Celebrating 2

The Story Begins

In 1947, Charles F. Noyes established the Foundation in his wife's name [see the Jessie Smith Noyes profile for more information on this remarkable woman] and for the first 40 years, we provided scholarships and fellowships to thousands of students attending colleges and universities. We did not specify any particular course of study for scholarship recipients, nor did we establish age, grade, geographical or other special restrictions. Instead, our awards were based merely on the amount of assistance needed.

From the start, Mr. Noyes recognized the need to establish economic and social parity for minorities. He decided that one half of scholarships would go to black students. Providing gifted students with access to sound educational opportunities was viewed as the best way to level the playing field.

In the early years, scholarship amounts ranged from $150 to $1,400. To finance its work, Mr. Noyes deeded $3 million worth of real estate to the Foundation. The property consisted of whole ownership of a 20-story office building at 16-22 East 34th Street and a 50% stake in a 12-story office building at 346 Broadway.

Used by permission,
Library of Congress

In our anniversary section, you can read testimonials from people who benefited from the Noyes Foundation's scholarships. Their statements will give you a sense of the value that society as a whole has gained through their meaningful work.