Foundation Purpose

To operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes for the benefit of the residents of the McLean Planning District of Fairfax County in the Commonwealth of Virginia (hereinafter referred to as McLean).

Grants Criteria

1. Projects funded by the Foundation provide a lasting benefit to the McLean community at large. Grants should, therefore, fund the acquisition of tangible assets or the initiation or expansion of activities for which continued funding in future years—from sources other than the Foundation—is reasonably assured. Grant funds cannot normally be used for operating expenses.


2. Although the Foundation prefers that grants encourage the generation of funds from other sources or be designated as “seed money” to initiate new programs or “challenge grants,” it will consider projects that are not likely to be funded in sufficient amounts by other organizations or individuals. Although preference is given to grant applications from organizations maintaining a physical presence within the McLean Planning District, other Northern Virginia organizations shall be eligible for grants if: (1) they have a history of providing significant benefits to residents of McLean, and (2) the Foundation funds requested will provide benefits to residents of McLean.


3. There shall be no obligation on the part of the Foundation, nor expectation on the part of any applicant or grantee, for the Foundation to provide any additional project funding beyond the original grant.


4. To the extent possible, Foundation monies should be expended in ways complementary to the work of other community groups or in cooperation with them.


5. Applicants for any Foundation grant shall furnish evidence of community need and substantial support for any proposed project.


6. Grants shall be limited to those that are in conformance with the Foundation's status under the Internal Revenue Code as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation. As specified in the IRS regulations, no grants may inure to the benefit of any individual, except as payment for services performed by a party independent of the grantee, as specified in the grant agreement.


7. Except for the requirement that projects benefit the residents of the McLean Planning District, the Foundation shall administer funds available to it on a non-discriminatory basis and in full compliance with applicable Commonwealth of Virginia and federal regulations.


8. The Foundation may impose conditions on any grant to ensure that funds are spent in a timely manner and as intended.


9. The Foundation may on occasion choose to fund a project that does not entirely satisfy the Foundation's grants criteria (Policy), but is generally supportive of the Foundation's objectives and is especially worthy. A 2/3 majority vote of the Trustees will be required to fund such grants.


10. Six months (or another date, depending on circumstances specified in the grant agreement) after the date of an executed, signed grant agreement, the grantee shall furnish to the Foundation satisfactory evidence that the grantee has acquired and paid for the items funded by the grant. The Foundation may require that funds not spent in a timely manner or as intended be returned.


11. Unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated, grant applications will be considered three times per year. Those received or postmarked by October 1st will be considered in October; those received or postmarked by February 1st will be considered in February; and those received or postmarked by June 1 will be considered in June.


12. Grant applications must be completed in full and include all required supporting documentation and signatures. In the case of government applicants, income statements and balance sheet requirements may be waived.


13. The Foundation should actively encourage the submission of grant applications for projects meeting its grants criteria and may, when deemed appropriate, initiate and fund projects meeting its criteria.