Peter Bloch founded the GNHW Scholarship Program in 1997 with these goals:
- To allow woodworkers to benefit from the success of the Guild
- To provide educational opportunities to expand and enrich the entire woodworking community
- To provide ways that these skills may be share with Guild members and others.
The original funding came from the First New England Turning Symposium. The next fall dues were increased $5. and this increase was targeted for the scholarship program. In the summer of 1997 Guild President Wayne Marcoux organized a raffle at the Sunapee Craftsman Fair and indicated that the proceeds would be used for the scholarship program. The profits from this raffle continue to be the major funding source of the program. A third of the profits from the New England Turning Symposia also support the program.
In 2001 the scholarship program was expanded to include larger scholarships and grants. From its inception until today the program has awarded over $35,000. to applicants.
