← Back to US Funders Directory

Community Foundation For Greater New Haven

Annual Giving
$31.4M
Grant Range
$2K - $0.0M
Decision Time
2mo
Success Rate
57%

Community Foundation For Greater New Haven

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $31.4 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: 57% (based on recent Responsive Grants cycle)
  • Decision Time: 8-10 weeks (Small Grants Program)
  • Grant Range: $2,000 - $40,000 (competitive programs)
  • Geographic Focus: 20-town Greater New Haven region, Connecticut
  • Total Assets: Over $350 million

Contact Details

Address: 70 Audubon Street, New Haven, CT 06510

Website: www.cfgnh.org

Main Phone: 203-777-7070

Key Grant Staff:

  • Jackie Downing, Senior Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Support: 203-777-7072
  • Logan Roddy, Grants Manager: 203-777-7084
  • Christina M. Ciociola, Senior Vice President for Planning and Community Strategies: 203-777-7088

General Email: Available through website contact form

Overview

Established in 1928, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States and the largest grantmaker in the Greater New Haven region. The Foundation manages over $350 million in charitable assets and distributed $31.4 million in grants in 2024. Founded during the late 1920s by lawyer and bank executive Osborne A. Day and a small group of civic leaders, the Foundation modeled itself after Cleveland's pioneering community foundation. The Foundation's mission is "to inspire, support, inform, listen to and collaborate with the people and organizations of Greater New Haven to build an ever more connected, inclusive, equitable and philanthropic community." In 2020, the Foundation adopted the strategy "Opportunity + Equity" to create greater opportunity and equity in the region. In November 2024, Dr. Karen DuBois-Walton became President and CEO, bringing a vision of "a more equitable and inclusive Greater New Haven — a region where every resident in all 20 towns has the chance to thrive, regardless of their background or zip code."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Multi-Year Core Support (March 2 deadline)

  • Amount: $10,000 - $40,000 for 1-3 year grants
  • Focus: General operating support for established organizations
  • Eligibility: Organizations based in Greater New Haven/Valley with 3+ years of active programming and prior-year budgets exceeding $250,000
  • Application: Online portal, annual deadline

Small Grants (Rolling, first-come-first-served)

  • Amount: Up to $5,000 (budgets under $50,000) or up to $10,000 (budgets over $50,000)
  • Eligibility: Organizations with budgets between $10,000-$1.5 million serving Greater New Haven
  • Application: Rolling basis until funds depleted; organizations can reapply every other year
  • Decision Time: 8-10 weeks
  • Rounds: First round January 5 - March 2; second round August 3 onward

Event Sponsorship Grants (Rolling)

  • Amount: Up to $2,000
  • Focus: One-day fundraising events (in-person, virtual, or hybrid)
  • Application: Rolling basis starting January 5 until funds depleted

Multi-Year Advocacy and Democracy Grants (March 2 deadline)

  • Amount: $10,000 - $40,000 for 1-3 year grants
  • Focus: Civic engagement, advocacy, and journalism
  • Eligibility: Organizations outside Greater New Haven/Valley with 2+ years programming and prior budgets over $250,000
  • Application: Annual deadline

Basic Needs Fund (Annual, typically mid-November deadline)

  • Amount: Up to $10,000
  • Focus: Shelter, housing stability, eviction support, cash assistance, furniture, energy assistance, and food security
  • Recent Funding: $1.6 million distributed in 2025 to 44 organizations

Nonprofit Animal Shelter Grants

  • Amount: Up to $10,000
  • Focus: Flexible funding for animal shelters serving Greater New Haven
  • Application: Details available on website

Quinnipiac River Fund (February 6 deadline)

  • Focus: Projects designed to protect and conserve the Quinnipiac River
  • Application: Annual deadline

Specialized Funds:

