WATERTOWN — Professional women across the Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties are invited to apply by Friday,  May 1 for 2026 grant support from the Maxine Quigg Women in Business Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

The Maxine Quigg Women in Business Fund aims to perpetuate the life and legacy of Maxine by supporting and empowering women entrepreneurs in the tri-county region to succeed in their pursuits and realize their full potential. 

Maxine’s sister-in-law, Kimberley Horrill, established the fund at the Community Foundation in July 2021 with a goal to increase local mentorship, volunteerism, community and civic engagement, and investment.

“Maxine’s legacy is rooted in hard work, generosity, and a belief in the potential of others,” Community Foundation Director of Philanthropy Kraig Everard said. “Through this fund, opportunities are created for women pursuing their goals, whether through education, training, or building the skills needed for personal and professional growth.”

Ms. Horrill said she and Maxine often spoke about the value of women as role models and mentors in business and leadership and that those conversations “and the importance of paying our knowledge and generosity forward were the impetus for this fund.”

“As we enter the fifth year of providing grants to women, I am inspired by the grantees applications and their success stories,” Ms. Horrill said.

Maxine was a successful real estate broker, community and business leader in Jefferson County who passed away unexpectedly in April 2021. At the time of her passing she was serving on the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Through access to grants for education, training, and entrepreneurship, the fund supports the advancement, development, and betterment of women who are growing or beginning a business in Northern New York. Support may help to better position and equip women to realize their full potential for themselves, their families, and their community.

Since it began awarding grant funding in 2022, sixteen tri-county women have received support totaling $16,505 from the fund. Grant funding helped support professional development for three north country women entrepreneurs last year, including Evelyne Verret, Radiant Alchemist, Potsdam, who was awarded funding to enroll in the Mastery Program at the Milan Art Institute.

Grant funding will be awarded to support the following focus areas and extend Maxine’s legacy of giving back to a community once a business is well established and thriving:

• Provide a strengthened path for an increase in locally generated mentorships, volunteerism, and civic and community engagement and investment.
• Expand opportunities for women through education, training, and entrepreneurship with the goal of financial independence.

Examples of funding in these areas include, but are not limited to financial literacy, workforce development, entrepreneurship, leadership skills, and formal education and training.

Grants awarded to individuals are held to a high standard of accountability and must adhere to the same requirements as any other grants or scholarships to individuals. 

Grant awards must support the betterment of the recipient herself and are not provided as direct support to a specific business entity or interest.

Applicants may request any amount of grant support, though awards may range between $500 and $1,000. 

The deadline to apply is Friday, May 1, 2026.

An advisory committee of the Community Foundation will select annual awardees through a defined process on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis within the fund’s charitable purpose. 

Contact Community Foundation Philanthropy Associate Emily Pfeil, emily@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, to obtain an application and learn more.