year spending down period and will cease operations December 31, 2025. They are not accepting new applications or identifying new grantees.

  • Invitation-Only Model: Throughout its operations, the Foundation never accepted unsolicited proposals. They proactively identified organizations through extensive research and trusted networks.

  • Strategic Focus: The Foundation concentrated on three specific areas: engineering education (particularly for underrepresented students), Washington DC community needs (especially maternal/child health and education), and post-9/11 veterans' services.

  • Scale and Impact: The Foundation made large, transformational investments rather than numerous small grants - examples include $219.5 million to University of Maryland, $27 million for pediatric/maternal health initiatives, and multi-million dollar commitments to 11 engineering schools.

  • Trust-Based Partnership: The Foundation's philosophy centered on deferring to grantee expertise, asking "how can our funding best serve your mission?" rather than imposing requirements, and building long-term organizational capacity.

  • Legacy Focus: Even while spending down, the Foundation prioritized creating lasting impact through capacity building, endowed scholarship programs, and infrastructure investments that would continue beyond 2025.

  • Measurable Results: The Foundation conducted rigorous due diligence and expected organizations to demonstrate capacity for deploying large-scale grants effectively and producing measurable outcomes.

References

  1. Clark Charitable Foundation Inc - GuideStar Profile. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/52-1512330 (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  2. Clark Charitable Foundation Inc - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521512330 (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  3. Overview | The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  4. FAQs | The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/faqs (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  5. Team | The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/team (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  6. Engineering Initiatives | The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/engineering-initiatives (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  7. DC Initiatives | The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/dc-initiatives (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  8. Veterans Initiatives | The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/veterans-initiatives (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  9. "Nearing the End of a 10-Year Sunset, This Family Foundation Will Have Awarded $1.3 Billion." Inside Philanthropy. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2024-6-11-nearing-the-end-of-a-10-year-sunset-this-family-foundation-will-have-awarded-13-billion (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  10. "Board Chair Courtney Clark Pastrick Accepts Headstrong's Moral Leadership Award." The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation. https://clarkfoundationdc.org/story/board-chair-courtney-clark-pastrick-accepts-headstrongs-moral-leadership-award/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  11. "The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation's $219.5 million investment will transform the University of Maryland." ClarkNet, University of Maryland. https://clarknet.eng.umd.edu/article/clark-foundation-investment (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  12. "A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation named 2023 Foundation Partner of the Year." Penn State University. https://www.psu.edu/news/development-and-alumni-relations/story/james-and-alice-b-clark-foundation-named-2023-foundation (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  13. "Meet the 2023 NSPA Large Provider of the Year: A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation." NSPA News. https://www.scholarshipproviders.org/page/blog_may_3_2024 (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  14. "Community of Hope Receives $5.5 Million from DC-Area Foundations to Support Maternal and Child Health Programs." Community of Hope. https://www.communityofhopedc.org/community-of-hope-receives-5-5-million-from-dc-area-foundations-to-support-maternal-and-child-health-programs/ (Accessed December 17, 2025)

  15. "Clark Foundation awards $27 million for pediatric, maternal health." Philanthropy News Digest. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/clark-foundation-awards-27-million-for-pediatric-maternal-health (Accessed December 17, 2025)

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