Start your application
Apply OnlineMission
As stated in the Will of Marian Woodward Ottley, the fund’s mission is “to make this a better world for those who come after us.”
Annual application deadlines
March 1
Program areas
Arts, culture, and humanities
Education
Environment, animals
Health
Human services
Public/society benefit
Religion
States served
New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Geographic limitations
New York and the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Historically, preference has been given to organizations in Connecticut.
Trustees
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
The David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund (Watertown) makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in New York and in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Applicants should not contact the Watertown committee members personally concerning an application or anticipated approach to the fund.
Requirements
- To be eligible, organizations must qualify as exempt organizations under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Grantmaking priorities
Historically, preference has been given to organizations in Connecticut.
Annual application period and deadlines
To be considered, grant applications must be submitted by March 1.
Communications
Each applicant will be notified in writing after a decision has been made by the Watertown committee. If a grant is awarded, the funds are generally disbursed to the organization 4 – 6 weeks after the committee meeting.
Required agreements and reports
Grant recipients are requested to submit a brief written progress report, six months after the date of the first funding check, describing what has been accomplished with the funds granted.
About the Foundation
It was fitting — and only natural — that, upon her death in 1974, Marian Woodward Ottley would establish by Will, the David, Helen, and Marian Woodward Fund in loving memory of her parents, and in her words, “In order to carry out their wishes and mine in attempting to make this a better world for those who come after us.”
Her Will created a distribution committee to direct the trustee to distribute income and principal exclusively to or for the benefit of non-profit institutions, corporations, and associations that are located in New York and in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that are organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, charitable, or scientific purposes. The Fund also awards grants to governmental agencies.
Mrs. Ottley suggested, in considering grants, the committee take into account the fact that during her lifetime the preponderance of her gifts to education and charity were distributed to institutions that had religious affiliations.
The distribution committee has attempted to carry out Mrs. Ottley’s wishes. It will continue to do so in an effort to make this a better world for those who come after her generous family.