Mission

The mission of the Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, Inc., created to perpetuate the Hoyts' charitable interest, is to use its resources to enhance the quality of life of the people of Broome County primarily through judicious grantmaking.
 

Staff

Catherine A. Schwoeffermann, Chief Executive Officer
Ginger VanEtten, Executive Assistant
Jane M. Fett, Finance Manager

Background

Willma Cornell Hoyt’s Broome County roots ran deep. An only child, she was born in 1888 to a family with a long history in the area. Her grandfather Cornell had established a successful funeral business, later continued by her father, first in Port Crane and then in Binghamton. The family enjoyed the respect of the community in part because of the value they placed on family, church, friendship, and high standards of business practice.

In 1907, at age 19, Willma married Stewart, a native of Michigan. The Hoyts, who were childless, lived with her parents at 70 Front Street for many years, and the two couples were very close. Both Hoyts were generous, and throughout the 60 years of their marriage, they followed a pattern of regular giving to their church and to arts and social service organizations in the Broome County area.

Two years after Stewart’s death in 1968 at the age of 94, Willma established the Hoyt Foundation with assets based on their early investments in IBM. Annual gifts to the community, in accordance with the Hoyts’ long established interests, were made by a small board including Willma for the remainder of her life. When she died in 1982, also at the age of 94, the foundation received its major funding—some $9 million—from her estate.

Although the lives of both Willma and Stewart Hoyt were distinguished by quiet philanthropy, they would be surprised at the extent to which their legacy has benefited the community in which they made their home for so many years. Since 1971, grants to the people of Broome County from the Hoyt Foundation have totaled over approximately $31.5 million, a remarkable gift from a couple whose unassuming lives were made extraordinary by their generosity to others.

Currently, the Hoyt Foundation’s endowment is approximately
$22 million. Stewart and Willma Hoyt’s vision and funding, coupled with the prudent management afforded by a dedicated Board, has created a strong mechanism to seek solutions to critical issues facing our community.

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A Message from the Chief Executive Officer

There is a time for some things,
And a time for all things;
A time for great things,
And a time for small things.
-- Don Quixote

As Chief Executive Officer of the Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, I am honored to play an integral role in Hoyt's stewardship. I believe that the Hoyt Foundation's responsible management and thoughtful grant making practices are intimately linked to the preservation and successful revitalization of Broome County.

Throughout its funding history, Hoyt's grants have had an exponential impact on the City of Binghamton and Broome County and they continue to do so today. In most instances, where Hoyt provides support, change occurs. In each of the fields where it concentrates—arts, humanities, education, health, and human services—Hoyt can point to myriad examples of success and transformation. The Foundation has funded large and small organizations—neighborhood-based and countywide, urban and rural—and all these grants have made a difference. The programs described in this report illustrate the kind of growth and achievement that Hoyt funding stimulates. I am privileged to be a part of these efforts.

In 2023, the Hoyt Foundation awarded approximately $931,435 in grants to nonprofit organizations. As changes and challenges inevitably arise, the Hoyt Foundation will continue to address critical needs and support community enrichment. Often, a project needs only a few thousand well-placed dollars to succeed. In other cases, an organization may require significant donations from many sources to launch a new program or construct a building. The Hoyt Foundation provides grants to organizations that show potential for making a real difference in the community.

As the following pages illustrate, Hoyt's grants, large and small, continue to sustain Willma Hoyt's vision. Guided by our mission, the Hoyt Foundation is committed to "use its resources to enhance the quality of life of the people of Broome County..." The grants the Foundation made to the community in 2023 represent a significant contribution toward that end. This report highlights those grants and demonstrates that our mission statement guides our grant making decisions.

I am grateful to our highly committed Hoyt staff. I salute the community organizations that labor tirelessly to help make our community a better place. Most importantly, I appreciate the support of the Hoyt Foundation Board of Directors, who give so freely of their time and thoughtful deliberation. I look forward to continuing my work as part of the Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation's grant making history, and in turn, the continuing revitalization of this community.

Catherine A. Schwoeffermann, Chief Executive Officer
 

Grant Guidelines and Funding Restrictions

Grants are limited to qualified nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS. Organizations must be located in, or directly serving residents of Broome County, New York.

The Hoyt Foundation focuses broadly in the areas of:

• Arts
• Humanities
• Education
• Health
• Human Services

Organizations may qualify to submit proposals for special projects, capital needs, or technical assistance. The Foundation is particularly interested in assisting programs that meet an urgent community need, that do not unnecessarily duplicate the work of other organizations, that have explored alternative funding sources, and that have some reasonable assurance of ongoing support.

Please note the following:

• An organization may submit only one proposal during the calendar year.
• If an organization currently has an open or active grant awarded in a previous grant cycle, it cannot apply, regardless of whether all grant payments have been made. The determination as to whether a grant is “open” or “closed” is made by the Hoyt Foundation.
• Generally, if an organization received an award in one grant cycle, it must skip two (2) years (4 grant cycles) before it can apply again for another project (and the grant for which it previously received funding must be closed). Example: An agency that received a grant in Spring 2011 will be ineligible to apply until Fall 2013, and then only if the Spring 2011 grant is closed as determined by the Hoyt Foundation.
• Organizations may not resubmit a proposal for a project or program which has been previously declined by the Hoyt Foundation.

The Hoyt Foundation does not make grants to individuals, endowments, or for general operating support. It does not make grants for economic development projects, nor for repair/ongoing maintenance projects. It does not make grants to organizations that have so many counterparts that to consider one would open a floodgate (examples include: individual scout troops, ambulance squads, volunteer fire departments, churches for capital or historic preservation, schools, PTA’s, chapter clubs/organizations and health related organizations with local chapters). Other limitations may apply.

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Inquiries

Calls of inquiry are required to determine eligibility. A meeting with the Chief Executive Officer must precede submission of a full proposal to the Hoyt Foundation.

Direct inquiries to:

Catherine A. Schwoeffermann, Chief Executive Officer
(607) 772-0780

Grants will be considered at the July and December Board Meetings. Application deadlines are March 28th and September 3rd. All potential applicants must have a telephone discussion with the Chief Executive Officer at least one month prior to the application deadline (before March 1st for spring applications and before August 1st for fall applications) . If the grant meets the Hoyt Foundation's guidelines, a second meeting will be scheduled to discuss the grant application process.

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Recent Grants

For complete descriptions click on 2023 Grant Awards link.

Action For Older Persons

$15,000

Broome County Arts Council

$150,000 (multi-year)

Broome County Arts Council

$100,000

Broome County Council of Churches

Up to $10,000

Discoveries In Sculpture Inc.

$35,000

Friends of Broome County Library

Up to $50,000

Literacy Volunteers of Broome & Tioga County

$5,000

Roberson Museum & Science Center

$300,000 (multi-year)

Salvation Army of Broome County

$5,000

Tri Cities Opera

$61,435

Volunteers of America Upstate/Western NY

Up to $50,000

Waterman Conservation

$150,000 (multi-year)

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