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Connecticut Community Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$7.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.0M
Decision Time
3mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7,311,580 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $175,543,888 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by program (quarterly to bi-annual cycles)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $32,000
  • Average Grant: $5,000 - $15,000
  • Geographic Focus: 21 towns in Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills, CT

Contact Details

Address: 43 Field Street, Waterbury, CT 06702

Phone: 203.753.1315

General Grant Inquiries: grants@conncf.org

Website: https://conncf.org

President and CEO: Kathy Taylor (ktaylor@conncf.org)

Key Staff Contacts:

  • Josh Carey, Director of Grants Management: Arts and Culture; Building Equitable Opportunity; scholarships
  • Francesca Evangelista, Program Officer: Pathways for Older Adults; Health and Environmental Justice
  • Patrick McKenna, Assistant Director, Community Impact: Strengthening Nonprofits grants; Grassroots Leadership; Women's Fund; Ion Bank Foundation

Overview

Established in 1923, Connecticut Community Foundation is one of Connecticut's oldest community foundations, celebrating over 100 years of service to the region. With total assets exceeding $175 million and annual grantmaking of approximately $7.3 million, the Foundation stewards more than 600 charitable funds. The Foundation serves 21 towns across Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills: Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Cheshire, Goshen, Litchfield, Middlebury, Morris, Naugatuck, New Milford, Oxford, Prospect, Roxbury, Southbury, Thomaston, Warren, Washington, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbury. In June 2024, Kathy Taylor became the Foundation's fourth CEO in its 100-year history. The Foundation focuses on addressing critical community issues, strengthening nonprofits through grants and technical assistance, and fostering an equitable and inclusive community. Their current strategic priorities emphasize "system change" initiatives to improve economic mobility, educational equity, culturally-responsive programs, career training, and amplifying BIPOC voices.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Arts and Culture Grants: $2,000 - $15,520

  • Prioritize efforts that address disparity and increase access to culturally responsive art experiences, led by BIPOC artists
  • Support participatory arts programs, arts outreach, collaborative works, and artist development
  • Applications accepted mid- to late-February each year

Building Equitable Opportunity: $3,000 - $20,000

  • Provides vital supports for long-term success: educational equity, youth development, job training, economic security, affordable housing
  • Combines former Cradle to Career and Economic Vitality grants
  • Two annual grantmaking cycles with due dates in February and October

Grassroots Leadership: $5,000 - $7,000

  • Empowers Waterbury residents through funding for community-led projects
  • Focuses on youth development and leadership (including young adults 18-24), community building projects, multi-generational organizing
  • Prioritizes ongoing work rather than one-off events
  • Values collaboration and community partnerships
  • Rolling applications reviewed quarterly (odd-numbered months only)

Health and Environmental Justice: $5,000 - $15,000

  • Addresses health disparities in maternal and newborn health, preventative care, disease management, hunger and nutrition
  • Includes behavioral health, chronic disease management, disease prevention, maternal and infant health
  • Housing advocacy, safe housing, home repairs, homeless outreach, case management
  • Environmental disparities: air quality tracking, urban tree planting, community gardens
  • Two annual cycles (February and October)

Pathways for Older Adults: $2,000 - $15,000 (includes $3,000 mini-grants)

  • Supports older adults in engaging in programs, accessing resources, and aging safely in their communities
  • Priority areas: health, wellness, education, arts, creative expression, technology, financial security, intergenerational programs
  • Emphasizes collaborative programs, access to healthy food, health resources, reducing isolation
  • Annual application cycle
  • Funded by the $9.2 million East Hill Woods Fund established in 2009

Strengthening Nonprofits: Up to $15,000

  • Builds organizational resiliencies: leadership, financial management, technology, fund development, communications
  • Supports strategic planning, evaluation, fundraising, programming, communications
  • Includes training, professional development, one-on-one coaching
  • Prioritizes work increasing BIPOC representation in leadership
  • Quarterly funding rounds (March, June, September, December)
  • Rolling applications with quarterly decisions
  • Cannot fund staffing requests or multi-year requests

Additional Programs:

  • Pride in the Hills Fund: Supports, inspires, and celebrates LGBTQ+ people in the region
  • Women's Fund: Gender equity initiatives
  • Ion Bank Foundation: Managed through Connecticut Community Foundation

Priority Areas

  • Educational equity and culturally-responsive programs for BIPOC students and families
  • Career training for high-paying, in-demand jobs
  • Financial and investment services for BIPOC families
  • Youth development and youth leadership
  • Community revitalization and civic engagement
  • Arts and culture with emphasis on BIPOC artists
  • Health equity and environmental justice
  • Older adult services and aging in place
  • Organizational capacity building for nonprofits

What They Don't Fund

  • Requests for political or religious purposes
  • Requests for capital expenditures on buildings not owned by a nonprofit

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Kathy Taylor, Esq. - Appointed June 2024, the Foundation's fourth CEO in its 100-year history. Graduate of Hampton University and University of Connecticut School of Law. Professor of legal studies at Connecticut State Community College for 17 years, serving in various leadership roles including interim associate dean and Faculty Senate president.

