Featuring the work of local, regional and national philanthropy and highlighting the work of Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (CCP) members. September 2015 |
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CCP Continues to Support Charitable Deduction Tax Extenders |
 Campaign to End Homelessness Moves to the Next Level The Melville Charitable Trust recently arranged for an assessment of Reaching Home, the campaign to end homelessness in Connecticut led by a collaborative of advocacy organizations, government agencies, and community providers and coordinated by the Partnership for Strong Communities.
"Reaching Home has been incredibly successful over the arc of its 11-year history," said Janice Elliott, executive director of the Melville Charitable Trust. "Among its many accomplishments: advocating for and securing over $300 million in funding for programs to end homelessness, conducting the state's first study of youth experiencing homelessness, and closing in on the goal of ending homelessness among veterans." The assessment, Coordinating Collaboration to End Homelessness, was conducted and written as the Campaign's work concluded planning and moved to implementation and sustainability. It identifies three key actions that have made the Campaign a success so far: finding a clear shared purpose and defining clear goals to guide the Campaign, nurturing strong relationships with state officials, and speaking with one voice in advocating for solutions. The report also highlights areas the Campaign can build on including: further refining its collaborative structure, amplifying its communications, and expanding engagement of staff working at the front lines of service delivery and people who have experienced homelessness. "I'm excited to share what we've learned halfway through this campaign in this new report," said Elliott. "My hope is the lessons we learned will be useful to others who are considering a similar collective impact model for addressing social issues in their own state." Read more >> |
Partnership to Give Boost for Fairfield County Young Adults >> Connecticut Voices for Children found significant unmet needs among the children and youth of Fairfield County, with: over 800 students dropping out of high school each year; 1 in 8 youth ages 16-24 unemployed; and over 2,600 youth ages 16-19 neither employed nor in school. The Community Foundation with its new partner, JPMorgan Chase & Co. will begin tackling opportunities for young people in Fairfield County. JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced an expanded commitment to CT young adults with a $200,000 grant for a pilot of Our Piece of the Pie's Pathways to Careers program to Fairfield County. The grant is part of the firm's $250 million, five-year workforce readiness initiative, New Skills at Work. "I am thrilled to have the generous support and the confidence of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation to begin the planning for the Pathways to Careers Fairfield County pilot," said Juanita T. James, president and CEO of Fairfield County's Community Foundation. "We could not ask for better partners than Our Piece of the Pie and JPMorgan Chase Foundation in pursuing our vision to ensure that young adults Thrive by 25!" Read more >> |
Families Have 'Brighter Futures' Thanks to Foundation Support Brighter Futures Family Centers, designed to meet neighborhood families' specific needs and foster young children's success in school and beyond, are located in the Asylum Hill, Behind the Rocks, Blue Hills, Frog Hollow, Clay Arsenal and Parkville neighborhoods. Numerous community and state organizations provide programs in partnership with the Family Centers, increasing the range and accessibility of services for Hartford families. "The Family Centers serve as community hubs," said Richard Sussman, the Foundation's director of early childhood investments. "They emphasize family development and underscore the importance of functional families being their child's first teachers. They also serve as innovation hubs for new programs and services being developed by agencies and government." The groundbreaking work being done at the Family Centers is now being recognized beyond Hartford. One of the Family Centers' nonprofit partners, Catholic Charities, has replicated the model at two new centers in Waterbury and New Haven. |
New Strategic Plan for Community Foundation of Eastern CT The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut has a new strategic plan that will improve the life of the region by encouraging more collaboration among nonprofits. Following an 18-month process, the foundation identified four key areas for community impact: youth empowerment, basic needs and rights, environmental preservation and animal welfare. "As a community foundation, we are uniquely positioned to serve as connective tissue for the region by attracting people who want to affect change, and by helping those charitable individuals to leave a lasting legacy," said Maryam Elahi, president ans CEO of the Community Foundation. "Through our nonprofit partnerships, we can cultivate collective impact, creating a more powerful and vibrant force for good in the 42 towns of our region." Read more >> |
In Celebrating 20 Years, Foundation Gives 20 Surprises Twenty nonprofit organizations in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott were each awarded--unknowingly--a $1,000 grant from Main Street Community Foundation. These grant awards are part of the Foundation's 20 Grants in 20 Days, a special grant program to celebrate Main Street Community Foundation's 20th anniversary. A total of $20,000 was awarded from the Bristol Savings Bank Fund at the Foundation to 20 nonprofit organizations located in and impacting the communities of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott. "The Bristol Savings Bank Fund was the very first fund established after the Foundation was founded in 1995," stated Susan Sadecki, president & CEO of the Foundation. "Distributing 20 grants from this Fund is a great way to give back to the communities and recognize our community roots." |
