Search Through Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits in Connecticut in the U.S.

About Us

Founded in 2010, Arbor Rising is a NYC-based grantmaking nonprofit and a 501c3 organization. We provide unrestricted multi-year funding and high-dosage capacity-strengthening support to a portfolio of promising nonprofits focused on building pathways out of poverty. 

For Grantseekers

Arbor Rising is always on the lookout for exceptional nonprofit partners.

Partnership structure

Arbor Rising partnerships typically involve a three-year investment which includes both financial contributions and consulting support. During each year of engagement, we invest additional money and time, helping to strengthen grantee capacity in critical areas such as outcomes measurement, financial planning, and performance management.

We provide support tailored to the second stage of nonprofit organizations: flexible, multi-year capital alongside deep, consulting support.

• Financial support
  • The cash portion of the grant is unrestricted and distributed immediately following selection. Though only one year of support is promised at a time, more than 90% of Arbor Rising grantees are funded for three years.
  • Grantees in the Arbor Rising portfolio can expect support in the range of $125,000–$175,000 per year.
• Consulting engagement
  • During each grant year, the Arbor Rising team invests 200–300 hours working closely with each Executive Director to diagnose pressing challenges, co-create robust solutions, and support implementation of deliverables.
  • Grantees, in turn, typically spend 4–6 hours of meeting time plus 4–8 hours of homework time per month on these capacity-strengthening projects.

In each of our grantee projects, we co-develop customized tools, deliverables, and plans—nothing comes off the proverbial shelf. The work is geared toward strengthening grantee capacity in key areas such as:

• ​Strategy Development:
  • theory of change, earned-income strategies, and growth plans
• Financial Management:
  • true cost accounting and projecting multi-year budgets
• Data Analysis:
  • quantifying metrics, developing tracking systems, and program evaluation
• Stakeholder Management:
  • board development, employee performance management, and executive coaching

Strengthening Nonprofits

Nonprofits need certain capacities to be able to meet their missions, including strong leadership, financial management, technology, fund development and communications. Providing funding to help organizations invest in these vital building blocks creates a strong operational infrastructure that builds efficiencies, improves program delivery and increases overall impact.

Building capacity in the nonprofit sector is more important than ever, as we continue to see need rise in our communities.

• 95% of nonprofits in Connecticut report that demand for services has increased in the last five years
• 40% of nonprofits state that demand has increased by more than 15%
• 73% of nonprofit executives feel they do not have the resources they need to develop their own leadership

Our approach focuses on:

• Funding key capacity building and organizational development initiatives that lead to stronger, more adaptable organizations.
• Empowering nonprofits to seek assistance that they deem to be the right fit and culturally-competent for the organization
• Prioritizing organizations who are addressing disparities within our communities
• Rejecting “readiness” myths which often further inequities in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector

Efforts we support include:

• Training and professional development opportunities to help staff or board build skills
• One-on-one coaching support with an expert in the field or professional consultant
• Organizational development projects including strategic planning, financial management systems, evaluation, fundraising, programming or communications.
• Work that increases the inclusive representation of BIPOC individuals in leadership positions on boards and nonprofit staff

Overview

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is a philanthropic institution that was established in 1928 as the community's permanent charitable endowment. For more than three generations, thousands of donors have built our community endowment by establishing permanent funds or making gifts to existing funds that distribute grants to a broad variety of issues and organizations. These donors, past and present, make their gifts to ensure that programs and causes that matter most to them will be supported today and forever.

The Community Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States and remains the largest grantmaker in a twenty-town region located in the heart of central Connecticut. The Community Foundation is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization, and as such is exempt from federal income tax; donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Mission: To inspire, support, inform, listen to and collaborate with the people and organizations of Greater New Haven to build an ever more connected, inclusive, equitable and philanthropic community.

Vision: A community of expanding opportunity in which all people share a sense of common destiny and have the support and connections needed to build successful lives.

We pursue our mission by:

• Inspiring people to get involved in local issues;
• Providing leadership by mobilizing the community to address key local issues and by supporting others in their leadership roles;
• Responding to community priorities through grantmaking and in other ways;
• Raising new charitable resources to address current community priorities and for permanent endowment;
• Honoring the wishes of past donors and collaborating with current donors; and
• Growing the community’s charitable endowments by managing the financial assets entrusted to us.

