The Preston Foundation

Preston Foundation Grant Request Packet

Preston Foundation Scholarship

<p><img src="https://cms.flxwebsites.com/assets/10a1df5e-b8f4-4dce-abb7-d37848c8e4e2?width=599&amp;height=645" alt="Preston Jrposter1"></p>
<p>The Mary Hicks Preston Jr Board is made up of a cross section of the Midlakes Youth Community.</p>
<p>We are the Junior Board of the Mary Hicks Preston Foundation seeking to grant money from Youth, Faculty, and Organizations in the Midlakes School District. Grants will only be approved for project or equipment not covered by Midlakes budgets.</p>
<p>For more information email us at <a href="mailto:jrprestonfoundation@phelpsny.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jr.prestonfoundation@phelpsNY.com</a> or check us out on Facebook (Mary Hicks Preston Historical Improvement and Betterment Foundation) and on <a href="www.PhelpsNY.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.PhelpsNY.com</a>.</p>
<p>Applications are available in all Midlakes school offices or by emailing us at <a href="mailto:jrprestonfoundation@phelpsny.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jr.prestonfoundation@phelpsNY.com</a></p>

Mary Hicks Preston Jr Board

<p>The Mary Hicks Preston Foundation offers grants for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Capacity Building &ndash; Funding that strengthens an organization so that it may better fulfill its mission</li>
<li>Capital &ndash; Funding for construction or equipment</li>
<li>Challenge &ndash; The Foundation and grant seeker agree on a program or operating goal for the grant seeker to reach; the Foundation rewards successful completion of goal</li>
</ul>
<h3><em><strong>Operating</strong></em></h3>
<p>Mature organizations may be eligible for operating support upon establishing a threshold of core competency. Developing organizations may be eligible upon successful completion of a seed grant and after demonstrating a threshold of competency.</p>
<h3><em><strong>Project / Program</strong></em></h3>
<p>The Foundation awards a grant for a specific initiative or endeavor, not for general operating support.</p>
<h3><em><strong>Seed Money</strong></em></h3>
<p>The Foundation awards a grant to help launch a new project or initiative.</p>
<h3><em><strong>Criteria</strong></em></h3>
<p>In evaluating proposals, the following will be considered:</p>
<ul>
<li>Response to a need in the community</li>
<li>Building long term capacity in the community</li>
<li>Creating collaboration between organizations</li>
<li>Use of an innovative approach or a proposal that acts as a catalyst for meeting future needs</li>
<li>Geographic scope and population reach</li>
</ul>
<h3><em><strong>Eligibility</strong></em></h3>
<p>Grants are only available to those in the Phelps, NY area. The Mary Hicks Preston Historical Improvement and Betterment Foundation, Inc. will:</p>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Make grants to tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) classification from the IRS;</li>
<li>Make grants to municipalities;</li>
<li>Make grants to faith-based organizations (please see special note on application);</li>
<li>Make grants to civic organizations (proposals must be project-based and of a charitable nature, and the organization must have a fiscal agent that is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization)</li>
</ul>
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<h3 class="entry-title"><em><strong>Apply for a Grant</strong></em></h3>
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<div class="entry-content clearfix">
<p>The first step is to download the <a href="https://phelpsny.flxwebsitesqa.com/the-preston-foundation/ebea066e-02fa-4e8b-bec9-9723f6f8fb64?download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Preston Foundation Grant Request Packet </a>and submit a Letter of Inquiry which should include the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Background of your organization</li>
<li>Statement of the issues to be addressed and your organization&rsquo;s involvement with these issues</li>
<li>Summary of the activities for which you are requesting funding, including what you hope to accomplish, current and proposed budgets, amount requested from the Foundation and information on other possible sources of support</li>
</ul>
<p>We may request additional information from applicants and consult with persons knowledgeable about the organization and/or the proposed activities. As part of the review process, we will meet with the applicant preferably at its location. Final decisions on grants are made by the Foundation&rsquo;s Board of Directors.</p>
<p>The Preston Foundation meets quarterly (in February, May, August and December) and all grant request and applications should be submitted by the 1st of each quarter month.</p>
<h3><em><strong>Please send letters of inquiry to:</strong></em></h3>
<p>Mary Hicks Preston Foundation<br>PO Box 21<br>Phelps, NY 14532<br>Email: &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="mailto:prestonfoundation@phelpsny.com" target="_self">prestonfoundation@phelpsny.com</a></p>
</div>
</div>