  • Black Futures Fund: Established in 2020 to advance racial equity and tackle structures contributing to racial disparities
  • Progresso Latino Fund: $3,000 - $10,000 grants for organizations bridging skills gaps in the Latino community
  • Community Fund for Women & Girls (Pathways Grants): Focus on women's economic security, workforce participation, entrepreneurship, housing security, and childcare innovation ($115,000 distributed in 2024 to 10 organizations supporting 3,500 women)

Priority Areas

The Foundation's core focus is on Opportunity + Equity with emphasis on:

  • Racial justice and equity
  • Economic opportunity and inclusive growth
  • Basic needs (food security, shelter, housing stability)
  • Women's economic security
  • Environmental conservation
  • Civic engagement and democracy
  • Immigrant and refugee services
  • Workforce development and skills training
  • Animal welfare

What They Don't Fund

  • Religious activities
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Lobbying efforts
  • Travel expenses
  • Previously incurred debts
  • Funding deficits
  • Organizations that do not serve the 20-town Greater New Haven region (except for Advocacy and Democracy Grants)

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

Karen DuBois-Walton, Ph.D. - President and CEO (assumed role November 2024)

  • Former CEO of the Housing Authority of New Haven (since 2008)
  • Former Chair of Connecticut State Board of Education
  • Vision: "My vision for the future is one where we work together to create a more equitable and inclusive Greater New Haven — a region where every resident in all 20 towns has the chance to thrive, regardless of their background or zip code."
  • Described as "a visionary leader dedicated to empowering communities through education, advocacy, and equitable development" and "a vocal advocate for marginalized communities"

A.F. Drew Alden - Chief Investment Officer & President/CEO, TCFMIC

Leon Bailey Jr., MPA, MDiv, DMin - Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Organizational Culture

Walter D. Woods - Senior Vice President, Development and Donor Services

Christina M. Ciociola - Senior Vice President for Planning and Community Strategies

Wendy Gamba - Chief Financial Officer; VP Finance and Operations

Board of Directors

Board Chair: Fernando J. Muñiz

Board Vice Chair: Valarie Shultz Wilson

Board Members:

  • Enola G. Aird
  • Keith B. Churchwell
  • Vlad Coric
  • Andrew Eder
  • Terry H. Jones
  • Michael Morand
  • Heather Tookes Alexopoulos
  • Emily Wang

The Board consists of eleven citizens of the United States and residents of New Haven or vicinity, appointed by seven authorities including the City of New Haven's chief executive, Yale University's president, the New Haven Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from the probate court and bar association. The Foundation is "conducted in the interests of the whole community without regard to race, color, religion, sex or creed" with efforts to represent diverse interests on the board.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Foundation uses an online application portal accessible through their website at www.cfgnh.org/strengthening-nonprofits/grants-to-apply-for.

Application Process:

  1. Review eligibility criteria and grant program guidelines
  2. Attend the annual Grantseeker Information Webinar (typically held in January)
  3. Submit grant inquiry or full application through online portal (depending on program)
  4. Staff and community reviewers evaluate applications
  5. Smaller committees review applications for specific funds
  6. Foundation Board of Directors votes to approve funding

Important Note: The Foundation generally does not schedule pre-application meetings. "Your grant inquiry will serve as an introduction and summary of your project."

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization or have a fiscal sponsor with appropriate tax status
  • Must serve people within the Foundation's 20-town region (Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven, and Woodbridge)
  • Must maintain non-discrimination policies
  • Organizations with current grants must be up to date with all reporting requirements
  • Budget size requirements vary by program

Decision Timeline

  • Small Grants Program: 8-10 weeks review process
  • Major Grant Programs: Vary by program; applications are typically reviewed after annual deadlines with notifications following board approval
  • Event Sponsorship: Rolling review until funds depleted

Deadlines vary significantly by program. Applicants are encouraged to visit the grants page frequently for updates.

Success Rates

Based on the 2025 Responsive Grants Program, 81 nonprofits were selected from 141 applications, representing a 57% success rate for this competitive program. The Foundation distributed $2,879,000 through this cycle.

