Black Giving Circle Fund at Hartford Foundation Awards Grants to Support Mental Health of Black Boys and Men

$100,000 donated by the Beta Iota Boulé Foundation provides grants to five nonprofit programs.

Black boys and men face distinct needs when it comes to mental health care. A 2023 White House Roundtable on Young Black Men’s Mental Health revealed nearly 40 percent of Black teens say they struggle with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. According to DataHaven’s Greater Hartford Community Wellbeing Index, in 2022, Black adults were 1.6 times more likely to report feeling down or depressed as compared to white adults.  At the same time, research finds that African American men with depression are significantly less likely to seek help compared with White men.

This past spring, the Beta Iota Boulé Foundation (“Boulé") and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving announced a collaboration to support the mental health of Black boys and men. The Boulé has made an investment of $400,000, with the Foundation matching up to $600,000 to create a $1 million impact. 

Two hundred thousand dollars of these funds have been made available through the Black Giving Circle Fund at the Hartford Foundation to support grants over the next two years.  At a recent meeting members of the giving circle awarded five one-year grants of $20,000 to support projects related to promoting and expanding access to mental health services for Black boys and men. 

“We are proud to announce the five awardees of our inaugural grants through the partnership between the Hartford Foundation, Beta Iota Boulé Foundation and the Black Giving Circle Fund,” said Black Giving Circle Fund Steering Committee Chair Chris Cloud. “These recipients do incredible work in our community and will help us move the needle to improve mental health and wellness for African American men and boys. We salute them all for their commitment to this important work!” 

Organizations receiving $20,000 grants include:

Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA): The grant will support the Greater Hartford SAFETY Fellowship Program, a collaboration with T.R.U.E. Self Counseling, that provides an eight-hour Mental Health First Aid course to teach people to help those experiencing mental health problems or crises. Training will be provided to gatekeepers, including parents, educators, first responders, and community leaders, who are often the first to encounter mental health challenges in others. A portion of the budget will be reserved for providing direct therapy services through T.R.U.E. Self Counseling. 

Covenant Preparatory School: The grant will support the Covenant Campaigns for Mental Health program, a ten-week class designed to be an immersive, hands-on experience that puts boys at the center of every aspect of the project. Students not only gain critical knowledge about mental health but also valuable research, analytical, and communication skills. This semester-long campaign will allow students to explore the root causes of the stigma, from societal stereotypes to cultural misconceptions, while also highlighting the critical need for mental health awareness and support.

“Covenant Prep is thrilled to receive this transformative grant to address the unique mental health needs of Black men and boys,” said Katie Zakreski McKinney, Covenant Prep’s Director of Development & Community Relations. “This grant will ensure that Covenant Prep can continue its commitment to our students' holistic development and build stronger relationships with our families and the Greater Hartford community. This grant will empower our students to take charge of their own mental health, which will lead to greater awareness, reduced stigma, and improved mental health outcomes for future generations.”

Ebony Horsewomen: The grant will support the Equine Empowerment to Culturally Competent Mental Health Training program, an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) to certify Connecticut State licensed mental health professionals along with experienced horse professionals to become Horse Specialists and program mentors. These individual will work alongside Ebony Horsewomen’s trained and certified Mental Health Professional in delivering (EAP) to 30 Black men and 20 Black boys ages seven to 17 years.

“We extend our deepest gratitude for selecting us to receive funding for our Black Boys and Men initiative,” said  Patricia E. Kelly, President/CEO of Ebony Horsewomen, Inc. “This funding will enable us to provide meaningful opportunities, mentorship, and resources that nurture the growth, confidence, and success of Black boys and men in our community. Together, we are creating a brighter and more equitable future.”

Integrated Health Services (IHS): The grant will support the Equipping Black Male Youth as Ambassadors of Mental Health & Wellness communications campaign from January to June of 2025. Funds will support a dedicated IHS clinician who will prioritize strategies that engage Black male students between the ages of twelve to fifteen in activities that contribute to improved long- term mental health status, increase awareness of accessible tools to stabilize states of mind in an immediate mental health crisis, and ways to foster improved family and peer relationships.

“We are thrilled about this award from the Black Giving Circle Fund as it will enable IHS to more intentionally promote positive mental health outcomes for Black males by providing direct access to school-based mental health services,” said IHS President/CEO Sherry Linton-Massiah, MPH, MS. “The distribution of information, tools, and strategies aimed at fostering connections will increase engagement and resilience of Black male students, their families, and the community." 

The Amistad Center for Arts and Culture: The BGCF grant will support the I Am A Man!: Mental Health and Wellness program. The program will provide 20 Black men and boys with access to weekly clinical therapy through museum-sponsored therapists' visits, along with a public awareness campaign. 

The mission of Black Giving Circle Fund is “to create sustainable change in the Black community by leveraging the philanthropic efforts of donors and celebrating Black philanthropy.” Donations from members (at least $365 annually per membership) are pooled together in an endowed fund at the Hartford Foundation. Members of the fund examine issues facing the Black community in Greater Hartford and, collectively, they recommend grants to nonprofit organizations working to address needs in the Black community.

For more information, or to join the Black Giving Circle Fund, visit www.hfpg.org/BlackGivingCircle or contact Ramonita Garcia at RGarcia@hfpg.org. 

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding towns. Through partnerships, the Foundation seeks to strengthen communities in Greater Hartford by putting philanthropy in action to dismantle structural racism and achieve equity in social and economic mobility. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $998 million since its founding in 1925. For more information, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.