Clark Charitable Foundation Inc
Clark Charitable Foundation Inc, doing business as A James & Alice B Clark Foundation, is a private foundation incorporated in Maryland in 1987. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple focus areas.
Key facts about Clark Charitable Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 52-1512330
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $187,000,631
- Grants made (2024)
- 137
- Average grant
- $1,364,968
- Median grant
- $350,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (40 of 110, 2024)
- Total assets
- $447,106,891
- Primary geography
- Maryland (37% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Clark Charitable Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Clark Charitable Foundation Inc's 137 itemized 2024 grants were Maryland (37%), District of Columbia (30%) and North Carolina (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (55 grants), College Park, MD (8 grants), Baltimore, MD (6 grants) and Bethesda, MD (5 grants). 37% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Clark Scholars Program" (9 grants), "Student Scholarships" (7 grants) and "Facility Renovations" (5 grants).
Is Clark Charitable Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 40 of 110 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $747K; repeat grants $2.2M. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $645K repeat.
- 48% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 173% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 952% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Clark Charitable Foundation Inc
- How to evaluate Clark Charitable Foundation Inc as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$447.1M
-9.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$187.0M
+63.5% YoY
Grant Count
137
-18.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.4M
+99.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Clark Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $21.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to ensure that individuals and families have access to the opportunities, support, and resources that enable them to reach their full potential.
The foundation directs its grantmaking through four primary focus areas:
- Engineering — Supporting the education of future engineering leaders through scholarships and educational initiatives
- Washington, DC Education — Investing in educational opportunities for DC students from birth through graduation
- Washington, DC Community Giving — Supporting community-based organizations and residents across the DC area
- Veterans Support — Serving the nation's veterans through reintegration and support programs
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving. Recent grant activity shows:
Grant Range
** $5,000 to $23,000,000
Ready to take the next step with Clark Charitable Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, with particular emphasis on the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 137 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $447,106,891
- Total revenue: $148,003,694
- Total expenses: $192,803,977
- Total liabilities: $0
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $491,907,174
- Total revenue: $12,133,652
- Total expenses: $119,418,266
- Total giving: $118,556,989
- Giving rate: 21.7% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $447,106,891 | $491,907,174 | $599,191,788 |
| Revenue | $148,003,694 | $12,133,652 | $327,374,822 |
| Expenses | $192,803,977 | $119,418,266 | $149,311,827 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $206,703,507 | $118,556,989 | $148,565,299 |
| Net Investment Income | $19,361,016 | $14,452,728 | $5,707,028 |
| Distributable Amount | $21,703,394 | $25,994,211 | $24,049,298 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
960 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include University of Maryland College Park Foundation Inc ($38,596,217 across 6 grants), Georgetown University ($14,468,599 across 7 grants), John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ($10,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK FOUNDATION INC College Park, MD | NEW ENGINEERING FACILITIES | $23,000,000 |
| JOHN F KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Washington, DC | ENDOW THE VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION AND THE LAWRENCE C. NUSSDORF FUND FOR SOUND HEALTH | $10,000,000 |
| TRUSTEES OF BOSTON COLLEGE Chestnut Hill, MA | CARROLL SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM | $10,000,000 |
| NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY Greensboro, NC | COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRANSFER STUDENT PATHWAYS AND A. JAMES CLARK LEGACY SCHOLARS COMPETITIVE FRESHMAN ENDOWMENT | $9,000,000 |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER New York, NY | SUPPORT FOR GLIOBLASTOMA RESEARCH | $7,900,000 |
| MEDSTAR HEALTH INC Columbia, MD | SAFE BABIES, SAFE MOMS HEALTH INITIATIVE | $7,750,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK FOUNDATION INC College Park, MD | CLARK DISTINGUISHED CHAIRS | $7,000,000 |
| MARYLAND FOOD BANK INC Baltimore, MD | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT OF FOOD SECUITY PROGRAMS | $5,750,000 |
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Washington, DC | SUPPORT OF THE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY THRIVE CENTER FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES | $5,000,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK FOUNDATION INC College Park, MD | MARYLAND PROMISE PROGRAM | $4,265,090 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Joseph del Guercio — President and Chief Executive Officer
- Courtney Clark Pastrick — Board Chair and Director
- Robert J Flanagan — Director
The foundation maintains a staff of 10 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtney C Pastrick | Director | 2 | — |
| Robert J Flanagan | Director | 2 | — |
| Joseph Del Guercio | President & CEO | 35 | $558,229 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation is in the final phase of a planned 10-year spend-down period (2016–2025), during which it has invested more than $1.4 billion to support its mission areas.
Clark Foundation Invests $51.7M to Support Engineering Scholarships, Programming**Engineering Initiatives:** The foundation invested $329 million to establish and support the A. James Clark Scholars Program, which serves 475 scholars annually across 11 universities in perpetuity.
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation gives additional $11 million for engineering**DC Initiatives:** The foundation invested $455 million in the DC area, supporting over 200 organizations focused on improving health outcomes, strengthening community-based organizations, and supporting student achievement.
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation gives additional $11 million for engineering**Recent Grant Announcements:**
Additional $11 million investment in engineering scholarships (2026)
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation gives additional $11 million for engineering$51.7 million investment in engineering scholarships and programming
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation gives additional $11 million for engineering$5 million donation to Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation gives additional $11 million for engineering$4.2 million donation to Operation Homefront for veterans housing programs
The A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation Donates $4.2 Million to OperationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Clark Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission is to ensure that individuals and families have access to the opportunities, support, and resources that enable them to reach their full potential. The foundation directs its grantmaking through four primary focus areas: 1. **Engineering** — Supporting the education of future engineering leaders through scholarships and educational initiatives 2. **Washington, DC Education** — Investing in educational opportunities for DC students from birth through graduation 3. **Wash…
How do I apply for a grant from Clark Charitable Foundation Inc?
The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual giving. Recent grant activity shows: • **Total giving (2024):** $187,000,631 • **Total giving (2023):** $118,556,989 • **Grant range:** $5,000 to $23,000,000 • **Median grant amount:** $150,000–$181,250 • **Number of grants:** Approximately 150–175 grants annually **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. **Notable Recent Grants (2024):** • University of Mar…
Where does Clark Charitable Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, with particular emphasis on the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
What size grants does Clark Charitable Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Clark Charitable Foundation Inc awarded 137 grants totaling $187.0M — an average of about $1.4M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Clark Charitable Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Clark Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $21.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Clark Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
Clark Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1512330. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Clark Charitable Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.