How the Laffey-McHugh Foundation Approaches Philanthropy in Delaware

For such a tiny state, there is certainly quite a bit of philanthropy going on in Delaware. In our Mid-Atlantic States Funding Guide, we have covered numerous foundations that focus exclusively on Delaware communities, as well as regional foundations that include the state in their geographic reach. One such funder is the Laffey-McHugh Foundation, a Wilmington-based grantmaker that has been on the charitable scene since 1959.

Here are some things to know about the Laffey-McHugh Foundation and its approach to grantmaking in Delaware.

A family legacy

This private foundation is a family-run operation that traces its history back to Alice Laffey-McHugh, the only child of John P. Laffey, who was the first head of the DuPont Company’s legal department. Laffey-McHugh was joined in her philanthropic endeavor by her cousin and that cousin’s husband, a prominent attorney. Since those initial efforts, other family members and community leaders have chipped in to move the foundation forward and carry on the philanthropic legacy of the Laffey-McHugh family.

Five main focuses

The Laffey-McHugh Foundation takes a broad approach in its grantmaking. It provides grants for numerous causes, including arts and culture, the environment, civic and community efforts, education, and health and human services needs.

The foundation’s overall goals are to address the needs of the poor, improve quality of life, level the playing field for needy people, build productive and engaged members of society, and support education and economic opportunity for everyone. Past grantees include the Delaware Theatre Company, Public Allies Delaware and the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.

All about Delaware

While its giving areas are broad, the foundation’s geographic reach is quite limited. This foundation awards grants throughout the state of Delaware but mostly focuses on the Wilmington area. It has recently supported Delaware-centric programming that includes food banks, theater, economic self-reliance for people of color and engaging local youth in the arts.

An accessible application process

The Laffey-McHugh Foundation has a very accessible grantmaking process and two opportunities to seek funding each year. The foundation has also operated a public website for the past few years, greatly increasing its transparency and accessibility.

Nonprofits should submit their funding requests by April 1 for consideration in the June cycle or by October 1 for consideration in the December cycle. However, it is highly recommended that those who haven’t received the foundation’s support before schedule a meeting before submitting a request. From there, the grant application process is conducted online.

Learn more about this foundation in IP’s full profile of the Laffey-McHugh Foundation.

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