Overall grant activity:

  • 761 awards made in 2023
  • 460 awards made in 2022
  • $31.4 million total distributed in 2024
  • $32.7 million total distributed in 2023

Reapplication Policy

For the Small Grants Program, organizations that received grants can reapply every other year (e.g., 2025 grantees are eligible to reapply in 2027).

For other programs, organizations with current grants ending later than December 31 of the application year may not apply for new multi-year funding. However, specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented. Organizations are encouraged to contact grants staff for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's published guidance and recent grant awards, successful applications demonstrate:

What the Foundation Looks For

  1. Strong Leadership and Evaluation Capacity: The Foundation explicitly seeks "leadership, strong evaluation and clearly articulated goals and measures when reviewing projects for which funding is requested."

  2. Partnership and Leverage: The Foundation is "committed to funding organizations that present opportunities for partnerships and that demonstrate an ability to leverage resources."

  3. Alignment with Opportunity + Equity Strategy: Recent grant awards show strong preference for organizations advancing racial equity, economic opportunity, and support for marginalized communities including immigrants, refugees, women, and BIPOC populations.

  4. Support for General Operating Costs: The Foundation "believes in investing in strengthening the infrastructure of nonprofit organizations by supporting general operating costs, which include administrative and shared expenses, typically at least 10% of the overall request."

  5. Clear Goals and Measurable Outcomes: Applications should include "clearly articulated goals and measures" for evaluation.

Recent Funded Examples

2025 Responsive Grants recipients included:

  • Connecticut Food Share and Beth-El Center - basic needs organizations affected by federal funding cuts
  • CT Students for a Dream, CT Institute for Immigrants and Refugees, Elena's Light, and JUNTA for Progressive Action - serving immigrants and refugees
  • ConnCORP, CT NAACP, and the Women's Business Development Council - advancing inclusive growth
  • CitySeed Inc. ($10,000) - food access programs for vulnerable residents
  • Havenly, Inc. - adding daycare to commercial kitchen training program for refugee women

Strategic Advice

  • Attend the Grantseeker Webinar: All organizations seeking funding are "highly encouraged to join the Grantseeker Webinar" held annually in January
  • Be Realistic About Funding Needs: Review eligibility criteria thoroughly and "determine realistic funding amounts needed for your project"
  • Focus on Impact, Not Just Activities: The Foundation prioritizes organizations that can demonstrate community impact and measurable outcomes
  • Show Collaborative Approach: Highlight partnerships and ability to leverage additional resources
  • Demonstrate Equity Commitment: Align proposals with the Foundation's Opportunity + Equity strategy

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic Focus is Strict: Your organization must serve one or more of the 20 towns in Greater New Haven (with rare exceptions for Advocacy and Democracy Grants). This is a hard eligibility requirement.

  2. Equity Alignment is Critical: Under CEO Karen DuBois-Walton's leadership, the Foundation is "deeply committed to advancing equity and opportunity for all." Applications should clearly demonstrate how your work addresses systemic barriers and serves marginalized communities.

  3. General Operating Support is Valued: Unlike many funders, the Foundation actively supports administrative and infrastructure costs, typically accepting at least 10% of requests for overhead. Don't shy away from requesting operating support.

  4. Partnership and Leverage Matter: Explicitly show how your organization collaborates with others and leverages additional resources beyond the Foundation's grant.

  5. Attend the Webinar: The annual Grantseeker Information Webinar (January 15, 2026 for next cycle) provides essential guidance and is highly encouraged for all applicants.

  6. Success Rate is Moderate to Good: With a 57% success rate in the recent Responsive Grants cycle, your odds are reasonable if you meet eligibility and alignment criteria—better than many competitive national funders.

  7. Small Grants Offer Entry Point: For smaller organizations (budgets under $1.5 million), the rolling Small Grants program offers faster decisions (8-10 weeks) and lower competition pressure than annual deadline programs.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory