Open Door grants from the Hartford Foundation

The Hartford Foundation’s overarching grantmaking strategy is designed to help dismantle structural racism and advance social and economic mobility for Black and Latine residents through five strategic outcome areas: Arts and Culture, Basic Human Needs, Civic and Resident Engagement, Employment Opportunities, and Higher Opportunity Neighborhoods.

The Foundation recognizes that nonprofits may have programs and projects that advance equity in important ways that are not directly aligned with these outcome areas. Open Door grants can support nonprofits working to advance equity across the region who do not receive funding through the Foundation’s outcome area grantmaking portfolios. Open Door grant applications are available on a rolling basis and by invitation after an initial inquiry conversation to explore your project and its funding needs.

What types of nonprofits or projects are considered eligible for an Open Door grant?

  • Nonprofits that have some alignment with one of the Foundation’s outcome area goals, but limited breadth or depth of project/program reach or impact (i.e., small number of participants served, narrow program design, short duration of services).
  • Nonprofits that serve marginalized or disenfranchised groups that are broader than the population of focus served through an outcome area portfolio.
  • Nonprofits that do not have alignment with one of the Foundation’s outcome area goals, but have a project or program aligned with the Foundation’s core values.
  • Nonprofits currently receiving one-year or multi-year funding support through one of the Foundation’s strategic outcome area portfolios are not eligible for an Open Door grant.

How to apply

Interested nonprofits can reach out to our Community Impact staff to begin a conversation. Contact Tara Sundie, Community Impact Manager, at tsundie@hfpg.org or 860-548-1888.

Hartford Foundation staff use a rubric for evaluating potential Open Door grants, which can be viewed here.