Overview

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is a philanthropic institution that was established in 1928 as the community's permanent charitable endowment. For more than three generations, thousands of donors have built our community endowment by establishing permanent funds or making gifts to existing funds that distribute grants to a broad variety of issues and organizations. These donors, past and present, make their gifts to ensure that programs and causes that matter most to them will be supported today and forever.

The Community Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States and remains the largest grantmaker in a twenty-town region located in the heart of central Connecticut. The Community Foundation is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization, and as such is exempt from federal income tax; donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Mission: To inspire, support, inform, listen to and collaborate with the people and organizations of Greater New Haven to build an ever more connected, inclusive, equitable and philanthropic community.

Vision: A community of expanding opportunity in which all people share a sense of common destiny and have the support and connections needed to build successful lives.

We pursue our mission by:

• Inspiring people to get involved in local issues;
• Providing leadership by mobilizing the community to address key local issues and by supporting others in their leadership roles;
• Responding to community priorities through grantmaking and in other ways;
• Raising new charitable resources to address current community priorities and for permanent endowment;
• Honoring the wishes of past donors and collaborating with current donors; and
• Growing the community’s charitable endowments by managing the financial assets entrusted to us.

Consultant Support Program

Short-term consultancy for organizational building capacity and work in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.

From time to time, a nonprofit Executive Director, senior staff member or Board member needs a thought partner or coach to work through a challenge or explore an opportunity. The Consultant Support Program can provide funding for a consultant to work a limited number of hours plus ancillary expenses (not to exceed $2,000 total).

The Consultant Support Program can be used to engage a consultant to work with your staff, board and/or volunteers around creating equity within your organization. For example, you can use the support to have a series of meetings or workshops; explore internal and external hiring and personnel policies and processes; or to attend trainings as a team.

For DE&I work, the funded project may be part of a larger project with a total budget which may exceed $5,000. Please contact us to talk about ways the Foundations can help your organization on its DE&I journey. 

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

Background

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation seeks to dramatically improve the lives of underserved communities across the globe by supporting scalable, innovative, and impact-first solutions that leverage existing systems and stakeholders. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic products or services that have a proven ability to positively impact the lives of underserved people, and nurture those organizations at the early stages by providing capacity, capital, and community.

Our application process is designed to be open and accessible, and we accept applications year round from across our priority geographies and sectors. Borrowing from our venture capital legacy, we find exceptional entrepreneurs and provide them with: 

Capacity

• The core of DRK’s model is deep and extensive operational and technical support for each portfolio organization, both through dedicated hands-on Board service and specialist capacity-building resources for fundraising, board and organizational development, leadership, financial support, and scaling strategy,

Capital

• DRK provides up to $300,000 USD in either unrestricted grant funding or investment capital over a three-year period, and

Community

• DRK convenes our portfolio and alumni annually, facilitating connections and community. 

What We Fund

DRK Foundation funds early-stage social impact organizations solving the world’s biggest social and environmental problems using bold, scalable approaches.

What stage of growth does DRK Foundation typically fund?

Early stage: Organizations who are early stage, which we define as post-pilot and pre-scale. This typically means: 

• Your program, product or service is already being used in the market or in the field, 
• You have early indication that your model is having its intended impact on the beneficiary populations,
• Your organization is relatively young (ideally between two and five years old, although we will consider both younger and older organizations).

Venture funding: In the case of for profits, we typically support Seed to Series A organizations, and never lead rounds; we also generally but not exclusively refrain from participating in financings exceeding a $15M USD post-money valuation.  

Our Focus Areas

It takes many strategies to address the living conditions affecting health, well-being, and equity. We aim to use our resources strategically and equitably, allocating more of our resources towards parts of our community that have the most need.

We work so that all aspects of our community support the conditions required for health, well-being, and equity.

Cultivating Health Grant

Each grant made from our Cultivating Health Grant Program is different. Some grants are unrestricted and multi-year, some are restricted and limited to one year. When feasible, we look to provide flexible multi-year funding. We do not have minimum or maximum grant amounts with this program, grant amounts are determined by weighing the scope of the initiative in relation to our strategic priorities. Because we work closely with each prospective grantee and aim to communicate clearly and timely about the likelihood of funding, most applications to the Cultivating Health Grant Program are approved. Our two-stage application process also ensures that we’re only asking questions that strongly influence our funding decisions.

