The Putney Open Door Fund is a nonprofit foundation whose purpose is to eliminate barriers for young people seeking educational summer experiences. The Fund’s Board of Directors is committed to making the immeasurable benefits of transformative travel available to all students, regardless of their economic status. Scholarships are awarded annually. Most Putney Open Door Fund scholarships support students on Service and Pre-College programs worldwide.
The success of the Putney Open Door Fund depends on the generosity of its donors. One hundred percent of your gift to the Putney Open Door Fund directly funds our scholarships—bringing transformative travel to students who otherwise may not be able to access such programs. We can not do this work without your support. Our scholars come from under-represented communities and have significant, systemic barriers that prevent access to educational travel. Before traveling through the Putney Open Door Fund, many of our students had never been outside of their home communities. Please give the gift of educational travel today.
Looking to apply for a scholarship? Click here to learn how.
“By building, creating and improving local schools in Fiji, I hope to empower kids in the same way my school has empowered me. It is my wish that improving the future of these kids will help them break the cycle that I am trying to break right now.”
“I gained a broader view of how people live, and that made me grow personally. I am now more interested in the theme of the program, climate change, and I am more conscious of the way my actions affect the world and others around me.”
“After my Putney trip, I believe in myself more. I have more confidence to take on the world. I feel closer to my parents because now I know how they grew up in a small Caribbean town. I have so many more experiences that I can use to connect with people.”
“I traveled on my own, met new people, ate delicious food, learned lessons both in art and in human nature, visited famous landmarks, and did things I have dreamt of doing since I was a small girl.”
“What Putney did for me was open my eyes to a new area of the country and help me step out of my comfort zone. I met people from all over the world. I learned to be more confident and open. Thank you for this great experience.”
“I learned a lot more about Costa Rica than I would have learned in a book. In my Spanish class we learn about other cultures but we never experience what it is like to live there. I am so grateful for this experience. This was one summer I will never forget!”
2023 Board of Directors:
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Eric Wilson
President
Entrepreneur,
New York, NY -
Patrice Cromwell
Vice President
Philanthropic Advisor,
Baltimore, MD -
John Ashley
Treasurer
Attorney,
New York, NY -
Corey Modeste
Secretary
Financial Analyst,
New York, NY
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Raimi Ade-Salu
Youth Advocate, New York, NY -
Jonathan Brand
Attorney & College President,
Mt. Vernon, IA -
Vonzell Coleman
Bank Vice President,
San Francisco, CA
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Imran Dar
Lawyer
San Francisco, CA -
Abbey Gardner
International Development
Policy Advisor, New York, NY
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Alden Jones
Writer, Roslindale, MA -
Tom Kane
Educator, Concord, MA -
Vince Ruiz
Attorney, Fullerton, CA -
Julie Sløk
Minister, Brooklyn, NY -
Ellen Stein
Doctor, Waitsfield, VT
Emeritus Directors:
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Breck Eisner
Filmmaker, Los Angeles, CA -
Lorraine Howard*
Educator, Philadelphia, PA -
Vicki Waller
Educator, Los Angeles, CA -
Bruce Feiler
Author, Brooklyn, NY -
David Gruppo
Attorney & Investment Banker, Larchmont, NY
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Anne Little Gruppo
Attorney and Importer, Larchmont, NY -
Tom Hagemann*
Attorney, Houston, TX -
Linda Coleman
Interior Design Consultant, Chicago, IL -
Meg Chute
Educator, Brookline, MA
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George Bingham
Investment Banker, New York, NY -
Bill Martin
Adventurer, Gainesville, FL -
Judy Banks
Family Practitioner, Gainesville, FL - *Deceased