Hamilton College Town-Gown Grant Awards To Non-Profits Top $1 Million

The Hamilton College Town-Gown Fund recently distributed a record $157,000 in grants to 14 non-profits serving the Village of Clinton and Town of Kirkland.

The fund has now awarded $1 million in grants since 2001.

“This is a significant milestone in the history of the Town-Gown Fund,” said Hamilton President David Wippman, who chairs the committee of community leaders who meet regularly to select grant recipients. “The fund was created to award grants in perpetuity, and as the value of the endowment has grown, so too has the investment in the health and vitality of our community. Over time, these grants have enhanced nearly every aspect of life in the village and town.”

The Clinton School District has been the largest beneficiary with 19 awards totaling more than $232,000.

The Clinton Fire Department has received 18 awards, totaling $135,597, including a $20,000 grant this year to upgrade its emergency communications equipment.

The following grants were awarded in 2021:

• Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance Corps

Reimburse expenses for PPE masks in 2020: $3,745

• Clinton A Better Chance

Replace household furniture: $5,000

• Clinton Central School District

Instrumental band PPE, High School Science Technology Upgrade, and polycarbonate barriers: $23,550

• Clinton Central School District Foundation

Funding to enhance and expand supportive programs that address student academic, social, and emotional gaps such as the elementary school bridge program: $15,700

• Clinton Early Learning Center

Replace furniture and play equipment: $10,000

• Clinton Fire Department

Obligatory upgrades to emergency communications equipment: $20,000

• Clinton Youth Foundation (Boynton Pool)

Non-Slip Floor/Deck Mats and an ADA-Compliant Pool Lift: $4,200

• Kirkland Art Center

Support a capital campaign to replace the roof and fund a new teaching kitchen:  $20,000

• Kirkland Police Department

New computer and printer: $1,500

• Kirkland Town Library

Unfunded and increased costs for an outdoor deck and permanent set-up for curbside service: $8,500

• Kirkland Trails

Purchase crushed stone to complete the final one-mile section of the trail that runs north from Dugway Road to the intersection of Route 12B and 233: $20,105

• St. James Church Day School

Create an updated current library with more books that include diverse and mixed cultural characters and stories for preschoolers: $1,000

• The Country Pantry

For general operations: $5,000

The Town-Gown Fund was established in 2001 by anonymous donors to foster goodwill and communication among the college and local residents.