The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (also McConnell Clark Foundation, Clark Foundation, or EMCF) is a New York-based institution that currently focuses on providing opportunities for
low-income
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little
youth (ages 9–24) in the United States. The Foundation makes large, long-term investments, frequently in partnership with other funders, in programs with proven outcomes and growth potential to meet the urgent needs of disadvantaged young people.
The foundation previously worked in
criminal justice reform
Criminal justice reform addresses structural issues in criminal justice systems such as racial profiling, police brutality, overcriminalization, mass incarceration, and recidivism. Criminal justice reform can take place at any point where the cr ...
,
systematic school reform,
tropical disease
Tropical diseases are diseases that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions. The diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, due in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the insect population by for ...
research, and child protection. The founder's fortune was passed from her father, Avon founder,
David H. McConnell
David Hall McConnell Sr. (July 18, 1858 – January 20, 1937) was an American businessman who was the founder and president of the "California Perfume Company", which then became Avon Products.
Early life
David Hall McConnell was born in Oswego, ...
.
In 1999, EMCF began to concentrate its resources on economically disadvantaged young people and the organizations that served them. It now focuses on helping high performing nonprofits develop
business plan
A business plan is a formal written document containing the goals of a business, the methods for attaining those goals, and the time-frame for the achievement of the goals. It also describes the nature of the business, background information on ...
s, organizational capacity, and evidence of their programs' effectiveness so they can expand their programming.
In 2007, it committed $39 million and raised $81 million from other organizations and individuals to support three of its most promising grantees.
The Foundation has given over $762 million in
grant
Grant or Grants may refer to:
Places
*Grant County (disambiguation)
Australia
* Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia
United Kingdom
* Castle Grant
United States
* Grant, Alabama
* Grant, Inyo County, ...
s since 1970, and as of September 30, 2013 its
asset
In financial accounting, an asset is any resource owned or controlled by a business or an economic entity. It is anything (tangible or intangible) that can be used to produce positive economic value. Assets represent value of ownership that can ...
s were approximately $954.5 million. President Nancy Roob has led EMCF since 2005.