Community foundations are tax-exempt public charities organized and operated as a permanent collection of endowed funds for the long-term benefit of a defined geographic area. They are designated "public charities" rather than "private foundations" by the IRS because they raise a significant portion of their resources from a broad cross-section of the public each year. Donors to community foundations are from diverse backgrounds with a common commitment to their communities' well-being.  

Each community foundation has its own character, but they all share common traits:

• a mission to enrich the quality of life in a defined geographic area;

• service to three primary constituencies:

- donors--as a partner for giving and a resource for information about local needs;

- charitable organizations--as a source of grants and technical assistance, and as a guardian of nonprofit

  endowments;

- the community at large--as a force committed to helping their communities thrive over the long-term.

• a focus on building permanent endowment with as few restrictions as possible

• an independent local volunteer governing body that knows about and generally represents the community; and

• accountability to the public and an openness to its broad participation.

Of the more than 650 community foundations in the country; 19 of them are located in Connecticut. Some cover geographic regions with multiple communities and others support one community.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Serves 9 towns in Northwest Connecticut
271 Main Street, Suite 3, Great Barrington, MA 01230
Tel: (800) 969-2823  Fax:  (413) 528-8158

E-mail: info@berkshiretaconic.org
 

Web: www.berkshiretaconic.org

Canaan, Colebrook, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Norfolk, Salisbury, Sharon, Warren, Winchester

Branford Community Foundation
P.O. Box 462, Branford, CT 06405
Tel:  (203) 488-8033

E-mail: info@branfordcommunityfoundation.org

Web: www.branfordcommunityfoundation.org

Branford

Community Foundation of the Tri-County Area
676 Main Street, 4th Floor, Willimantic, CT  06226
Tel:  (860) 423-4373

E-mail: tricounty@yahoo.com

Web: www.tricountyfoundation.org

Ashford, Bozrah, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Colchester, Columbia, Coventry, Eastford, Franklin, Griswold, Hampton, Killingly, Lebanon, Lisbon, Mansfield, Norwich, Plainfield, Pomfret, Preston, Putnam, Scotland, Sptague, Stafford, Sterling, Thompson, Union, Voluntown, Willington, Woodstock.

Community Foundation of Southeastern Connecticut
147 State Street, PO Box 769, New London, CT 06320
Tel:  (860) 442-3572  Fax:  (860) 442-0584 
E-mail:  jessica@cfsect.org

Web:  www.cfsect.org

East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Lyme, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Old Lyme, Salem, Stonington, Waterford

Fairfield County Community Foundation
523 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897
Tel:  (203) 834-9393  Fax:  (203) 834-9996

E-mail: info@fccfoundation.org

Web: www.fccfoundation.org

 Bethel, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Danbury, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Milford, Monroe, New Canaan, New Fairfield, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Shelton, Sherman, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull,  Weston, Westport, Wilton

Guilford Foundation
15 Boston Street, Guilford, CT 06437
Tel:  (203) 453-2259  Fax:  (203) 453-3597

E-mail: whihn@snet.net

Web: www.guilfordfoundation.org

Guilford

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Serves 29 towns in Greater Hartford
85 Gillett Street, Hartford, CT 06103
Tel:  (860) 548-1888  Fax:  (860) 524-8346
E-mail:  hfpg@hfpg.org
 

Web Site:  www.hfpg.org

Andover, Avon, Bloomfield, Bolton, Canton, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Hartford, Hebron, Manchester, Marlborough, Newington, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, Suffield, Tolland, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, Windsor Locks

Main Street Community Foundation
Serves 6 towns in West Central Connecticut
P. O. Box 2702, Bristol, CT 06011-2702
Tel: (860) 583-6363  Fax: (860) 589-1252
Email: contact@mainstreetfoundation.org

Website: www.mainstreetfoundation.org

Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth Southington, Terryville, Wolcott

Middlesex County Community Foundation
P. O. Box 25, 211 South Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457
Tel:  (860) 347-0025  Fax:  (860) 347-0029

E-Mail:  info@middlesexcountycf.org

Web: www.midlesexcountycf.org

Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland, Westbrook

New Canaan Community Foundation
P. O. Box 1285, New Canaan, CT 06840
Tel:  (203) 966-0231  Fax:  (203) 966-5453

E-mail: info@newcanaancf.org

Web: www.americantowns.com/ct/newcanaan/organization/new_canaan_community_foundation

New Canaan

Web: www.valleyfoundation.org

Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton

The Watertown Foundation
P. O. Box 117, Watertown, CT 06795
Tel:  (860) 274-4299

E-mail: wttnfoundation@sheglobal.net

Watertown