The Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation, established in 1987, primarily supports the study of New York State history, with an emphasis on Suffolk County.
The purpose of the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation is:
- To educate and inform the general public in the State of New York, particularly in the area of the Town of Islip and more generally in Suffolk County, concerning the culture, art and tradition of the locality;
- To cultivate, foster and promote interest in, and understanding and appreciation of, the societal heritage of the Town Islip, particularly during the nineteenth century;
- To encourage and sponsor the creation and perpetuation by existing and future historical societies of collections and repositories for the deposit collection and examination of documents and artifacts of various kinds relevant to such heritage and traditions; and
- To sponsor and encourage the preservation, restoration and exhibition by existing and future historical societies of at least one facility appropriate to such purpose.