High Pointe Foundation

The High Pointe Foundation is a tightly governed family foundation established in Plaistow, New Hampshire in July 1999 by trustees Stephen R. Clark and Joan M. Clark. According to community research, the foundation was created in memory of the Clarks' son Stephen, who passed away in 2009, with a mission centered on healthcare, hospice care, and charitable giving to Massachusetts communities. Christine M. Clark has since joined as a third trustee, appearing in recent IRS filings.

This foundation operates with maximum discretion and minimal public exposure. It maintains no active website, no published grant guidelines, and no formal application portal. All grantmaking decisions rest entirely with the Clark family trustees, who receive no compensation for their service. First-time applicants must understand this is not a foundation that accepts unsolicited proposals through a public process — it is a relationship-based, invitation-leaning grantmaker.

Despite the lack of published guidelines, the foundation formally accepts applications via a written form indicating the amount requested and projected use of funds. This minimal requirement signals that trustees rely on personal knowledge of organizations rather than elaborate proposals. The strongest applicants are those who have cultivated a personal relationship with the Clarks — likely through shared community ties on Cape Cod, in Greater Boston, or through the Catholic philanthropic networks evident in the grantee list.

Relationship progression follows a clear pattern in the 990 data: virtually every major grantee received funding in three consecutive annual cycles. A first grant — often a smaller test amount in the $5,000–$15,000 range — typically precedes substantially larger multi-year commitments to $100,000 or above.

For first-time applicants, the recommended approach is: identify a mutual connection among current High Pointe grantees (Falmouth Service Center, Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, or Catholic Schools Foundation are ideal entry points), reach out by phone at (978) 372-4012 or by mail to PO Box 1230, Plaistow, NH 03865, express alignment with the foundation's healthcare and community welfare focus, and submit a concise written request. No formal acknowledgment process or review timeline should be expected — the foundation has no paid staff.

The High Pointe Foundation's financial trajectory is one of the most dramatic growth stories among comparable New Hampshire private foundations. Total assets grew from approximately $850,000 in FY2014 to $19,572,358 by FY2025 — a 23-fold increase in 11 years. This growth was fueled primarily by net investment income: $4.03 million in FY2023 alone on a then-$10.3 million asset base. By FY2025, the foundation's revenue reached $11.2 million, with approximately $2.2 million in new family contributions bolstering the portfolio.

Annual grantmaking has tracked this growth: $98,500 (FY2012), $228,000 (FY2015), $502,000 (FY2019), $804,000 (FY2023), $1,495,038 (FY2024), and approximately $1.9 million (FY2025). The FY2023 payout rate was approximately 7.8% of assets — well above the 5% private foundation minimum — indicating a generous grantmaking posture relative to endowment size.

Grant sizes span a wide range. Documented typical grant parameters: minimum $1,500, maximum $179,000–$220,938 (expanding with foundation growth), median $5,000, average $20,373. This bimodal distribution reflects a small number of large anchor grants to premier Boston hospitals alongside many smaller community awards.

By program category across 112 recorded grants totaling $2.07 million: medical and healthcare represents approximately 44% of giving ($910K), general welfare and social services 42% ($860K), education 9% ($178K), and religious organizations 3% ($66K). The largest individual cumulative commitments are Brigham and Women's Hospital ($300K across 3 grants) and Massachusetts General Hospital ($300K across 3 grants).

Geographically, 87.5% of grants (98 of 112) flow to Massachusetts-based organizations. New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Kentucky each receive 3 grants (2.7% each), with Virginia receiving 2 (1.8%). Within Massachusetts, grantees cluster in Greater Boston (teaching hospitals, arts institutions) and Cape Cod (Falmouth-area social service organizations).

The High Pointe Foundation sits in an asset tier of approximately $19.57 million alongside five peer family foundations all categorized under NTEE code T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking). These peers share similar asset scale but vary in geography, public profile, and funding approach.

High Pointe stands out among its asset-class peers for the relative transparency of its grantmaking pattern: four years of public 990 data reveal a clear healthcare-first strategy with stable, multi-year repeat relationships. Unlike the Cordish Family Foundation (connected to the Baltimore-based Cordish Companies real estate empire) or the Weitz Family Foundation (linked to Weitz Construction), High Pointe has no apparent corporate affiliation — making it a pure family foundation whose grants reflect the personal philanthropic values of the Clark family rather than any strategic corporate interest. At a 7.8% payout rate, High Pointe is also likely more generous relative to assets than most peers in this tier.

Web research confirms the High Pointe Foundation has experienced exceptional financial growth between FY2023 and FY2025. Total net assets grew from $10,271,358 (FY2023) to $11,057,020 (FY2024) and then surged to $19,572,358 by FY2025 — nearly doubling in a single year. ProPublica's FY2025 data attributes total revenue of $11,227,704 to the foundation, with approximately 79% from asset sales (realized investment gains) and 20% from contributions ($2.2M), suggesting the Clark family added substantial new funding in FY2025.

Grant disbursements in FY2024 totaled $1,495,038 across 43 awards per Instrumentl's 990 analysis. Confirmed FY2024 grantees include the Professional Nurses Chapter of Brigham and Women's Hospital ($135,556), Falmouth Service Center ($65,000), and Catholic Schools Foundation ($65,000) — all continuing longstanding relationships.

The most structurally significant recent development is Christine M. Clark's addition as a third trustee alongside Stephen R. Clark and Joan M. Clark. This generational expansion of governance suggests the foundation is planning for continuity, potentially broadening its reach as the next Clark generation becomes involved.

No press releases, news articles, or public announcements from or about the High Pointe Foundation appeared in any web search. The foundation maintains an extremely low public profile consistent with its private family character. The domain highpointe.org currently resolves to an unrelated Baptist church in Cedar Hill, Texas, confirming the foundation has no active web presence and cannot be researched through a foundation website.

Because the High Pointe Foundation operates entirely outside public grant cycles, every aspect of the application process requires a non-standard approach.

Make personal contact before submitting anything. The foundation has no staff, no website, and no online portal. Your entry point is a phone call to (978) 372-4012 or a personal letter to PO Box 1230, Plaistow, NH 03865, addressed to Stephen R. Clark. Briefly describe your organization and ask whether the foundation is accepting proposals in your program area before committing to a formal written request.

Frame your work around healthcare and compassionate care. The foundation's grantee history strongly reflects its origin in memory of the Clarks' son, who died in 2009. Organizations working in hospice care, palliative medicine, ALS research or support (Compassionate Care ALS and ALS Therapy Development Institute are both multi-year grantees), Alzheimer's disease, cancer support, or end-of-life care have the clearest alignment. Emphasize human dignity and community impact over clinical metrics.

Prioritize Massachusetts geography, especially Cape Cod. Eighty-eight percent of grants go to Massachusetts organizations. Falmouth and Cape Cod receive particular attention — Falmouth Service Center ($96K cumulative), Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation ($75K cumulative), Cape Symphony, Cape Samaritans, and Highfield Hall & Gardens are all multi-year grantees. Boston-area anchor institutions receive the largest individual grants. Organizations outside Massachusetts face significantly longer odds.

Keep the written request strictly concise. The stated application instructions are simply 'amounts requested and projected use.' A one-to-two-page letter is appropriate. Do not submit multi-volume proposals, videos, or glossy marketing materials — the trustees likely prefer substance over presentation.

Calibrate your initial ask to the relationship stage. New applicants should request between $5,000 and $15,000, aligned with the foundation's median grant of $5,000 and the cluster of smaller recurring gifts. Once a multi-year relationship is established, the foundation has demonstrated willingness to make five- and six-figure annual commitments.

Plan for annual renewal from day one. The 990 data shows essentially all major grantees receive funding in three or more consecutive years. Include a stewardship plan in your first proposal — a brief impact report 12 months after funding — and budget planning should assume annual re-application if the initial grant is successful.