For capacity building or other similar requests above $30,000 FCH will consider requests for technical assistance related to:

• Partnerships, Mergers, or Acquisitions
• Strategic Planning
• Organization-wide Evaluation
• Financial Infrastructure Assessment, Cash Flow Analysis, Cost Accounting

The Hartford Foundation For Public Giving - Together for Good

As Greater Hartford’s community foundation, we are a public, grantmaking organization bringing together dedicated individuals, businesses and nonprofits to understand local challenges, share information and put resources behind solutions that can improve the quality of life for those both in our region and across the state of Connecticut.

We are fortunate to share a vision of Greater Hartford with many who are working to build a more equitable and resilient place to live, work and play. The barriers to success are longstanding, systemic and persistent. We are naming them and have an approach to address them by combining our financial resources, the talents of our team, and our wide-ranging community partnerships. Together, we will grow and share opportunity in a way that benefits everyone in the Hartford region.

Investing In Our Community

We partner with nonprofits to build a stronger and more equitable Greater Hartford. Our grantmaking addresses systemic issues and responds to evolving needs in our community.

The Hartford Foundation works with nonprofit organizations to bring about lasting change in our community. Our grantmaking both addresses major issues affecting our community and responds to evolving community needs.

Regular Grants

An organization may be eligible to apply for one regular grant every three years, selecting its highest priority from one of the following grant types: 

Program/Project

Grants that support new programs, demonstration projects, studies, or surveys that do not commit the Foundation to recurring costs. These grants provide funding for one to three years and may also be used to enhance, expand or strengthen existing programs, services and organizational capacity.

Continuation

Additional funding provided at the end of a grant to help an organization reach project outcomes that were not met within the original schedule. Continuation grants can last up to two years and are only for projects that meet certain criteria, such as those that address high-priority community issues.

Capital Grants

Grants supporting capital improvements, such as building purchase, construction or renovation, or capital equipment purchase. The Foundation generally supports a capital or building campaign once.

General Operating Support

Grants that support an organization’s ongoing activities and stability, as outlined in its strategic plan. Funding can be used at the organization’s discretion. These grants are an option for organizations with budgets over $200,000. Eligibility is highly competitive, and organizations must be in sound financial condition.

• General Operating Support Grants: FAQs
• General Operating Support Grant Application Process

Transitional Operating Support Grants

In special circumstances, these grants help well-run nonprofits that have experienced unexpected income gaps to continue important programs or close down operations.

Priority is given to programs that provide: 

• Critical basic human needs, such as food and shelter, to indigent and working poor. 
• Services other than basic human needs, such as health, education, literacy and legal services, to vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
• Services that make a major impact on quality of life and/or the region’s economy, such as arts and culture, workforce development and economic development.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

Philanthropy is our commitment to communities in which we operate and broader society. We focus our resources on a limited number of key projects that can deliver valuable benefits from our contributions and those of our partners. We give priority to innovative, high-quality projects that meet the following criteria:

• promote sustainable development
• offer an opportunity for Roche to use its expertise and logistics capabilities
• involve Roche actively at an early stage with local authorities and established partners
• engage Roche employees in cultural (focus on contemporary arts), educational and social activities
• managed by an accredited charity

Our four focus areas

Humanitarian and Social

We direct the majority of our philanthropic donations to humanitarian and social development projects.

Science and education

We are dedicated to programmes that promote scientific interest and provide educational opportunities for young people around the world.

Community and Environment

We are committed to building stronger communities and responding to natural disasters sustainably.

Arts and Culture

We support groundbreaking contemporary art, cultural projects and activities that explore the parallels between innovation in art and in science. 

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust is devoted solely to the funding of charitable, scientific, medical and educational organizations.

The Board endeavors to support soundly-managed charitable organizations that give service with a broad scope, have a substantial effect on their target populations, and contribute materially to the general welfare. The Board does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

Helping Build Better Futures

Our mission is to deliver great value to our customers every day. For over four decades, our deep commitment to the principles of providing value and caring for others has helped define our culture. It extends beyond the walls of our stores, distribution centers, and offices, and into our local communities around the world. The intersection of these principles defines our global community mission:

Deliver great value to our communities by helping vulnerable families and children access the resources and opportunities they need to build a better future.

Our Social Impact Areas

We bring our community relations mission to life around the world by focusing our giving on four social impact areas where we believe we can have the most impact and are critical to helping families and children succeed and thrive.

Basic Needs

We are passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations that help fill critical basic needs such as a warm meal, clean clothing, and a safe place to sleep for vulnerable families.

Education & Training

Our efforts have focused on quality enrichment and extracurricular programs that provide skills, resources, and opportunities to support school and career success for children, teens, and young adults.

Patient Care & Research

We support organizations that deliver services to families and children facing health challenges and life-threatening illnesses.

Empowering Women

We support programs that provide services ranging from help for those fleeing domestic violence, to others that offer education, training, and job placement resources.

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

About the Foundation

Jesse W. Couch lived a life of zeal, honor, and dedication to the betterment of his community. The Couch family now humbly stewards the foundation he created to carry on his legacy of service for future generations. We believe that impact is best accomplished through partnerships with local organizations that know the people and communities they serve. We invest in and support efforts to protect the environment, further conservation and preservation initiatives, and save historical architecture that preserves community heritage. We also support initiatives that promote wellness and mental health and organizations seeking to provide and further education for all communities.

Annual Grant Focus

Each year, we seek to partner with and support non-profit organizations making an impact in the focus areas listed here.  The focus areas for 2025 are:

• Animal Wellbeing: We are dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations that nurture compassion and respect for all living animals. We must have animal-focused organizations that advocate for animal rights and provide humane treatment across all spectrums.
• Early Childhood Education: We are looking for schools that are providing young children with a creative and balanced approach to education. Things we love in early childhood curriculums:
  • Life Skills
  • Collaboration With Their Peers and Teachers   
  • Having Fun   
  • Montessori Teachings   
  • Project Based Teachings   
  • Diversity   
  • More Time Outside   
  • Less Screen Time
• Teachers: Teachers are essential to providing children with the best possible education. We must invest in their future and are always looking for teams that help them succeed in educating future generations.
• Get Outside: Being outside can improve memory, fight depression, lower blood pressure, and more! We support organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities. 

Our Mission

Connecticut Humanities champions the enduring value of public humanities in our lives and civil society. Through grant funding and capacity building, CTH strives to ensure the public humanities will continue to inspire storytelling, lifelong learning, informed public dialogue and civic engagement in ways that strengthen communities and enhance quality of life for all Connecticut's residents.

Partnership Grants

Partnership Grants of up to $100,000 per year support Connecticut organizations and their projects in areas currently not served by CT Humanities and which have a strategic statewide, regional, or national impact in the humanities for the public.

Successful partnerships will address topics in areas including (but not limited to): 

• Improving the capacity of Connecticut museums, cultural, humanities, and arts organizations to bring the humanities to the public and their communities
• Supporting K-12 educators in teaching CT social studies and humanities topics in ways that connect to CT State Standards and CT museums, cultural, humanities, and arts organizations’ collections
• Presenting a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable Connecticut story by connecting to local communities, organizations, and collections
• Integrating and/or providing content across organizations, platforms, communities, etc. to improve/increase public access to the humanities

Through Partnership funding, CTH seeks to create a collaborative relationship with grantees that will result in resource sharing, co-creation, or co-direction of content. Successful grantees will join CTH’s other Funded Partners in working to craft a coherent vision and compelling case for the humanities in Connecticut and will produce tangible, measurable goals and objectives aligned with the funding priorities, mission, and strategic plan of CT Humanities.

Partnerships can either be one year in duration or two years.

Our Focus Areas

It takes many strategies to address the living conditions affecting health, well-being, and equity. We aim to use our resources strategically and equitably, allocating more of our resources towards parts of our community that have the most need.

We work so that all aspects of our community support the conditions required for health, well-being, and equity.

Capacity Building Grant

We define organizational health as the ability of an organization to function effectively, cope adequately, change appropriately, and grow from within. Our objectives are to increase the stability, effectiveness, and resilience of nonprofits, to meet mission and community need, and to increase the capacity of smaller agencies.

