Latino Endowment Fund
Topic of Study
 Latinos now comprise almost 12 percent of Connecticut’s population – the largest minority – and more than 125,000 Latinos are registered to vote in the state. In 2009, the Latino Endowment Fund looked at the changing demographics of Connecticut’s population and civic engagement among Latinos both statewide and in Greater Hartford.
Grant Awarded
Increasing Latino involvement in civic affairs is the goal of a $40,000 grant awarded to the Connecticut Puerto Rican Forum by the Latino Endowment Fund in December 2009. The grant will help to build a new program called the Latino Knowledge Network of Greater Hartford. Read the news release >>
Fall Program
Dr. Juan Andrade, Jr., President of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, was the speaker for the fall program on October 29. Dr. Andrade discussed the power of civic engagement in helping the Latino population fulfill its potential.
For a summary of Dr. Andrade's remarks:
Click here for English.
Click here for Spanish.
Click here to view the vidoes.
Click here to listen to a MEGA/WLAT radio interview with Dr. Andrade in Spanish (it may take up to 20 seconds before it begins to play).
Spring Program
The increasing influence of Latinos in civic affairs was the topic of the spring program, “Latinos in Connecticut: The Strength of Our Voices,” held Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Click here for a summary of the meeting.
Past Grants
In early 2007, members of the Latino Endowment Fund heard from four leaders of community colleges in our state at a program titled "Community Colleges: ¿Oportunidad o Carretera Sin Salida? - Opportunity or Dead End?" Panelists discussed the reasons why Latinos often don’t transfer from community colleges to four-year universities.
One way the Latino Endowment Fund addressed this issue was to award $40,000 over two years to the Eastern Connecticut State University Foundation for its dual enrollment program that aims to increase the number of Latino students who successfully transfer from Quinebaug Valley Community College to a four-year program at Eastern.
This grant will enable 18 Latino students to begin their collegiate studies enrolled in both institutions, and to receive a host of services, including professional and peer tutoring, academic and financial aid advising, access to on-campus housing, and family outreach.
 Watch a video about the dual enrollment program >>
Grants
To qualify for grants from the Latino Endowment Fund, organizations must have a mission to support the Latino community and meet one of the following requirements:
- The majority of Board members are Latino
- The executive director is Latino
Grants are made to one or more qualifying organizations in the 29-town Capitol Region.
Steering Committee
Any member of the Latino Endowment Fund may volunteer to help organize and plan for the fund by joining the Steering Committee when its membership changes once yearly.
Steering Committee Members
(as of January 2009)
Luis Cabán, Chair
Germán Bermúdez
Frank Donis
Barbara Fernandez
Marilda Gándara
Augusto Gautier
Sonia Gaztambide-Vila
Oscar Gonzalez
Waldemar Gracia
Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella
Evelyn LaFontaine
Estela López
Yvette Meléndez
Enid Rey
Rosaida Rosario
Contact
If you are not already a member and are interested in joining the Latino Endowment Fund, contact Betty Ann Grady at bagrady@hfpg.org or 860-548-1888.
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