The Silas C. Beers Charitable Trust (also known as Housatonic Valley Institute – HVI) was established in 1925 and has been quietly assisting Cornwall residents achieve their higher education goals for almost 100 years. 

In 2021, HVI began a restructuring process and expanded the ways in which it supports education.  Currently, HVI is providing Cornwall residents with scholarships of $7,000 for the first year and $2,000 for each subsequent year for students entering a 2-year college, 4-year college, or technical training institute.  The application deadline is May 15 of the senior year. 

HVI also provides up to $2000 to high school students for education programs that help students learn about a specialized area of study related to possible future career interests.  Adults seeking further education through courses or training programs may also apply for this scholarship.  Applications may be submitted anytime throughout the year.

A new category of support is the educator grants to Cornwall educators as a way to support the PreK-8 education programs in our town.

Now that the restructuring of HVI is almost complete, the trustees next mission has been to get the word out about these opportunities and hope that Cornwall residents can take advantage of them to further their own education and add to the richness of our town. 

Applications are available through Cornwallct.org, by selecting the Community tab and navigating to Local Non-Profits.  https://cornwallct.org/community/local-non-profits/housatonic-valley-institute-silas-c-beers-charitable-trust/

You can also email the trustees at hvicharitabletrust@gmail.com