Clover Foundation

The Clover Foundation pursues a mission-driven grantmaking strategy firmly rooted in Catholic social teaching and the spirituality of Opus Dei. Founded in 1985 by Francisco and Begona Gomez in Texas, the foundation was created with the specific purpose of supporting projects inspired by the Catholic Prelature of Opus Dei and the teachings of its founder, St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer. Now headquartered in New York, the foundation maintains a global reach while keeping its grantmaking tightly aligned with this religious and educational mission. The foundation''s approach emphasizes ''whole-person education''—initiatives that integrate intellectual, moral, and spiritual formation. It seeks to affirm the dignity of human life and promote the integral development of communities, which translates in practice to supporting Catholic educational institutions, academic programs that engage with natural law and religious tradition, youth service initiatives, and parent support programs. The foundation operates through pre-selected grantmaking without a public application process, relying on its network within the Opus Dei community and aligned organizations to identify funding opportunities. Leadership by Gonzalo Vera (Director), William Orchard (Treasurer), and Federico Riera-Marsa (Director/President) provides continuity with the foundation''s founding vision.

With approximately $131 million in assets, the Clover Foundation makes annual disbursements ranging from $2.8 million to $4.3 million, representing a relatively conservative payout. The foundation typically makes a small number of grants with high variance in size. The largest single grants—up to $2 million—have gone to the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome for operating support, reflecting the foundation''s strong connection to Opus Dei''s educational institutions. Mid-range grants of $20,000-$30,000 support academic programs like the Witherspoon Institute''s educational seminars and the James Madison Program at Princeton University (which received $30,000 in start-up funding). Youth service organizations like YSI receive $20,000 grants for summer programs. The geographic distribution spans the United States, Italy, Mexico, and Peru, reflecting Opus Dei''s global presence. The average grant size of approximately $536,000 is skewed upward by the large institutional grants; most individual awards are likely in the $20,000-$100,000 range. Annual grant counts are modest—likely 10-20 awards per year—consistent with the foundation''s relationship-based model.

The Clover Foundation is mid-sized among Catholic-oriented private foundations in the United States. Its asset base of $131 million is substantial but its annual giving is conservative compared to peers like the Koch Foundation or GHR Foundation. Its explicit Opus Dei affiliation distinguishes it from broader Catholic foundations like Raskob, which fund across Catholic organizations regardless of movement or order. The pre-selected grantmaking model limits accessibility but ensures tight mission alignment.

In 2024, the Clover Foundation disbursed $3.4 million in grants, continuing its steady annual grantmaking. The foundation''s website at cloverfdn.org provides a polished public presence with detailed sections on mission, history, current work, and governance. Recent grants have continued to support the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross with significant operating grants, reflecting the foundation''s flagship institutional relationship. Youth service programming through YSI and academic support through the Witherspoon Institute remain active grant areas. The foundation maintains its global scope with projects documented in the US, Italy, Mexico, and Peru. Disbursements have been relatively stable over the past four years: $4.1M (2021), $4.3M (2022), $2.8M (2023), and $3.4M (2024). The foundation''s connection to the James Madison Program at Princeton—one of the most prominent academic centers studying natural law, the American founding, and Western political tradition—demonstrates its engagement with elite academic institutions.

The Clover Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications, making traditional application strategies inapplicable. For organizations seeking to engage with the foundation: (1) Alignment with Opus Dei is effectively a prerequisite—the foundation explicitly supports ''projects inspired by the Catholic Prelature of Opus Dei.'' Organizations with formal or informal connections to Opus Dei centers, schools, or community programs are the natural fit. (2) Educational institutions offering whole-person formation that integrates academic excellence with moral and spiritual development are the primary beneficiaries. (3) Catholic universities and academic programs, particularly those with programs in natural law, Catholic social teaching, or philosophy, may find alignment. (4) Youth service organizations with a Catholic formation component should explore connections through the Opus Dei network. (5) International organizations, particularly in Latin America (Mexico, Peru) and Europe (Italy), are within the geographic scope. (6) Contact the foundation at 420 Lexington Ave, Suite 300, New York, NY 10170, or call 212-297-6209 for inquiries. (7) Organizations seeking a formal referral should work through Opus Dei institutional channels rather than approaching the foundation cold. (8) Grants to parent support initiatives reflect the foundation''s emphasis on family—programs supporting parents in their educational role may find particular resonance.