Through this grant program, the foundation will accept requests up to $30,000 for needs related to:

• Operational infrastructure
• Scaling a program or initiative
• Stabilizing a program or initiative

FCH accepts applications to the Capacity Building Grant program, through two grant cycles. Organizations requesting $30,000 can apply once annually to either grant cycle. Organizations requesting under $30,000 annually are welcome to apply to either or both grant cycles.

Mission

The Northwest CT Community Foundation, Inc. (NCCF) is the community foundation located in and serving Northwest Connecticut. NCCF enhances life for citizens in its 20-town service area by:

• Awarding grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students

• Helping donors create lasting, local legacies

• Encouraging local philanthropy and volunteerism

• Building endowments for future generations

NCCF serves the following communities: Barkhamsted, Bethlehem, Canaan (Falls Village), Colebrook, Cornwall, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Hartford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury (Lakeville), Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington, and Winchester/Winsted.

Cycle Grants

Areas of Concentration

NCCF has five areas of concentration: 

• Arts & Culture
• Civic & Education
• Environment
• Health
• Social Services 

Funding

Grants are designated as:

• Small ($1,500 and under); or
• Traditional (over $1,500).

When considering how much to request in traditional applications, be aware that the Foundation’s average grant amount is $5,000. It is not uncommon for a grant award to be lower than the amount requested. The amount awarded may be greater for major capital expenditures, significant new programs with a solid plan for long-term support, bold expansion of existing programs, or large capacity building efforts. 

Founded in 1935 by Middletown philanthropist Clarence S. Wadsworth, The Rockfall Foundation is one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations. The Foundation supports environmental education, conservation and planning initiatives in the Lower Connecticut River Valley through public programs and grants. In addition, the Rockfall Foundation operates the historic deKoven House Community Center that offers meeting rooms and office space for non-profit organizations.

Environmental Champions Awards

Through its Environmental Champions Awards, The Rockfall Foundation recognizes individuals and groups to highlight their contributions to the region in the area of natural resource preservation, conservation, restoration, or education. The Tom ODell Distinguished Service Award* is given for outstanding life-long accomplishments. Certificates of Appreciation are awarded to recognize significant programs and projects.

The focus areas include:

• Preservation: work to protect ecosystems, species, and other irreplaceable elements of the region’s natural heritage.
• Conservation: work to minimize our use of finite natural resources and our negative impacts on ecosystems and communities.
• Restoration: work to re-establish the healthy functions of an ecosystem or parts of ecosystems.
• Education: work to foster a stronger awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainability issues.

The nominee’s contributions must impact the Lower Connecticut River Valley, which includes the following towns: Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook. Impacts to the Connecticut River corridor or Long Island Sound are also eligible as long as there is a benefit to at least one of the listed towns. What We FundPrograms, projects, or capacity building initiatives within one or more of the Foundation’s priority areas are eligible for funding. Annual grants support both ongoing programs and start-up initiatives. The Foundation’s grants often provide critical seed money and support for groups that do not have large budgets or staff.Ideally, these grants can be leveraged to attract additional funders.Grants typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. The available pool in 2024 for all grant awards is $31,200. The Grants Committee may schedule applicant interviews at their discretion if they believe it will be helpful to their understanding of the proposal.Funding for materials, transportation, program/presenter fees, intern stipends and similar items are eligible. Items such as food, regular operating expenses (e.g. insurance, rent, and other overhead), indirect labor, salaries and benefits are not generally funded, but may be considered for organizations under financial hardship. Funding must be applied to the items/activities described in the application form. Substitutions are not permitted unless prior approval has been obtained.

Environmental Justice for New England Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program

A total of $48 million will be awarded to New England community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, nonprofits, Tribal governments (both federally and state recognized), and other entities representing underserved, urban, rural, Indigenous, remote, and capacity-constrained communities. The funds will support organizations implementing projects to address local environmental and public health challenges across the region, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Eligible applicants can apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers as well as the Seed Fund for organizations with limited capacities.

Seed Funds

Seed Funds are available for up to $75,000 for efforts to support community-based organizations with limited capacities, which are defined as those having an equivalent of four or less paid full-time staff members at the time of application, amongst other criteria.

