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Bedford Falls Foundation

Annual Giving
$11.2M
Grant Range
$1000K - $2.6M

Bedford Falls Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $11,218,310 (2023)
  • Total Distributed Since 1997: $491 million
  • Additional Committed: $162 million
  • Grant Range: $1,000,000 - $2,600,000 (nursing school grants)
  • Geographic Focus: National (primarily mid-Atlantic and eastern United States)
  • Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Website: https://bedfordfallsfoundation.org

Email: info@bedfordfallsfoundation.org

Mailing Address: Bedford Falls Foundation 1350 Beverly Rd, Ste 115-122 McLean, VA 22101

Social Media: Instagram @bedfordfallsfoundation

Overview

Founded in 1997 by William E. Conway Jr. (co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group) and his late wife Joanne Barkett Conway, the Bedford Falls Foundation takes its name from the town in the classic film "It's a Wonderful Life." The foundation has distributed over $491 million since its inception, with 65% dedicated to nursing education and 35% to health and human services. The foundation's annual investment in nursing has grown dramatically from $5.2 million in 2013 to $59 million in 2025, while health and human services support has increased from $76,250 in 1997 to $24 million in 2025. The foundation has partnered with 33 schools of nursing nationwide, helping to graduate more than 7,000 nurses to date. The foundation operates with a relationship-based philanthropy model, emphasizing long-term partnerships with selected institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Nursing Education Scholarships: $1,000,000 - $2,600,000 per institution The foundation's primary grant program provides multi-year commitments to nursing schools, typically structured as:

  • 3-5 year commitments
  • Full or substantial scholarships for BSN students
  • Individual student awards ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 total
  • Recent grants include: WVU ($2.6M), UIC ($2.1M), multiple institutions at $2M, Boston College ($1.8M), University of Kansas ($1.6M), Morgan State ($1M)

Innovation Grants: Up to $250,000 The foundation has begun awarding Innovation Grants to support pilot programs that address nursing workforce retention and job satisfaction. Vanderbilt University School of Nursing received the first Innovation Grant of $250,000.

Health & Human Services: Amounts vary Supporting Washington, D.C. and Nashua, NH area organizations that stabilize at-risk populations through basic needs support and sustainable employment pathways.

Application Method: Invitation only - no public application process

Priority Areas

Nursing Education Focus:

  • Remove financial impediments to high-quality nursing education and career advancement
  • Support expansion and retention of nursing faculty and staff
  • Improve retention in the nursing workforce and promote opportunities for re-entry
  • Foster innovation in nursing education that facilitates practice-ready nurses
  • Support for traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, LPN-to-BSN pathways, and advanced degree programs

Health & Human Services Focus:

  • Stabilizing vulnerable populations by ensuring basic needs are met
  • Providing opportunities for sustainable, living-wage employment
  • Geographic focus on Washington, D.C. and Nashua, NH areas

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only works with preselected charitable organizations. Organizations outside their established partnerships in nursing education and health/human services in their target geographic areas are unlikely to be considered.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • William E. Conway Jr. (Co-Founder) - Co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group
  • Joanne Barkett Conway (Co-Founder) - Passed away January 8, 2024

Executive Leadership:

  • Elizabeth Minnigh, Executive Director

The Conways direct the foundation's giving strategy, with a personal commitment from William Conway to donate at least $1 billion to the Washington D.C. community over his lifetime.

Quote from William Conway: "We are committed to providing support to high-quality nursing education... Our goal is to help reduce the financial burden and provide an opportunity for the next generation of nurses to enter the field without the weight of student debt."

On the importance of nursing: "Nurses are essential to America's health, and schools like the UIC College of Nursing are positioned to prepare more well-qualified nurses to meet the nation's healthcare needs."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Bedford Falls Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

The foundation operates on a relationship-based philanthropy model, proactively identifying and selecting nursing schools and health/human services organizations to partner with rather than accepting open applications. Institutions are selected at the trustees' discretion based on strategic alignment with the foundation's mission to address the critical nursing workforce shortage.

For Nursing Students: If you are seeking scholarship support, contact your nursing school's financial aid or development office to inquire whether they have an existing partnership with the Bedford Falls Foundation. Schools with partnerships will communicate scholarship opportunities directly to eligible students.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through invitation-only partnerships rather than competitive application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only model. The foundation has established partnerships with 33 nursing schools nationwide since beginning its focused nursing philanthropy in 2013.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since the Bedford Falls Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, there is no formal application process. However, the foundation's selection of nursing school partners appears to be guided by:

Geographic Preferences: The foundation initially focused on mid-Atlantic institutions but has expanded nationally. The University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing was noted as "the first recipient in the Midwest after the foundation had made gifts to roughly 20 nursing schools, mostly in the mid-Atlantic states."

Mission Alignment: Institutions that demonstrate commitment to:

  • Addressing the nursing workforce shortage
  • Supporting students from underserved backgrounds
  • Removing financial barriers to nursing education
  • Preparing practice-ready nurses
  • Innovation in nursing education

Scale and Impact: The foundation partners with institutions that can utilize substantial multi-million dollar grants to support significant numbers of nursing students (typically 75-200 students per multi-year grant period).

Relationship Building: The foundation emphasizes that they "invest substantial time understanding potential grantees' needs and strategic alignment before funding decisions." Long-term partnerships are prioritized over one-time grants.

Types of Programs Supported: The foundation has funded traditional BSN programs, accelerated BSN programs, LPN-to-BSN pathways, and innovation initiatives focused on workforce retention.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: The Bedford Falls Foundation works exclusively with preselected organizations through invitation-only partnerships. There is no application portal or open solicitation process.

  • Relationship-based approach: The foundation emphasizes long-term partnerships and invests significant time understanding institutional needs before making funding decisions. Building awareness of your institution through sector networking may be valuable, though no formal application opportunity exists.

  • Substantial commitments: Nursing school grants range from $1-2.6 million over 3-5 years, supporting 75-200 students per institution. The foundation makes meaningful, transformative gifts rather than small grants.

  • Focus on access and equity: The foundation prioritizes removing financial barriers for nursing students, with particular attention to supporting students from underserved backgrounds and addressing workforce shortages.

  • Geographic evolution: While initially focused on mid-Atlantic institutions, the foundation has expanded to support nursing schools nationally, indicating potential openness to partnerships beyond their original geographic footprint.

  • Innovation opportunities: The new Innovation Grant program (exemplified by Vanderbilt's $250,000 grant) suggests the foundation may be interested in pilot programs that address workforce retention and job satisfaction in novel ways.

  • Student-centered mission: All nursing grants ultimately aim to reduce student debt burden and increase access to nursing education, particularly for those who might otherwise face financial barriers.

References

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