Applications for 2026 Grant Funding Now Open to Tri-County Women
WATERTOWN — Professional women across the Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties are invited to apply by Friday May 1 for 2026 grant support from the Maxine Quigg Women in Business Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.
The Maxine Quigg Women in Business Fund aims to perpetuate the life and legacy of Maxine by supporting and empowering women entrepreneurs in the tri-county region to succeed in their pursuits and realize their full potential. Maxine’s sister-in-law, Kimberley Horrill, established the fund at the Community Foundation in July 2021 with a goal to increase local mentorship, volunteerism, community and civic engagement, and investment.
“Maxine’s legacy is rooted in hard work, generosity, and a belief in the potential of others,” Community Foundation Director of Philanthropy Kraig Everard said. “Through this fund, opportunities are created for women pursuing their goals, whether through education, training, or building the skills needed for personal and professional growth.”
Ms. Horrill said she and Maxine often spoke about the value of women as role models and mentors in business and leadership and that those conversations “and the importance of paying our knowledge and generosity forward were the impetus for this fund.”
“As we enter the fifth year of providing grants to women, I am inspired by the grantees applications and their success stories,” Ms. Horrill said.
Maxine was a successful real estate broker, community and business leader in Jefferson County who passed away unexpectedly in April 2021. At the time of her passing she was serving on the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Through access to grants for education, training, and entrepreneurship, the fund supports the advancement, development, and betterment of women who are growing or beginning a business in Northern New York. Support may help to better position and equip women to realize their full potential for themselves, their families, and their community.
Since it began awarding grant funding in 2022, sixteen tri-county women have received support totaling $16,505 from the fund. Grant funding helped support professional development for three north country
women entrepreneurs last year, including:
- Renée Little, Little House-Keller Williams Realty, Watertown, was awarded grant support to help grow her real estate practice through a Greater Watertown Chamber of Commerce Connect-level membership.
- Evelyne Verret, Radiant Alchemist, Potsdam, was awarded funding to enroll in the Mastery Program at the Milan Art Institute.
- Amy St. Croix, Ed. D., Scolastico Educational Consulting Firm, Watertown, was awarded support to complete coursework for the Advanced Certified Autism Specialist credential.
Grant funding will be awarded to support the following focus areas and extend Maxine’s legacy of giving back to a community once a business is well established and thriving:
- Provide a strengthened path for an increase in locally generated mentorships, volunteerism, and civic and community engagement and investment.
- Expand opportunities for women through education, training, and entrepreneurship with the goal of financial independence.
Examples of funding in these areas include, but are not limited to financial literacy, workforce development, entrepreneurship, leadership skills, and formal education and training.
Grants awarded to individuals are held to a high standard of accountability and must adhere to the same requirements as any other grants or scholarships to individuals. Grant awards must support the betterment of the recipient herself and are not provided as direct support to a specific business entity or interest.
Applicants may request any amount of grant support, though awards may range between $500 and $1,000. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 1, 2026.
An advisory committee of the Community Foundation will select annual awardees through a defined process on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis within the fund’s charitable purpose. Contact Community Foundation Philanthropy Associate Emily Pfeil, emily@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, to obtain an application and learn more.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.