Community Foundation of Middlesex County Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,822,867 (2023 competitive grants awarded)
Total Assets: $36,379,574 (2023)
Grant Range: $500 - $5,000 (competitive grants typically $1,500 - $3,500)
Geographic Focus: Middlesex County, Connecticut (15 towns)
Total Grants Distributed: $15.8 million (since 1997)
Organisations Funded: 200+ organisations
Funds Established: 345+
Years of Operation: 27 years (founded 1997)

Contact Details

Address: 49 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457

Phone: (860) 347-0025

Email: info@middlesexcountycf.org

Website: https://middlesexcountycf.org

Grant Application Contacts:

Thayer Talbott, Vice President & COO: Thayer@MiddlesexCountyCF.org
Mary Dutton, Programs & Communications Coordinator: Programs@MiddlesexCountyCF.org

Overview

The Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) was founded in 1997 with a mission to "improve the quality of life for the people of the County now and in the future by developing endowments, making grants that have impact, and assisting donors in meeting their philanthropic objectives." Over 27 years, the foundation has grown to manage 345+ funds with $36.4 million in total assets and has distributed over $15.8 million in grants to more than 200 organisations. The foundation serves 15 towns across Middlesex County, Connecticut, focusing on community enrichment, health, education, environment, economic development, and social services. In addition to grantmaking, CFMC operates a Nonprofit Resource Center offering technical assistance, workshops, and consulting to strengthen community organisations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Competitive Grants Programme

Amount: $500 - $5,000 (majority of grants fall in the $1,500 - $3,500 range)
Application Method: Fixed deadlines with two cycles annually
Description: Supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits and 170(c)(1) governmental units serving Middlesex County towns. General operating support available for nonprofits; project support for schools, healthcare, government entities, and faith-based organisations.

Janvrin Fund

Application Method: Separate application process aligned with general grant cycle
Description: Specialised fund with distinct criteria (details available through foundation)

Priority Areas

The foundation has identified 12 key impact areas:

Community Enrichment (Arts/Culture/History)
Community Health (Health/Medical/Hospital Care)
Economic Security/Economic Opportunity
Economic Development
Education (Community Wide/Schools)
Environment/Animal Welfare and Protection
Public/Social Benefit (Civic Improvement/Social Services)
Recreation
Women and Girls
At-risk Boys & Young Men
Seniors and Veterans

The foundation prioritises proposals that:

Address documented needs within identified focus areas
Build capacity of organisations helping individuals help themselves
Foster cooperative approaches through collaborations
Serve as a catalyst for attracting additional funding resources
Build infrastructure to meet organisational missions

What They Don't Fund

Organisations with discriminatory practices based on protected characteristics
Unfunded staff positions or hazard pay
Regular municipal/school budget items
Capital improvement/building projects
Annual fundraising campaigns or event sponsorships
Regranting initiatives
Endowments or capital campaigns
Debt repayment or SBA/PPP loan reimbursement
Political/partisan activities
Exclusively religious purposes
Grants to individuals

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Officers:

Maureen Westbrook (Chair) - Retired President & CEO, CT Water Services, Inc. | Deep River
Gary M. Wallace (Vice Chair) - VP of Programs, Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence | Middletown
Thomas Gezo, Sr. (Vice Chair) - TGBC: TGezo Business Consulting | Essex
Marc L. Levin (Treasurer) - Owner, Malloves Jewelers | Haddam
Laura Colebank (Board Secretary) - Community Advocate | Clinton
Cynthia H. Clegg (President & CEO)

Board Members: Scotty Brown, Brett Director, Kyle Eagleson (President & CEO, GSB), David W. Glidden (President & CEO, Liberty Bank), Nikki Guardiano Paredes, Susan Martin (CFO & VP, Middlesex Health), Lawrence D McHugh (Retired, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce), Leland McKenna (VP Planning & External Affairs, Middlesex Health), Deborah L. Moore, Scott C. Nardozzi, Wendy Pollard, Todd Pozefsky, Clinton D. Reid, Mauricio Salgar, Jessica Scheff, Theresa A. Sistare, Pamela Steele, Andrew Y. Tanaka (Sr. VP, Chief Administrative Officer & Treasurer, Wesleyan University)

Staff

Cynthia H. Clegg - President & CEO
Thayer Talbott - Vice President & COO
Jennifer Hintz - Chief Financial Officer

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically through the foundation's online portal at https://middlesex.smapply.io/

Required Format: All documents must be submitted as PDFs

Application Limits: Organisations are limited to one (1) application per grant calendar year as the primary applicant. Organisations may be collaborators/partners on another organisation's application and submit an independent application, as long as the request is not part of the collaborative request.