In a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Justice for New England will implement the EJ Thriving Communities Subgrants in New England. This grant program seeks to counter historical disinvestment in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis including communities of color, immigrant communities, indigenous communities, urban, rural, and low-income communities. It seeks to seed and build deeper capacity for a sustainable environmental justice movement to address environmental hazards, climate resiliency, and energy justice, and build livable and healthy communities.

Environmental Justice for New England Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program

A total of $48 million will be awarded to New England community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, nonprofits, Tribal governments (both federally and state recognized), and other entities representing underserved, urban, rural, Indigenous, remote, and capacity-constrained communities. The funds will support organizations implementing projects to address local environmental and public health challenges across the region, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Eligible applicants can apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers as well as the Seed Fund for organizations with limited capacities.

Tier 1 - Assessment Projects

Tier 1 will grant up to $150,000 for one year. Projects in this tier should begin to assess a local community’s environmental justice landscape.

Example project activities include but are not limited to:

• Research that informs project design
• Sampling
• Testing
• Monitoring
• Investigations
• Surveys and studies
• Public education
• Community surveys, listening sessions, focus groups, or other forms of engagement

In a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Justice for New England will implement the EJ Thriving Communities Subgrants in New England. This grant program seeks to counter historical disinvestment in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis including communities of color, immigrant communities, indigenous communities, urban, rural, and low-income communities. It seeks to seed and build deeper capacity for a sustainable environmental justice movement to address environmental hazards, climate resiliency, and energy justice, and build livable and healthy communities.

Environmental Justice for New England Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program

A total of $48 million will be awarded to New England community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, nonprofits, Tribal governments (both federally and state recognized), and other entities representing underserved, urban, rural, Indigenous, remote, and capacity-constrained communities. The funds will support organizations implementing projects to address local environmental and public health challenges across the region, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Eligible applicants can apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers as well as the Seed Fund for organizations with limited capacities.

Tier 2 - Planning Projects

Tier 2 will grant up to $250,000 for up to two years. Projects in this tier should include plan formulation and partnership development activities to address identified environmental justice concerns.

Example project activities include but are not limited to:

• Planning
• Partnership building
• Developing communications and outreach plans
• Developing curricula, toolkits, or guidelines
• Developing social media plans and content
• Producing videos or printed materials
• Building or strengthening partnerships and collaboration
• Public outreach
• Training activities for community
• Projects and activities to spur community involvement

In a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Justice for New England will implement the EJ Thriving Communities Subgrants in New England. This grant program seeks to counter historical disinvestment in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis including communities of color, immigrant communities, indigenous communities, urban, rural, and low-income communities. It seeks to seed and build deeper capacity for a sustainable environmental justice movement to address environmental hazards, climate resiliency, and energy justice, and build livable and healthy communities.

• Here are the additional associated grants in regards to this opportunity:
  • Here is the Tier 1 - Assessment Projects page.
  • Here is the Tier 2 - Planning Projects page.

Environmental Justice for New England Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program

A total of $48 million will be awarded to New England community-based organizations, environmental justice organizations, nonprofits, Tribal governments (both federally and state recognized), and other entities representing underserved, urban, rural, Indigenous, remote, and capacity-constrained communities. The funds will support organizations implementing projects to address local environmental and public health challenges across the region, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Eligible applicants can apply for subgrants through three concurrent tiers as well as the Seed Fund for organizations with limited capacities.

Tier 3 - Implementation of Projects

Tier 3 will grant up to $350,000 for up to two years. Projects in this tier should support implementation projects informed by community planning and research. Projects may have educational and outreach components but must focus on developing tangible community assets or providing defined community benefits.

Examples of project activities include but are not limited to:

• Strengthening cumulative impact, public health, or environmental justice protections
• Increasing access to healthy food
• Reducing the use of pesticides or toxic substances
• Cleaning up contaminated sites
• Conducting healthy home assessments
• Increasing energy or water efficiency in homes or buildings
• Creating community resilience hubs

In a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Justice for New England will implement the EJ Thriving Communities Subgrants in New England. This grant program seeks to counter historical disinvestment in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis including communities of color, immigrant communities, indigenous communities, urban, rural, and low-income communities. It seeks to seed and build deeper capacity for a sustainable environmental justice movement to address environmental hazards, climate resiliency, and energy justice, and build livable and healthy communities.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.

