Ben Paley Scholarship Fund Grant

Ben Paley Scholarship Fund Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Last Updated: October 15, 2025

Summary

The Ben Paley Scholarship Fund, established in 2019 by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, honors the life of musician Ben Paley. It supports talented high school seniors from Berkshire County and northwest Litchfield County pursuing undergraduate music studies. This scholarship reflects Ben's passion for music and his positive outlook on life, aiming to inspire future generations of musicians to follow their dreams.

Overview

The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation was established in 1987 in Salisbury, Conn., with an anonymous donation of $100,000. Originally an affiliate of the New York Community Trust, the foundation became an independent public charity in 1990. Today, BTCF manages more than 550 funds that put over $14 million into action each year. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation serves Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess and northwest Litchfield counties. This unique area where New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts meet contains 2,200 square miles of natural beauty and small-town charm that is home to nearly 230,000 people. Mission: Strengthening communities through philanthropy and leadership. Vision:  All residents have opportunity for economic mobility and a high quality of life. Values: Impact: Striving to make a measurable difference in all of our workInnovation: Valuing experimentation and risk-taking to achieve impactInspiring generosity: Motivating people to give back to their communitiesEquity: Being inclusive and working toward fundamental fairness in communitiesExcellence: Holding ourselves accountable for high-quality work Ben Paley Scholarship Fund The Ben Paley Scholarship Fund was established in 2019 to celebrate Ben’s life and to support young musicians embarking on a career in music. Ben was a graduate of Berkshire Country Day School and Housatonic Valley Regional High School, and of Berklee College of Music in Boston. He had lived in the Boston area for the last nine years and was both a musician and music teacher. He played guitar and was a member of The Lost Collective, a 12-piece hip-hop style band as well as several bands that performed at weddings, beach parties, private events, and more. Ben, who passed away on July 30, 2019, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at 2 years old and had far exceeded his life expectancy. This scholarship is a celebration of Ben’s positive approach to life and his love of music.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Senior class students graduating from a public high school in Berkshire County or northwest Litchfield county who are going on to pursue undergraduate study in the field of music (full- or part-time) at a two- or four-year college or university.