Important Pre-Requisite: Nonprofits must ensure all prior grant evaluations have been submitted before applying in the current cycle.

Mandatory Information Sessions: Attendance at one of the information sessions is required before applying:

Sessions typically scheduled in early September
Sessions cover general support requests, application procedures, and specialised fund information
Register via the foundation website or email with name, organisation, and email address

Application Deadlines

Two Annual Cycles:

Autumn Cycle: Applications typically due in early October
Spring Cycle: Applications typically due in early April

Application systems allow saving incomplete applications with a 30-day validity window.

Decision Timeline

Applications submitted in the autumn are reviewed by grants committees throughout the autumn, with grant recommendations made to the Board of Directors at their December meeting. Specific notification timelines are provided during information sessions.

Success Rates

2024: 576 grants awarded totalling $2,102,227
2023: 41 grants awarded
2022: 34 grants awarded
2021: 10 grants awarded

Reapplication Policy

Organisations may apply once per grant calendar year, meaning unsuccessful applicants can reapply in subsequent cycles. The foundation operates two cycles annually, providing opportunities for organisations to refine and resubmit proposals. All applicants must maintain current compliance with grant evaluation requirements from any previous CFMC funding.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and requirements, successful applications demonstrate:

Documented Community Need: Applications must clearly articulate a documented need or concern within one of the 12 identified focus areas, showing how the proposed project or programme addresses this need for Middlesex County residents.

Organisational Capacity Building: The foundation prioritises "programmes that help individuals to help themselves" and proposals that strengthen organisational infrastructure. Applications should demonstrate how funding will build the organisation's long-term capacity.

Collaborative Approaches: CFMC actively seeks to "foster cooperative approaches to community issues through collaborations based on shared visions and mutual responsibility." Applications showing partnerships with other organisations or addressing community issues through collaboration are prioritised.

Leveraging Additional Resources: The foundation aims to "serve as a catalyst for attracting other funding resources." Successful applications often demonstrate how CFMC funding will leverage additional support or enable the organisation to pursue other funding opportunities.

Compliance and Evaluation: Organisations must be current on all grant evaluation submissions from prior CFMC funding. The foundation takes accountability seriously, and maintaining this compliance is essential for consideration.

Attendance at Information Sessions: Mandatory attendance at one of the pre-application information sessions ensures applicants understand the foundation's priorities and application process.

Geographic Alignment: Organisations must directly serve one or more of the 15 towns within Middlesex County. While nonprofits can be headquartered anywhere, services must impact Middlesex County residents.

Appropriate Funding Request: The foundation focuses on grants between $500-$5,000, with most in the $1,500-$3,500 range. Applications should request amounts within this range for projects appropriately scaled to this funding level.

Eligible Support Type: Nonprofits can request general operating support, while schools, healthcare facilities, government entities, and faith-based organisations should request project support for programmes that enhance (not replace) existing budgets.

Nondiscrimination Compliance: Awardees must agree to and comply with the Community Foundation's Nondiscrimination Policy and Grant Agreement Certification.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Attend the mandatory information session - This is a requirement and provides critical insights into what the foundation is looking for in the current cycle.
Focus on capacity building and collaboration - The foundation explicitly prioritises programmes that help people help themselves and collaborative approaches to community issues over simple service delivery.
Keep grant requests modest - With most grants falling in the $1,500-$3,500 range, this is seed funding or supplemental support, not comprehensive programme funding. Scale your request accordingly.
Demonstrate leverage and sustainability - Show how CFMC's investment will attract additional resources or build organisational infrastructure for long-term impact.
Stay current on grant evaluations - If you've received previous CFMC funding, completing evaluation reports on time is non-negotiable for future consideration.
One shot per year - With only one application allowed per calendar year and two cycles, plan carefully whether autumn or spring timing works best for your organisation's needs.
Geographic focus matters - Clearly demonstrate how your work directly serves one or more of the 15 Middlesex County towns, even if your organisation is headquartered elsewhere.

Financial Overview

According to 990 filing data for tax year 2023:

Total Assets: $36,379,574
Total Expenses: $2,706,836
Grants/Contributions Paid: $2,706,836

Historical Grants Paid (per 990 filings):

2023: $2,706,836
2022: $2,554,410
2021: $1,823,932

Note: The foundation's competitive grants programme awarded $1,822,867 through 41 grants in 2023, which represents a portion of the total grants paid figure that includes distributions from all 345+ funds managed by the foundation.

References

All information accessed January 2025.

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Community Foundation Of Middlesex County Inc