Hartford Foundation’s Record-Breaking Grantmaking Topped $33.1 Million in 2015

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the community foundation for 29 communities in Greater Hartford, awarded more than $33.1 million in grants to the region’s nonprofit agencies and educational institutions in 2015.

“Through the support of our generous donors, the Hartford Foundation was able to award a total of 2,135 grants amounting to $33 million – both record numbers – this past year,” said Linda J. Kelly, president. “We are proud to stand with our community partners to support opportunities that enrich the lives of the people in the Greater Hartford region.”

According to the latest estimated, unaudited numbers, the Foundation ended 2015 with assets of $888.3 million in 1,120 funds. The Foundation received gifts totaling $17.5 million with 29 new funds, including a new giving circle, the “Black Giving Circle Fund,” to address issues facing Greater Hartford’s Black community. Since its founding in 1925, the Foundation has awarded approximately $654 million in grants.

The Foundation’s 2015 grantmaking was based on the recognition that a vibrant and strong Greater Hartford region requires that all residents, especially those with the greatest need, have equitable opportunities to achieve and flourish. In order to make this possible, the Foundation provided support to nonprofit and public entities that work to ensure everyone has access to the supports and services they need to thrive. The Foundation invested 30 percent of its grants in education from birth through high school, and new and renewed college scholarships. Grants for family and social service received 20 percent; health – 4 percent; arts and culture – 11 percent; housing and economic development – 19 percent, general – 11 percent and summer programs – 4 percent.

Below are some examples of grants to support a wide variety of activities to support our residents and create more vibrant communities in Greater Hartford.

Education 

  • Early Childhood Investments: With the support of a two-year, $190,420 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, a partnership of six Manchester agencies will be conducting a town-wide early childhood developmental screening and family support project. If developmental challenges are uncovered, there is an immediate community response to link the family to appropriate services and supports. This effort is being coordinated by the Manchester Early Learning Center in partnership with Manchester Public Schools, Child Guidance Clinic, Town of Manchester Human Services, Eastern Connecticut Health Network’s Family Development Center and Building Healthy Families.
  • Alliance District Grants (Bloomfield, East Hartford, Windsor): More than $1.5 million was awarded to three Greater Hartford school districts, Bloomfield, East Hartford and Windsor, for implementation grants following the districts’ strategic planning. The goal of these grants is to establish or deepen the districts’ partnerships with family and community to improve student outcomes and promote equitable educational opportunity throughout the region. Bloomfield was awarded a grant to significantly expand Bloomfield Public Schools’ family and community partnerships to support an extended school day and increased year-long support for student learning. East Hartford Public Schools received a grant to develop a new Teaching and Learning Center and other strategies that will enable it to support children’s learning, development, and success through increased family, school, and community partnerships. Windsor Public Schools received a grant to establish a new Office of Family and Community Partnership to develop families, school staff, and community partners’ knowledge, skills, and other capacities to engage in productive partnerships focused on student success. 

Arts

  • The Stowe Center’s Harriet Beecher Stowe House, open to the public since 1968 and visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists, students and neighbors will bring the building’s physical facility to 21st century standards with the support of a $300,000 grant from the Hartford Foundation. The project includes installing modern climate control and fire suppression systems that will stabilize the historic collections environment, and be the foundation for interior renovations. This the first time the Stowe Center has been renovated since opening in 1968.
  • Marlborough Arts Center and Museum received a $40,000 grant to support the creation of an Art Park. Foundation funds were used to purchase and preserve a 1.5-acre parcel of land to be used as the site of the park. The Center’s volunteer-led effort will remove brush and debris to preserve trees for art projects highlighting nature. When completed, the Art Park will include a sculpture garden, walking paths and areas for outdoors painting and concerts. Future plans include building a labyrinth for residents wanting to meditate within a natural setting. 

Community and Economic Development

  • The Hartford Foundation has approved $3.95 million over three years in grants and technical assistance to support the Career Pathways Initiative, a collaborative, cross-cutting approach to providing residents with education and workforce training that places them on a trajectory to ascend a career ladder in industries that have job openings. The initiative targets low-literate and low-skilled residents of the Capitol Region, including single parents, at-risk youth, immigrants, homeless heads of household, former offenders, and others who need a broad range of coordinated services to be successful. The initiative enhances or expands existing programs and pilots new approaches.

Health

  • Thanks to a three-year, $245,000 Hartford Foundation grant to Community Health Resources (CHR), children and families in the Parkville and Frog Hollow neighborhoods of Hartford will have access to bilingual, bicultural behavioral health outpatient services. The program will offer a wide variety of behavioral health services to Spanish-speaking children and families with a specific focus on trauma. 
  • With the support of a three-year, $239,500 grant to Integrated Health Services, East Hartford families with young children will participate in the Assessing the Development to Assist Preschoolers in Transition (ADAPT) behavioral health program. This onsite comprehensive school-based behavioral health program that provides universal behavioral health screening for preschoolers, and for those children who need additional support, connects families to appropriate therapeutic services.

Housing

  • Journey Home was awarded a three-year, $199,197 grant to support the region’s Coordinated Access Network, a collaboration of services providers whose goal is to establish a coordinated region wide placement and referral system for homeless individuals and families.