Mary Hicks Preston Grants

<p><img style="font-family: Inter, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol';" src="https://cms.flxwebsites.com/assets/818fa4cb-6f74-41c7-a868-29c065bdd768?width=100&amp;height=115" alt="Mary Preston">Mary Hicks was born on December 14, 1908 in the dining room of the house that is now 71<span style="font-family: Inter, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', serif;">Church Street in Phelps. She died in the living room of this same home, the day following her 97th birthday. Her father, William B. Hicks, was a farmer, and lived from 1875 to 1927. Her mother, Elizabeth C. Hicks, was born in 1881 and died in 1950. Few details of Mary&rsquo;s life are known as she was an extremely private person.</span></p>
<p>After graduating from the Phelps High School, Mary worked as a secretary for the Clifton Springs Sanitarium. In the late forties, she met her husband to be, Ralph T. Preston. They were married for just a few years until his death in 1960.</p>
<p>Mary&rsquo;s aunt, Caroline &ldquo;Kit&rdquo; Fowler, who had worked in Boston for some time, moved back to Phelps where she died in 1954. She left Mary a sizable amount of money that Mary carefully invested. In time, Mary built up assets that allowed her to travel extensively around the world, to keep a nice car in the garage, and to donate to her favorite charities and community organizations regularly. Her donations were always made anonymously.</p>
<p>Mary was one of the founders of the Historical Society and served as secretary for several years. She donated the funds to make it possible to purchase the Howe House for the Historical Society and she took great joy in watching the building come back to life through the countless hours of hard work by many volunteers. Mary also donated the funds to purchase the Country Lawyer&rsquo;s Office for the Historical Society.</p>
<p>Mary was the largest single financial contributor to the Phelps Community Memorial Library, providing funding for capital projects in addition to her annual contributions. She also provided a significant portion of the start up funds for the Phelps Community Center and committed to annual donations as well.</p>
<p>Because Mary wanted no recognition for any of her monetary gifts, most people do not understand the impact that she has had on this community. Her good will lives on through the Mary Hicks Preston Foundation, which will make grants available to non-profit organizations who support Mary&rsquo;s vision to improve the social, recreational and educational opportunities available to Phelps residents as well as preserve historically significant buildings and artifacts in this area.</p>

History of Mary Hicks Preston

<p>The Mary Hicks Preston and Ralph T Preston Scholarship Fund will award a scholarship to a high school senior based on demonstrated community involvement, academics, and financial need, and an express interest in college, trade school or military.</p>
<p>This Scholarship is funded by a grant from the Mary Hicks Preston Historical Improvement and Betterment Foundation, Inc. The Foundation was formed with a bequest from the Estate of Mary Hicks Preston. &nbsp;Mrs. Preston was a humble woman who lived a quiet life, with her husband, Ralph T Preston, in the Village of Phelps. The Foundation is committed to supporting and ensuring the family&rsquo;s priorities of Historical Preservation, Education, Socialization, Recreation, and Culture for the residents of the Village and Town of Phelps and the surrounding area.</p>
<h2>Criteria:</h2>
<p>The students eligible for assistance must be graduating high school seniors who reside in the Phelps-Clifton Springs School district and intend to continue their education through college, trade school or the military. Consideration will be given to student&rsquo;s community service, academics, financial need. &nbsp;Students should submit a scholarship application. Qualified applicants will be selected by the Midlakes high school scholarship selection committee.&nbsp; The recipient will be selected by the Mary Hicks Preston Board and will be announced at the Midlakes high school graduation ceremony.</p>
<h2>Guidelines:</h2>
<p>Scholarships will be awarded on an annual basis and disbursed in equal payments in August and January. Students must continue to attend classes and maintain no lower than a 3.0 grade-point average (or equivalent for Trade school or Military).</p>
<h2>Amount:</h2>
<p>The scholarship awarded will be up to $5,000 annually, for up to 4 Years (<u>$20,000 total</u>) to be paid in two equal installments per year. There will be (1) scholarship awarded per year.</p>
<h2>Deadline:</h2>
<p><strong>The application deadline is April 1st.</strong>&nbsp;No applications will be accepted after that date. The Scholarship Application must be submitted to the Midlakes High School Office.</p>