Emma M. Kirchhofer Scholarship Fund Grant

Emma M. Kirchhofer Scholarship Fund Grant

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

Summary

The Emma M. Kirchhofer Scholarship Fund, established by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, aims to empower graduating high school seniors from Columbia County to pursue their college education. Inspired by Emma's belief in personal growth and creativity through art, this scholarship encourages students to develop their talents in their chosen disciplines. With a commitment to community support and educational advancement, it reflects the foundation's mission of enhancing lives and promoting equity in opportunities.

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 Emma M. Kirchhofer Scholarship Fund Emma M. Kirchhofer believed in applying oneself to the task of becoming all they could be during their life journey. She loved and married Werner Kirchhofer and although not blessed with children, they invested their time with family and friends, creating a honey-comb of support as they aged. When Werner passed away, Emma involved herself with church activities, bridge, and most important to her, art lessons. She enjoyed designing and creating detailed needlepoint hangings and still-life paintings of flowers and local scenery. The Emma M. Kirchhofer Scholarship has been established to promote and encourage a student who will actively develop their talents and education in a discipline they choose to pursue a college degree in.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Residents of Columbia County who are graduating high school seniors.