Founded 1993

About

A Family Foundation

The Triangle Fund is a private family foundation that supports efforts to make a difference in the lives of young people. Since 1994, the Fund has given grant awards to not-for-profit agencies in the Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben Counties of New York State.

The Fund is interested in programs which effectively reach children and youth, especially those demonstrating a strong understanding of the problems and opportunities facing youth in their particular community, and a strong connection between school, community and family.

Though our family, which now includes the seventh generation, lives throughout the United States, our office is located on East Market Street in Corning, New York, where the Fund originated.

Core Beliefs

The following beliefs underlie The Triangle Fund’s mission and funding priorities:

WE BELIEVE that mutually supportive relationships among families, schools and communities give children the support and encouragement they need to recognize and develop their potential.

WE BELIEVE that education, positive adult role models, safe and nurturing environments and experiential opportunities help youth recognize anddevelop their potential.

WE BELIEVE that philanthropy is a social responsibility, a family legacy and a mechanism for maintaining our ties to our extended family in a meaningful way. We believe philanthropic leadership has a positive impact on the communities that are served and on those who engage in making it happen.

WE BELIEVE that community programs benefit when foundations provide resources, capacity-building support and advocacy, within a framework of sensible accountability.

History

The Triangle Fund was established in 1993 after a meeting of the Houghton family’s sixth generation members.  The meeting was attended by a consultant from The Philanthropic Initiative, a firm in Boston that guides families to think carefully about their charitable giving practices.  In that conversation there arose group sentiment that there could be broad value in coming together around a common cause, particularly as family members were geographically dispersed across the country.  Family members began to articulate a philosophical stance behind a shared philanthropic goal.  From there a small group took up the charge of shaping, in concrete terms, what such an effort might look like.

The tri-county region of New York State was chosen to be the center of this initiative, since the region was home to the family’s earliest generations. Members agreed the effort would focus on supporting programs which aid children and youth at-risk and the institutions which support them: the family, school and community.  The Triangle Fund name grew out of this decision.

At first, funds were raised solely from sixth generation family members; later all family members were invited to contribute.  In the first year, without a formal process in place, members of the family visited some agencies in the Corning area and made an initial grant award  of $10,000 to the Corning Area Youth Center.  During the next year, the members of the Fund crafted a mission statement and formulated a Request for Proposals process.  In 1997, the Triangle Fund received non-profit 501(c)3 status, established a Board of Directors and began making grant award decisions annually.  In 2005, the assets of an earlier family fund merged with those of Triangle Fund.

In 2008, an Executive Director was hired and an office was established on East Market Street in Corning, serving as a home base for the Fund. Today, thirteen members comprise the Board of Directors, each serving a four-year renewable term.

Triangle Fund Accomplishments

Since start in 1994

  • Provided cumulative grants of $5.2 million to over 60 agencies throughout the tri-county area.
  • Supported over 80 critical programs that have had a positive impact in the lives of children at risk and their families.
  • Unified three generations of family members in our mission. 86 family members have made contributions and 23 have served as members of the Board.
  • Provided leadership and funding to facilitate collaborations and capacity building among numerous organizations to maximize our impact in the community.
  • Established the 7th Generation Youth Board and Gratia’s Internship Program to engage young family members in our work, and further our family’s legacy of philanthropy.