National Scholars and Leaders to Examine Character, Free Speech, Civic Virtue, and Democratic Institutions in Five-Part Series The F. M. Kirby Foundation announces “We the People: Reflections at 250,” a special webinar series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by exploring the enduring principles that shaped our nation’s foundation. This five-part series brings together distinguished scholars and civic leaders to examine how the ideals of 1776 continue…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to celebrate more than a decade of partnership with EDGE New Jersey, a Morris County–based organization dedicated to advancing healthy and authentic living for the HIV+ and LGBTQ+ communities. Rooted in the region for more than 30 years, EDGE New Jersey serves youth, adults, and families throughout the state by providing public health…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to celebrate more than 30 years of partnership with Adirondack Experience, one of the nation’s finest regional museums dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and culture of New York’s Adirondack Park. Nestled on 121 acres overlooking Blue Mountain Lake, the open-air campus features more than 20 historic and contemporary buildings showcasing the…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to support Book Harvest, a Durham, North Carolina-based nonprofit that is transforming children’s literacy by ensuring that every child grows up with an abundant home library from birth. Since 2011, Book Harvest has provided more than 2.9 million books to children and families, grounded in the belief that literacy starts at birth, in…
By Dave Cucchiara Communications & Program Associate Water is the lifeblood of healthy communities. It sustains vital ecosystems, supports recreation, drives local economies, and, of course, provides the most basic human necessity: clean drinking water. Yet, our water resources face mounting pressures from aging infrastructure, invasive species, pollution, and increasingly severe weather events linked to our changing climate. According to the American…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation Board of Directors announced that 269 grants totaling $17,052,062 were paid in 2025 to nonprofit organizations working to increase the strength and vitality of their communities. A total of 167 grants provided general operating support, while 136 grants were awarded to organizations that have partnered with the Foundation for over 25 years, reflecting the Foundation’s…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation has announced the recipients of its inaugural Innovation Engine Grant Program, awarding three organizations $300,000 each, to be distributed over the course of three years. In sum, the Foundation is committing $900,000 to these pioneering new approaches. The recipients — Adirondack Community Foundation, Braver Angels, and Prevention is Key — were selected from a competitive…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to support Summit Speech School, a half-a-century-old institution based in New Providence empowering children with hearing loss to become more confident, effective communicators through listening and spoken language. Founded in the 1960s as one of the country’s first auditory/oral speech schools, Summit Speech combines cutting-edge methodologies, technology, and expert teaching to help every…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is honored to celebrate 20 years of partnership with the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving land in ways that build resilient communities across North Carolina. Since its founding in 1991, CTNC has protected over 35,000 acres along the Blue Ridge Parkway, working with landowners, public agencies, and land trusts to…
By David Cucchiara Communications & Program Associate When Mark Hoebee joined Paper Mill Playhouse in 2000 as a choreographer and director, the historic Millburn theater was already a regional institution. Twenty-five years later, as Producing Artistic Director, he has transformed it into something more: a creative incubator where 27 new musicals have premiered since 2010, with shows like Newsies and…