A Commitment to Service to the Students of the Leatherstocking Region
For over 130 years the Clark Family has supported the educational pursuits of local students. In the early 1880s, Alfred Corning Clark established The Edward C. Clark Punctuality Prize for students at Cooperstown schools with perfect scholastic attendance over a term. The students were allowed to select a book from a local bookstore. These prizes were awarded until 1961.
In the 1960s, The Scriven Foundation, named in honor of Elizabeth Scriven Clark, established The Scriven Scholarship Program to replace the Punctuality Prize. Scholarships of $1,000 went to the top two graduates of Cooperstown Central School. Gradually, the number and dollar amounts of scholarships increased.
The current Clark Foundation Scholarship Program was established in 1973 and absorbed The Scriven Scholarship Program. The Clark Foundation Scholarship has expanded to include nine additional school districts: Cherry Valley-Springfield, Edmeston, Laurens, Milford, Mount Markham, Owen D. Young, Richfield Springs, Schenevus, and Worcester plus the O.A.O.C. BOCES in Milford. In 2014 Gilbertsville-Mount Upton and Morris schools were added.
Jane Forbes Clark
The Clark Family: A Legacy of Dedication to the Community
Under the leadership of President Jane Forbes Clark, The Clark Foundation, founded in 1931, is one of the largest charitable foundations in the United States. The Foundation supports programs and provides grants to various charitable causes in New York City and Cooperstown.
In Cooperstown, The Foundation provides assistance to a variety of non-profit, educational, community and environmental organizations, and supports major cultural institutions, such as the New York State Historical Association, the Fenimore Art Museum, The Farmers’ Museum, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Glimmerglass Festival. The Foundation also supports significant operating programs including Mohican Farm, the Clark Sports Center and the Cooperstown Beautification Program.
In New York City, The Foundation provides grants to organizations that help people out of poverty, and helps them lead independent and productive lives, and in the issue areas of education, employment, and social services.