The Abbot Academy Fund (AAF) has recently updated its guidelines to align with new school policies, specifically excluding new clubs from receiving Abbot Grants funding. According to Marcelle Doheny, Community Liaison of the Abbot Academy Fund, the 2024 Fall Term has seen a significant number of grant applications aimed at supporting established club activities, while new clubs are advised to seek alternative funding sources.
To ensure that the awarded money is put to good use, applicants must go into thorough detail about their mission on campus and why their project is financially sustainable. Doheny explained why adjustments were made to the AAF’s guidelines.
“The Abbots stay in line with any changes the school makes. We have lots of club-related grants this fall, but they need to be for existing clubs not to start a club. Existing clubs can apply for grants, but the Abbots do not fund a particular club year after year. Any application needs to meet the goals of the Abbot Academy Fund. They care about creativity and innovation that cares for the needs of the school community and tries to enhance the school’s mission,” wrote Doheny in an email to The Phillipian.
The updated guidelines reflect a broader emphasis on sustainable impact, guiding the AAF toward projects that demonstrate long-term viability within the school community. By prioritizing established clubs, the fund aims to support initiatives with a proven ability to endure beyond initial financial backing. Christopher Capano, Director of the Student Activities Office, elaborated on the decision and spoke on possible exceptions to the new rule.
“The idea of getting an Abbot Grant to start a club didn’t seem to make sense, because we want the club to be sustainable. [However], some clubs, like I believe F-Stop has a magazine, wanted enough Abbot funding to make their first issue, and then they would make enough money to keep making the magazine by selling it after the fact. They needed that start-up money, I would call it, and then they’d keep doing it. That’s something that Abbot would do,” said Capano.
Faculty advisors and departmental budgets offer potential sources of support, encouraging new clubs to explore collaborative projects or partnerships with established groups. The revised guidelines also address challenges specific to competition-based clubs, as funding for travel and competition fees is restricted when dates and school attendance policies are uncertain. Capano further detailed the importance of applying with a clear timeline.
“Paying for a club to go compete, [and] not knowing if that club would be allowed to go…because they might not know the dates when they apply for the Abbot Grant [was not possible]. If they knew ahead of time that we’re going to go on this date, and it’s on a Saturday, that would be different,” said Capano.
In previous years, the Abbot Academy Fund played a crucial role in launching new student clubs by providing substantial grants. Haven4Healing, a club dedicated to creating thank-you cards and letters for healthcare workers, was one such recipient. The grant not only provided essential funding but also motivated the club to establish a strong foundation early on. According to Ashley Choi ’26, Co-President and Co-Founder of Haven4Healing, the club’s initial success depended heavily on Abbot’s support.
“A lot of activities in the program that we were going to implement relied on the Abbot Grant and their support and their funds… They were a huge motivator, we had their support, and a lot of the reason why we were so organized and set up early was because of the Abbot Grant. It’s not just their grant but also what they represent, and we won’t be able to use their funds anymore. It may be more limiting for starting clubs,” said Choi.
Aeva Cleare ’26, Co-Founder of Yarn Club, also went through the Abbot Grant process last year. She expressed concerns about the new policy prohibiting new clubs from receiving funding, noting that grants are crucial for starting and sustaining projects. Cleare suggested that instead of specifically preventing new clubs from getting funding, the process could be based on other factors.
“The application process is very thorough, and they make their applicants go through a good quantity of hoops before they would get [a grant]… We had to do several mini-essays. It was eight pages long. We had to do budgeting for the year, we had to do separate club stuff. The Abbot Grant could be more critical of who they give their grants to if they don’t like to spend too much,” said Cleare.