Our Mission

To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund

To make the highest possible impact on the climate and biodiversity crises, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is committed to advancing solutions and supporting partners throughout the Appalachians to connect and conserve vital wildlife habitat, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and generate new job and recreation opportunities for communities.

Approximately one-third of the U.S. population lives in or within 100 miles of the Appalachians, including an estimated 36 million people that rely on the region for sources of drinking water. The landscape contains the world's largest remaining expanses of temperate broadleaf mixed forest and provides habitat to a wide diversity of plants of animals, many of which are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered. Conserving this landscape is critical for nature and for the people that live and work there.

However as climate change drives ecosystem instability, plants and animals are shifting their ranges northward, and people are having to find ways to adapt to complex and intertwined challenges. TNC and many others have been working to conserve vital Appalachian habitats for decades. Now we must ramp up our efforts and coordinate with partners across the Appalachians for maximum impact.

To succeed in these efforts, TNC’s Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund offers two grant programs for conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Federally Recognized Tribal Nations, and local and state agencies in the Appalachians who are working to protect and conserve this region:

• The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program
• The New York Climate Resilience Grant Program

Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program

The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program provides grants of up to $100,000 for fee and easement acquisition projects throughout the Appalachians.

Equitable Conservation and Community Benefits

Conservation organizations are increasingly acknowledging the importance of incorporating social equity in their missions, partnerships, and projects and evolving how they work to have better outcomes for people and nature.

TNC defines community benefits as the positive outcomes that directly result from or are included within conservation projects as experienced by local communities and people. This is particularly important for historically marginalized communities, communities with limited access to nature, communities experiencing heightened impacts of climate change due to systemic underinvestment and poor infrastructure, and Indigenous communities. 

RCA program funding will support projects that demonstrate meaningful community engagement, work with those historically excluded from conservation, and lead to a fairer distribution of benefits for people and communities.

Some examples of community benefits include improved and greater access to nature, protection of drinking water sources, recreational and resource-based economic opportunities, flood mitigation, engagement in cross-cultural initiatives, or protection of lands that will meet community-defined conservation needs. We encourage projects with meaningful community benefits that are integrated with the land protection goals.

Project Evaluation

Projects will be evaluated  according to their capacity to deliver land protection outcomes aligned with the program goals, including:

• Location:
  • the project is located within TNC’s Appalachians Program boundary and is in or near a mapped focal area.  Projects outside of focal areas will also be considered.
• Resilience:
  • the percentage of the total project area that is part of the Resilient and Connected Network.
• Connectivity:
  • adjacency to protected lands or other attributes that will lead to landscape connectivity over time (e.g., the project is a necessary acquisition for advancing a local or regional plan that aims to protect a critical conservation corridor).
• Collaboration:
  • evidence of engagement with other organizations, community groups, or local governments (including, but not limited to, shared funding).
• Community:
  • project elements that directly engage and or benefit people, especially vulnerable or marginalized communities.
• Timeline:
  • the project will close within 12 months from the start of the grant agreement term.
• Feasibility:
  • likelihood that the project will close and the costs seem reasonable.

Community Challenge Grant

AARP Community Challenge grants fund quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and more. Now in its ninth year, the program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for all residents, especially those age 50 and older.

“The Community Challenge is an important part of how AARP Connecticut works with local residents, advocates, and policymakers to make our communities better places to live for people of all ages,” said Nora Duncan, AARP Connecticut State Director. “The grant program provides an opportunity for communities to develop and execute ideas for projects that can make a big impact.”

This year, the AARP Community Challenge is accepting applications across three different grant opportunities. All projects must be consistent with AARP’s mission to serve the needs of people 50 and older along with other eligibility criteria.

• Capacity-building microgrants are paired with additional resources, such as one-on-one coaching from national nonprofit organizations, webinars, cohort learning opportunities and more for improving walkability and bikeability; implementing safe, accessible home modifications; and disaster preparedness training.
• Demonstration grants fund projects that encourage replication of exemplary local efforts. This year’s focus is on improving pedestrian safety with funding support from Toyota Motor North America; expanding high-speed internet access and adoption with funding support from Microsoft; reconnecting communities divided by infrastructure; and implementing housing choice design competitions.
• Flagship grants support projects that improve public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and community resilience.