Quote from Kathy Taylor on her appointment: "Being a part of the Foundation's work for many years as a volunteer, I am very excited to step into a new role that will challenge me to look at our work through a different lens. I am eager to listen to and learn from the rich diversity of voices and perspectives in our community as we chart the path ahead."

Board of Trustees (select members):

  • John A. Michaels: Chairman and CEO of Michaels Jewelers (since 1967)
  • Bob Bailey: Former senior international banker with over three decades experience at Citibank, NationsBank (now Bank of America), and Banco Santander
  • Edith Reynolds: Co-owns The John Bale Book Company, longtime Grants Committee member

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Most applications are submitted through the Foundation's online GOapply portal. First-time users must register an account, with approval taking up to two business days. The Foundation provides user guides and instructional videos to assist with the application process.

Critical Requirement for First-Time Applicants: Before submitting a first-time request to the Foundation, applicants are required to set up an in-person meeting with the Program Officer who staffs the relevant area of interest. These conversations are tied to eligibility.

Application Deadlines:

  • Most programs: Two annual cycles with deadlines in mid-February and October
  • Grassroots Leadership: Rolling basis, reviewed quarterly in odd-numbered months
  • Strengthening Nonprofits: Rolling basis, reviewed quarterly (March, June, September, December)
  • Pathways for Older Adults: Annual application cycle
  • Arts and Culture: Mid- to late-February

Most grant areas use the GENERAL GRANT APPLICATION and require specifying the grant area during the application process.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by program:

  • Bi-annual programs (February/October deadlines): Decisions typically made within 2-3 months of deadline
  • Quarterly programs: Decisions made quarterly
  • Grassroots Leadership: Reviewed quarterly by a committee of community residents

The Foundation has not publicly disclosed specific notification methods, though GOapply portal likely provides status updates.

Success Rates

The Foundation made 201 awards in 2023, distributing $7,311,580. However, specific application numbers and success rates are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation has not publicly disclosed specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants or waiting period requirements. Contact the appropriate Program Officer for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Key Strategies Based on Foundation Priorities

1. Demonstrate Community Connection: The Foundation emphasizes deep roots in the 21-town service area. Applications should clearly show how your organization serves these specific communities and understands local needs.

2. Focus on Equity and BIPOC Communities: The Foundation has explicitly prioritized "system change" initiatives addressing disparities faced by BIPOC communities. Applications should demonstrate culturally-responsive approaches and, where appropriate, BIPOC leadership.

3. Emphasize Collaboration: Multiple program descriptions (Grassroots Leadership, Pathways for Older Adults, Strengthening Nonprofits) explicitly value collaborative approaches and partnerships. Show how you work with other organizations.

4. Connect to Organizational Health (for Strengthening Nonprofits): Applications should "clearly connect the specific project to the overall health of the organization and its overall impact in the community."

5. Choose Identified Resources (for Strengthening Nonprofits): The Foundation prioritizes "proposals which have already identified resources and consultants deemed a good fit for the organization and the organizational culture."

6. Focus, Don't Scatter: For capacity building, the Foundation wants "project proposals that are focused on one priority" rather than trying to accomplish too much at once.

7. Show Ongoing Commitment (for Grassroots Leadership): The program "prioritizes ongoing work, rather than one-off events."

8. Leverage the First-Time Meeting: Since first-time applicants must meet with a Program Officer before applying, use this opportunity to get specific feedback on your proposal concept and ensure alignment with Foundation priorities.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

  • Save Girls on FYRE: $23,068 for Leadership Academy for girls aged 7-19
  • The Gathering Festival: $10,000 for New England's most culturally diverse festival
  • Ball & Socket Arts: $7,500 for free outdoor summer concerts
  • Safe Haven (Waterbury): $10,000 for comprehensive support and crises services for domestic/sexual violence survivors
  • Woman's Choice Charitable Association: $10,000 for prenatal education and postpartum support for Black mothers
  • Mattatuck Museum: $15,520 for arts programming at Children's Community School

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Meeting First is Non-Negotiable: First-time applicants must schedule an in-person meeting with the appropriate Program Officer before applying - factor this into your timeline
  • Stay Within Grant Ranges: Average grant size is $5,000-$15,000 across most programs; requests should fall within the specified range for each priority area
  • Geographic Eligibility is Strict: Your organization must serve one or more of the 21 specific towns in Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills
  • Equity Focus is Central: The Foundation's strategic direction emphasizes BIPOC communities, educational equity, economic mobility, and culturally-responsive approaches
  • Use the GOapply System: Register your account at least 2 business days before deadline; use the Foundation's guides and videos
  • Collaboration Strengthens Applications: Whether for grassroots work, older adult services, or capacity building, showing partnership enhances competitiveness
  • Align with Current Leadership Vision: Under CEO Kathy Taylor (appointed 2024), the Foundation is listening to "the rich diversity of voices and perspectives in our community" and focusing on system change

References

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