New World Fund Scholarship Grant

New World Fund Scholarship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Last Updated: October 14, 2025

Summary

The New World Fund Scholarship, established by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, provides financial support to new immigrants pursuing degrees at Berkshire Community College. This scholarship honors Gerald Dickler, who overcame adversity to succeed as a New York City attorney. Eligible students must have been in the U.S. for five years or less, demonstrate leadership potential, and exhibit financial need. By fostering academic success and community involvement, this initiative aims to empower the next generation of leaders.

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 New World Fund Scholarship This scholarship was established in memory of Gerald Dickler, a son of immigrants who became a successful New York City attorney. He managed to get through school, college and law school despite his parents’ lack of education and often desperate poverty. The scholarship gives tuition support to new immigrants who have been in the United States for five years or less and are studying toward a degree at BCC. The scholarship recognizes students with qualities that Mr. Dickler embodied as a young man: academic success, leadership potential, and a concern for the needs and rights of others.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The goal of the New World Fund Scholarship is to provide scholarships to Berkshire Community College (BCC) students who have been in the country for five years or less, show leadership skills, and who have financial need.