Lily Palmer Fry Memorial Trust Fund

The Lily Palmer Fry Memorial Trust, established in 1954, is a charitable foundation dedicated to expanding summer camp opportunities for underserved children. The trust emphasizes supporting traditional residential camp experiences that provide urban youth with the opportunity to connect with nature. In line with its founding mission, special consideration is given to programs that allow children to leave city environments to engage in outdoor education and recreation in more natural settings. Bank of America, N.A., serves as a co-trustee of the Lily Palmer Fry Memorial Trust, in partnership with two relatives of Lily Palmer Fry. This private philanthropic entity is administered through the Connecticut office of Bank of America's Philanthropic Solutions division, which manages multiple donor-directed charitable funds. As co-trustee, Bank of America ensures that proposals align with the trust's philanthropic mission and regional focus. The trust’s funding scope is focused and clearly defined. It prioritizes funding for “camperships”—scholarships or subsidies for children attending summer camp. Other types of support, such as those for operational expenses like staff salaries or supplies, are generally not funded. Awards are provided for a one-year term and are not intended for multi-year commitments or recurring operating support outside the specific purpose of sending children to camp. The application window for this program closes on February 1 each year, and all applications must be submitted via the online portal maintained by Bank of America. Applicants are notified of decisions within two to three months following the proposal deadline. Applicants are advised to access the application and procedures module through the trust’s web page to ensure they are following the correct submission steps and using the most recent application format. Technical support is available only during regular business hours, and applicants are encouraged to begin the process early. Only organizations serving youth in New York City, Westchester County (New York), and Fairfield and Hartford Counties (Connecticut) are eligible to apply. This restriction ensures that the trust’s resources are targeted toward communities consistent with its founding purpose. Grants are limited to organizations that demonstrate a focus on underserved populations and have a track record of providing quality summer camp programming. Questions about the trust or the application process can be directed to the Connecticut grantmaking office of Bank of America via the dedicated grantmaking email address. Applicants are reminded to include the name of the trust in the email subject line. Post-grant reporting is required within one year of the grant award, regardless of whether all funds have been expended. This report must address progress made toward the grant objectives, program outcomes, and a detailed accounting of expenditures.