Greater Together Community Funds  

In 2018, the Hartford Foundation embarked on a listening tour to hear from the residents of the 29 towns the Foundation serves.

Residents shared what they loved about their communities, what changes they would like to make and how the Hartford Foundation might help. One common theme was the idea that residents understand the challenges they face in their communities, but are often constrained by a lack of resources. This lack of resources included the need for more opportunities to meet with one another, share concerns and work together with all members of the community to develop solutions. These community conversations led the Hartford Foundation to create the Greater Together Community Funds.

The concept of community funds is not unique to Greater Hartford. The Foundation has learned from several other community foundations and community-based participatory decision-making models, adapting these experiences to the realities in Greater Hartford.

In 2019, the Hartford Foundation Board allocated $100,000 for each Greater Together Community Fund. Half of the fund's money - $50,000 - is available for current use grantmaking. The other $50,000 will be endowed, meaning a percentage of the dollars will be available every year to grant, following the Hartford Foundation's spending policy.

In 2022, the Board allocated an additional $50,000 for each Community Fund, with $30,000 available for current use grantmaking and $20,000 going toward the endowment.

Each Greater Together Community Fund will be handled by an advisory committee of town residents that must be inclusive, representative and reflective of all of the residents of that community.

In order to establish the initial advisory committee in each town, the Hartford Foundation will conduct broad outreach to town residents, informing them of the opportunity to be a part of this advisory committee.

The advisory committees will identify the greatest needs in their communities and design a grantmaking process aimed to ensure that the Greater Together Community Funds can have the greatest impact for the benefit of town residents. Hartford Foundation staff will provide guidance on topics such as participatory decision making, grantmaking and fund development, as needed.

Each town's advisory committee may work differently and will operate independently.

Individuals and organizations can make tax-deductible contributions to any of the 29 Greater Together Community Funds through our website, hfpg.org/donate or by sending a check written out to the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving with the memo line indicating "(name of town) Greater Together Community Fund". Contributions can be mailed to:

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
10 Columbus Boulevard
Hartford CT 06106

If you'd like to talk with us about your contribution, feel free to reach us by email at CommunityFunds@hfpg.org or by phone at 860-548-1888.

If you are interested in participating in the advisory committee or would like to nominate someone to participate, we would love to hear from you.

You can reach us by email at CommunityFunds@hfpg.org or by phone at 860-548-1888.

This is not a fund for municipal town governments. Grants will not be administered or awarded by a town or municipal authority.

All dollars will be held at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving until they are awarded as grants.