Clark-Winchcole Foundation

The Clark-Winchcole Foundation operates as a deeply private, relationship-oriented grantmaker with a 60-year history of supporting the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. Founded in 1964 and governed by a small, stable trustee group led by Chairman/President Vincent C. Burke III, the foundation has no public-facing grant portal, no published annual report, and no application deadline — signals that it favors known organizations and warm introductions over competitive open solicitations.

First-time applicants should understand that the foundation's reticence is not hostility — it accepts unsolicited applications — but it reflects a culture of careful stewardship. The trustees appear to prefer organizations with demonstrated track records in the DC metro area. Specific past grantees identified through external research include Washington Jesuit Academy, Gonzaga College High School, Catholic University of America, Mary's Center Community Health, Arlington Free Clinic, the Salvation Army (Washington branch), Foundation Schools, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Adventure Theater, and the Arlington Food Assistance Center. This list reveals a clear preference for established, mission-stable organizations rather than newer or experimental nonprofits.

The foundation's subsection code (03) and activity codes confirm it operates as a general-purpose private nonoperating foundation distributing grants rather than running programs directly. Officer compensation has been consistent at $240,000 annually, suggesting a lean, professionally managed staff. There is no evidence of a program officer corps that conducts site visits or relationship-building outreach — applicants should initiate contact themselves.

For first-time applicants, the recommended path is: (1) call 301-654-3670 to introduce your organization and confirm eligibility, (2) mail a concise letter of interest with required attachments, and (3) follow up once by phone after 60–90 days if no written response is received. The foundation provides written decisions to all applicants, which is a meaningful transparency commitment for a funder of this profile. Do not expect a formal interview, site visit, or invited full proposal stage — the letter of interest and attachments appear to constitute the full application.

The Clark-Winchcole Foundation has demonstrated consistent and growing grantmaking over the past decade. Grants paid grew from $4,280,536 in FY2012 to a range of $7.8–8.1M annually from FY2019 through FY2023, representing roughly 87% growth in absolute grantmaking over 11 years. Total giving (grants plus foundation operating costs) reached $9,752,772 in FY2022 — the highest recorded year in available data.

External databases report that over a five-year window the foundation awarded approximately 1,417 individual grants totaling around $34 million to roughly 503 organizations. This implies approximately 283 grants per year to roughly 100 distinct organizations annually, with an average individual grant of approximately $24,000. Grant sizes externally documented range from $10,000 on the low end to $300,000 or more for larger capital or institutional requests, with typical awards to human service organizations in the $25,000–$75,000 range. Specific examples include $50,000 to the Salvation Army, $35,000 to Foundation Schools, and $50,000 to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

By program area, external analyses of 990-PF filings indicate the following approximate breakdown: Social and Human Services (28%), Education (21%), Arts and Culture (18%), Health Agencies and Hospitals (significant share), and Religious Organizations — both Catholic and Protestant — receiving meaningful support across all categories. The foundation does not publish a breakdown by program area, but the grantee examples confirm diversity across sectors without heavy concentration in any single cause.

Geographically, all giving is restricted to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (DC proper, Maryland suburbs, and Northern Virginia). The foundation's own filings show DC and Maryland ZIP codes dominating. Net investment income — which drives payout — ranged from $5.2M (FY2023) to $14.0M (FY2022), and total assets have grown from $104.5M (FY2012) to $176.5M (FY2024), giving the foundation sustained capacity to maintain or grow its current giving levels.

The Clark-Winchcole Foundation occupies a distinct niche among DC-area private foundations: it is larger than most regional grantmakers but far smaller than the major anchor foundations, and its deliberately low profile sets it apart from peers that actively market open grant cycles.

Clark-Winchcole's most important competitive distinction is its acceptance of unsolicited proposals with no deadline — a rare openness among foundations of this asset size. The Philip L. Graham Fund, a comparable-asset peer, is invitation-only, making Clark-Winchcole more accessible. The Cafritz Foundation is far larger and has a structured LOI process. Clark-Winchcole's breadth across six to seven program areas simultaneously means that organizations in human services, education, arts, health, and religious sectors can all legitimately apply — but this breadth also means the foundation does not offer deep expertise or strategic alignment in any single cause area. Applicants should frame proposals in terms of community impact and demonstrated local effectiveness rather than sector-specific theory of change.

No press releases, grant announcements, or leadership changes were found through web research covering 2024–2026. The Clark-Winchcole Foundation does not maintain an active social media presence, issue an annual report, or publish a grantee list on its website. The foundation's website (clarkwinchcole.org) returned minimal content accessible to web crawlers, consistent with its historically private operating posture.

The most recent verifiable programmatic data comes from IRS Form 990-PF filings. In FY2023, the foundation paid $8,020,000 in grants and reported total giving of $9,633,493, consistent with the prior three years ($9.41M in FY2020, $9.65M in FY2021, $9.75M in FY2022). Officer compensation remained at $240,000 in FY2023, matching the level recorded in every year from FY2019 forward, and the $240K figure was paid even during FY2022's significant asset drawdown — confirming stable leadership.

FY2024 filings show total assets of $176,502,571 and total revenue of $15,919,448, though grants paid and total giving for FY2024 were not yet reported in available data as of early 2026. The asset recovery from the FY2022 trough ($159.4M) through FY2024 ($176.5M) suggests continued conservative investment management.

Vincent C. Burke III has led the foundation as Chairman and President for multiple filing years, alongside Grover B. Russell (Vice President), Gregory Oyler (Secretary), and W. Craig Thompson (Treasurer). No trustee changes are reflected in any filing reviewed.

The Clark-Winchcole Foundation's application process is deliberately analog and relationship-conscious. These tips are specific to this funder.

Initiate contact before submitting. Call 301-654-3670 (the number on file with the IRS) before preparing materials. The foundation is small and the staff likely handles scheduling and correspondence directly. A brief call to introduce your organization and ask a clarifying question signals genuine interest and confirms your sector and geography qualify.

Mail a letter of interest — not a full proposal. The foundation explicitly requires a letter of interest as the entry point. Keep it to two to three pages. Open with a single paragraph confirming your 501(c)(3) status, your geographic service area within the DC metro region, and the specific dollar amount requested. The trustees review accumulated proposals periodically; a clear, scannable format helps.

Required attachments are non-negotiable. Per the foundation's own 990-PF footnotes and external directories, every submission must include: (1) current organizational budget, (2) project budget if applicable, (3) board of directors roster with affiliations, (4) IRS determination letter, (5) description of geographic service area, and (6) description of population served. Missing any of these likely triggers rejection without review.

Use alignment language that reflects the foundation's sector portfolio. The foundation funds across social and human services, education, arts and culture, health, and religious causes. Avoid framing your work in policy or advocacy terms — emphasize direct service, community access, and measurable local impact. Specific mentions of DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia communities served are essential.

Catholic and faith-affiliated organizations have a documented advantage. Past grantees include Gonzaga College High School, Washington Jesuit Academy, and Catholic University — suggesting trustees have affinity for faith-based institutions delivering secular services. If your organization has any faith affiliation or partnership, reference it.

Do not expect a rapid response. No timeline is published. Submit once, follow up by phone after 90 days if needed. Reapplying after a rejection is acceptable — the rolling intake model means new proposals are considered fresh.