Background

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is a philanthropic institution that was established in 1928 as the community's permanent charitable endowment. For more than three generations, thousands of donors have built our community endowment by establishing permanent funds or making gifts to existing funds that distribute grants to a broad variety of issues and organizations. These donors, past and present, make their gifts to ensure that programs and causes that matter most to them will be supported today and forever.

The Community Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States and remains the largest grantmaker in a twenty-town region located in the heart of central Connecticut. The Community Foundation is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization, and as such is exempt from federal income tax; donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Mission: To inspire, support, inform, listen to and collaborate with the people and organizations of Greater New Haven to build an ever more connected, inclusive, equitable and philanthropic community.

Vision: A community of expanding opportunity in which all people share a sense of common destiny and have the support and connections needed to build successful lives.

We pursue our mission by:

• Inspiring people to get involved in local issues;
• Providing leadership by mobilizing the community to address key local issues and by supporting others in their leadership roles;
• Responding to community priorities through grantmaking and in other ways;
• Raising new charitable resources to address current community priorities and for permanent endowment;
• Honoring the wishes of past donors and collaborating with current donors; and
• Growing the community’s charitable endowments by managing the financial assets entrusted to us.

Community Fund for Women & Girls

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Community Fund for Women & Girls is providing grants (up to $15,000) to Greater New Haven serving nonprofits that provide women (including those who identify as cisgender, transgender and nonbinary) with greater economic security through programs that support:

• Women’s workforce training and employment participation
• Women entrepreneurs
• Women’s housing stability
• Innovative childcare which supports women in the workforce

Funding Priorities

Support for workforce training, job readiness and employment programs which improve women’s economic security. Priority consideration will be given to programming which includes wraparound supports (ex., cash assistance, transportation, childcare), that allow women to fully participate in training and work opportunities. Sample outcomes: Women’s increased ability to seek and maintain employment; increased ability to participate in and complete job-training programs.

Support for initiatives that help women entrepreneurs in the development and maintenance of sustainable businesses. Can include training and coaching, direct financial assistance for operational and administrative costs, business planning and marketing guidance, and/or other related services. Sample outcomes: Woman-owned business’ increased financial strength, increased operational capacity, creation of employment opportunities for women.

Support for initiatives that help women obtain or maintain housing stability. Can include rental and eviction assistance, rental down payments, furniture, utility assistance and foreclosure prevention. Sample outcomes: Women’s increased housing stability through rental assistance distributions.

Support for childcare programs which incorporate creative solutions to meet the needs of working families. Examples include alternative/extended-hour childcare; childcare-employer collaborations; childcare-training program collaborations and partnerships. Sample outcomes: Increased access to childcare for families, continued program operations for childcare/youth programming, increased collaboration amongst childcare providers and local businesses.

Background

It has been the policy of the Valley Community Foundation (VCF) to make grants in a range from $250 to $10,000 to contribute to and support innovative programs and the urgent needs of our local nonprofits serving the towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and/or Shelton, Connecticut.

Examples of potential funding include but are not limited to providing a program or service virtually, or capacity building needs such as hiring a consultant to provide budget assistance, or purchasing technology to enable virtual programming or allowing staff to work. Please note: these grant dollars cannot be used to fund past debt or general operating support for lost revenue.

Our Mission

The Hansen Family Foundation provides opportunities to domestic, international, secular, and non-secular organizations that support the American way of life, which is defined by the principles of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 

Causes

Children

The Hansen Family Foundation supports causes dedicated to helping children both home as well as abroad. Learn More

Education

The Hansen Family Foundation believes that a decent education should be made available to everyone, young or old, the world over. Learn More

Animals

The Hansen Family Foundation believes in helping those who cannot speak on their own behalf. Learn More

Environmental

The Hansen Family Foundation is dedicated to preserving the world we all share. Learn More

Humanitarian

The Hansen Family Foundation views the plight of our fellow man as an opportunity to actively engage and effect change. Learn More

Arts & Culture

The Hansen Family Foundation supports all forms of artistic and cultural endeavors. Learn More