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Community Foundation of Greater New Britain Inc

Annual Giving
$1.1M
Grant Range
$3K - $0.1M
Decision Time
3mo

Community Foundation of Greater New Britain Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1+ million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 2-3 months
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $50,000 (typically $5,000 - $25,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington, CT (four-town service area)

Contact Details

  • Website: https://cfgnb.org/
  • Email (Grants): jwruck@cfgnb.org (Joeline Wruck, Director of Grants and Initiatives)
  • Phone: 860.229.6018, ext. 307
  • Address: NEW BRITAIN, CT
  • EIN: 06-6036461

Overview

Founded in 1941 by local manufacturers Stanley and New Britain Machine, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain has been providing funding to support New Britain area non-profits for over 80 years. With more than 250 charitable funds and a $55 million endowment, the Foundation awarded $1,086,186.89 in grants and scholarships through March 30, 2023. The Foundation's mission centers on relevancy, relatability, and accessibility in inspiring philanthropy across its four-town service area. President and CEO David J. Obedzinski, who has led the organization since August 2017, emphasizes the Foundation's commitment to making "immediate and lasting impact" in the communities it serves.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Response Grants: $5,000 - $25,000 (occasionally larger) The primary grant program supporting arts and culture, community and economic development, education, and health and human services. Applications accepted through online portal on a fixed deadline schedule.

Community Initiatives: Variable amounts Includes early childhood education, nonprofit capacity building, and the Catalyst Fund (giving circle grants up to $20,000).

First Years First Initiative: Variable amounts Focused exclusively on early childhood development to prepare children in the service area for success in school and in life. This is a priority area for the Foundation.

Capacity Building Initiative: Varies Offers hands-on workshops and training for local organizations on strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, and board development.

Catalyst Fund: Up to $20,000 A giving circle of local citizens who meet three times per year to learn about community issues and make funding decisions collectively.

Priority Areas

Arts, Culture & Heritage Programs that enhance quality of life and invest in long-term economic vitality. Recent grants include $50,000 to New Britain Museum of American Art and $10,000 to New Britain Youth Museum.

Education (with special focus on Early Childhood) K-12 education with emphasis on STEM and career-related programming. Early childhood development is a named priority. Recent grants include $38,000 to Southington Public Schools for Family Resource Network and $20,000 to Read to Grow for early literacy programs.

Community & Economic Development Initiatives that strengthen neighborhoods and support economic vitality, including employment programs for individuals with disabilities and youth leadership development.

Health & Human Services Access to services that maintain or improve health and provide basic human services. Recent grants include $20,000 to Salvation Army's Pathways of Hope program and $18,000 to VetFuel for veteran support.

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not detailed in public materials, the Foundation:

  • Only funds 501(c)(3) organizations or qualified entities with fiscal agents
  • Restricts giving to organizations serving Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington
  • Will consider organizations located outside the service area if they collaborate with local agencies and have a local partner in the application

Governance and Leadership

Staff Leadership

David J. Obedzinski, President & Chief Executive Officer (retiring December 31, 2025) With more than 30 years of management experience in philanthropy and 40 years in the nonprofit sector, Obedzinski has led the Foundation since August 2017. He states: "It's all about relevancy, relatability and accessibility...One of the missions of the foundation is inspiring philanthropy."

Robert S. Trojanowski, Vice President & CFO Joined the Foundation in September 2011, responsible for the Foundation's Endowment and oversight of day-to-day operations and programs.

Joeline Wruck, Director of Grants and Initiatives Primary contact for grant applications and the grants process.

Kaylah Milligan, Development role (promoted in 2022) Responsible for all development program activities, including the Civic Leadership Fund annual giving campaign, having joined in March 2013.

Board Leadership

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors that includes:

  • Richard M. Dighello, Shareholder at Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.
  • Jennifer L. Farley, Vice President Quality, Patient Safety Officer at Hospital for Special Care
  • Dr. Nicole Sanders, Director of Talent and Equity at Consolidated School District of New Britain
  • Thomas Mills Jr.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Submit through the Community Foundation's online grant portal at https://cfgnb.org/. Create a profile if you are a first-time applicant. Before submitting, review the Community Investment Guidelines for complete information on the grants process and areas of interest.

LOI Deadlines: January 1 or July 1

Step 2: Full Proposal (by invitation only) Organizations selected from the LOI review will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Full Proposal Deadlines: February 1 or August 1

Decision Timeline

  • LOI to Invitation: Approximately 1 month
  • Full Proposal to Decision: Approximately 1-2 months
  • Notification: Funding decisions announced in April (for February deadline) and September (for August deadline)
  • Total Timeline: Approximately 2-3 months from LOI submission to funding decision

Success Rates

The Foundation does not publicly disclose success rates or the percentage of applications funded. In recent grant cycles, they have funded 17-30+ organizations per cycle with grants ranging from $2,500 to $50,000. The first round of 2022 grants totaled over $870,000, while the first round of 2023 grants included $312,420 to 17 programs and organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented. Applicants should contact Joeline Wruck at jwruck@cfgnb.org for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's documented priorities and recent grant awards, successful applications demonstrate:

Strong Local Connection: Organizations must serve Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, or Southington. If located elsewhere, applications must clearly demonstrate local collaboration with named partner agencies in the service area.

Alignment with Priority Areas: The Foundation has clearly identified early childhood education as a top priority. President Obedzinski noted the Foundation's historic connection to local manufacturing, stating: "Our Community Foundation was founded by local manufacturers Stanley and New Britain Machine almost 80 years ago." Programs supporting workforce development, particularly in manufacturing trades (like the MET Academy partnership), align with this heritage.

Clear, Measurable Impact: Recent funded projects show specific, tangible outcomes—vehicles for transportation, motorized vehicles for children with disabilities, specific literacy programs with defined populations. Applications should articulate concrete deliverables.

Sustainability and Innovation: The Foundation funds innovative social enterprises (like the Southington Honey Company) and programs that build long-term capacity. Applications demonstrating sustainability beyond the grant period are valued.

Collaborative Approach: Many funded projects involve partnerships between organizations. The Foundation values collaboration and expects organizations outside the service area to have local partners.

Modest, Realistic Budgets: Most grants fall in the $5,000-$25,000 range. Applications should request appropriate amounts with detailed, realistic budgets.

Focus on the Foundation's Three Principles: Applications should demonstrate relevancy to community needs, relatability to the Foundation's mission, and accessibility for the populations served—echoing President Obedzinski's stated priorities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geography is paramount: You must serve one or more of the four towns (Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, Southington). Organizations outside this area need strong local partnerships with named collaborators.

  • Early childhood education is a top priority: If your program serves young children or families with young children in the service area, you have a strategic advantage. This is a documented Foundation priority area.

  • The two-step process is highly selective: Only invited organizations submit full proposals. Your LOI must be compelling and clearly aligned with Foundation priorities to advance to the full proposal stage.

  • Plan ahead for fixed deadlines: With only two grant cycles per year (LOI due Jan 1 or July 1), you must plan 3-4 months in advance of when you need funding.

  • Demonstrate community knowledge: The Foundation values deep understanding of local needs in its four-town service area. Show you understand the specific challenges facing these communities.

  • Build a relationship before applying: Contact Joeline Wruck with questions before submitting. The Foundation's focus on "relatability and accessibility" suggests they value personal connections with grantees.

  • Show how you build community capacity: Beyond direct services, the Foundation values programs that strengthen the nonprofit sector and build long-term community assets.

References

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