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About the McClure Foundation
Giving with Warm Hands: Our History


When Warren and Lois McClure established the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation in 1995, the longtime philanthropists already had a deep understanding of how community foundations respond to needs over time.

Giving with "warm hands" is a guiding principal for the family's philanthropic work. According to Warren, when we give while we are alive—while our hands are warm—we can see good works being accomplished, contribute ideas for community betterment, and provide our children with an opportunity to see our actions.

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Our Postsecondary Education Report


In 2008 the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation partnered with the Vermont Community Foundation to study the ways philanthropy could improve access to higher education in Vermont. They recognized that by improving access to higher education they could address many issues at once including education, workforce readiness, youth development, economic prosperity, civic engagement, and equal opportunity.

This research has provided direction for our annual school-year grants to on-the-ground programs and to initiatives keyed to promoting long-term and systemic improvements in the access that Vermonters have to postsecondary education.

We are pleased to share with you the results of this work.

  • Download the full report [1 MB PDF]
  • Download the Data Supplements [1.2K PDF] (34 pages)
  • Works Cited

    • Please fill out our feedback form if you would you like to request a copy of the report, have questions or comments related to the report, or would like to speak with someone at the Vermont Community Foundation. 

    Learn more about our Access to Higher Education Fund.