Vernon Greater Together Community Fund
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has established a $100,000 Greater Together Community Fund for the Town of Vernon.
The purpose of the Greater Together Community Funds is to:
- support the community in taking ownership around the needs in their towns
- encourage broad and inclusive civic engagement and
- anchor the Hartford Foundation in each town.
Your town has formed an advisory committee to manage a participatory process to identify your town's needs and allocate community funds.
The Vernon Greater Together Community Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is Seeking New Voices!
Applications are being accepted now!
The Vernon Greater Together Community Fund Advisory Committee is now accepting applications for committee members. In 2019, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving established community funds for each of the 29 towns in the Foundation's geographic region, which includes Vernon. Over the last 5 years, the Vernon Greater Together Community Fund has distributed a total of $95,000 to support projects in our town. We value all voices and need your help to continue to make a difference right here in Vernon.
Requirements to Apply:
- Vernon Resident
- Age 14 or Older
- Not an Elected Official
Click here for more information about volunteering with Greater Together Community Funds.
Please complete the online application to become a Vernon GTCF Committee member. We will invite new volunteers to meet with us in May.
Have questions, need more information? Please email us at vernon@hfpgcommunityfunds.org
Vernon GTCF Advisory Committee Announces Third Round of Grant Awards
In April 2024, the Vernon Greater Together Community Fund made their third round of grants to eight organizations, for a total of $28,006 in grant dollars.
- Cornerstone Foundation received $4,997 for a Community Access Technology Plan to upgrade phone and internet
- Family Essentials Network received $3,350 in support of their food pantry
- Gentle Love Diaper Pantry received $9,500 for their diaper distribution program
- Miracle League of Northern CT received $1,500 in support of their Vernon local program
- RHS Marching Band received $2,500 in support of their Fall 2024 Marching Band Program
- Special Olympics CT received $2,500 to support their Vernon local program
- Vernon Community Network received $4,100 to support Owen Wright Chess Club
- Vernon Volunteer Firefighters Association received $4,556 to support the Fire “Ram XD Monitor/Nozzle” Procurement Initiative
Past Grant Awards
The Vernon Greater Together Community Fund has made grants to the following organizations:
- Hartford Interval House, Inc. received $5,000 to support the Victim to Survivor program.
- Junior Achievement of Southwest New England received $2,500 to support the Economic Empowerment for Vernon Students program.
- RHS Graduation Project received $500 to support RHS Project Grad
- The Bridge Family Center, Inc. received $3,000 to support the purchase of furniture and toys for the Rockville Counselling Center.
- UR Community Cares, Inc. received $2,000 to support UR Community Cares in Vernon.
- Arts Center East received $3,000 to support programming on the life and work of African American artist Charles Ethan Porter.
- Vernon Historical Society, Inc. received $2,500 to support the Community Map to promote awareness of Vernon's walking trails and historical markers.
- The Cornerstone Foundation received $10,000 to fund a new generator for the community kitchen
- Opportunity Works CT received $10,000 for completion of a Sensory Room in Downtown Rockville. Funding will be used to purchase ADA bathroom fixtures, overhead lighting and interactive equipment.
- Friends of Rockville Public Library received $2,000 to fund their Museum Pass Program
- RHS Project Graduation received $500 to help cover the cost of Project Graduation, which provides a safe event for graduates the night of graduation.
- Vernon Community Network received $4,000 to fund their Circle of Moms support program.
- Interval House received $2,500 to offer assistance to residents of Vernon experiencing domestic violence under their Victim to Survivor Program
- Bridge Family Center received $3,000 to purchase furniture for their Rockville Counseling Center.
- Strong Family Farm received $1,500 to purchase volunteer management software and hold software training.
- Evergreen Family Theatre received $10,000 to fund their Sprouts Program for Fall 2023.
Vernon Greater Together Community Funds Committee Members
The role of the Committee is to design and lead an inclusive process to identify the needs in your community, and design a grantmaking process aimed to ensure that the Community Funds can have the greatest impact for the benefit of town residents.
The Committee members for Vernon are:
Ann Bonney, Sheila Reveron, and Stephen Taylor
Click here to read the Committee Conflict of Interest Policy
For media inquiries, please contact Chris Senecal at csenecal@hfpg.org.