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CCP Members Connecticut Community Foundation Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut; Liberty Bank Foundation; SBM Charitable Foundation; Willimantic Rotary Club Fairfield County Community Foundation Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Newman's Own Foundation Tauck Family Foundation UIL Holdings Corporation United Technologies Corporation |
Non-members The 1772 Foundation First Niagara Abraham and Mildred Goldstein Charitable Trust Robert and Karen Hale Hasbro Ervie and Carolyn Hawley National Science Foundation/Noyce Scholarship Program StubHub
United Way of West Central Connecticut
United Way of Western Connecticut
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EVENTS & TRAINING |
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Fairfield County Nonprofit Resource Fair |
Findings from Aetna Fellows Thursday, September 24, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, Webinar |
The Rockfall Foundation's 80th Anniversary Celebration Thursday, September 24, 5:30 pm, The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station, Haddam |
Small State, Big Debate: Race Tuesday, October 6, 11:45 am - 6:00 pm, Fairfield University, FairfieldThe Connecticut Mirror's one-day event, Small State, Big Debate: Race, will feature a keynote speaker, expert panel discussions, breakout collaboration rooms, and interactive video and audio booths to support the "Race in Connecticut is ..." multimedia initiative, which will capture thoughts (written or oral) from the event's attendees on a thought-provoking and wide-ranging topic. The day will also feature a hackathon, where programmers are tasked with creating a desktop/mobile application or API (application programming interface) based on racial profiling data. A reception will cap the day's event. The event is supported by The Tow Foundation, Newman's Own Foundation, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, and Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut. |
Fairfield County's Advocacy Day Thursday, October 8, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm, Trumbull Marriott Merritt Parkway, Trumbull Fairfield County's Community Foundation Center for Nonprofit Excellence is proud to offer Fairfield County's Advocacy Day in partnership with the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. More than 100 nonprofit staff and board members will meet to build advocacy skills; hear success stories from local nonprofits; and share advocacy priorities. Nonprofits will boost their advocacy skills by learning from local advocacy experts and participating in breakout sessions on the legislative process, state budget and legal side of advocacy. Learn more and register >> |
Social Media and Ethics in Fundraising Wednesday, October 14, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, Main Street Community Foundation, Bristol Main Street Community Foundation is hosting the viewing of this Association of Fundraising Professionals' (AFP) webinar for area nonprofit professionals, volunteers and board members. The interactive session will show how through tools like the AFP Code of Ethics and simple social media guidelines, nonprofits can steer clear of ethical situations on social media before they happen. Learn more and register >> |
Seminars in Nonprofit Excellence Thursday, October 15, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Pittsfield, MA Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's annual series returns this fall with four days of workshops from national experts in nonprofit fundraising, board development and technology. A hands-on training and professional development opportunity for staff and board members of nonprofits of all sizes in Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess and northwest Litchfield counties, the seminar series begins on October 15. Learn more and register >> |
Signature Breakfast - Driving Change for Women and Girls Friday, October 16, 7:30 - 9:30 am, Hartford Marriott, HartfordAurora Women and Girls Fund's 10th annual Signature Breakfast will draw 550 women and men from the business, government, community and non-profit sectors to applaud philanthropy, learn about challenges and opportunities facing women and girls in Greater Hartford, network and enjoy one another's company. They will also honor Constance Belton Green, 2015 Woman Philanthropist, and Miranda Fitzpatrick, 2015 Young Philanthropist, along with Aurora Women Philanthropists honorees from the past 10 years. Learn more and register >> |
Girls Symposium Friday, October 16, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm, Marriott Merrit Parkway, TrumbullFairfield County's Community Foundation's The Fund for Women and Girls' 4th Annual Girls Symposium is for parents, practitioners and individuals who work closely with girls. The full-day symposium provides learning strategies and tools for helping girls cope with some of today's most pressing issues. Keynote speakers and hands-on workshops address social media/media literacy, body image, and entertainment by budding female artists. Register >> |
Social Media Strategies for Nonprofits Tuesday, October 20, 12:30 - 5:00 pm, Hartford Public Library, Hartford
Learn from social media experts from Cigna and partner organizations how to best leverage social media for your non-profit organization. This event is presented and fully funded by Cigna and the Cigna Foundation as a way to serve our friends in the non-profit sector. Learn more and register >> |
2015 Celebration of Women |
Leadership Transition: Planning for Sustainability and Building Healthy Organizations Tuesday, October 27, 5:00 - 7:30 pm, The Graduate Club, New Haven |
The Event of the Year with Gloria Steinem Friday, October 30, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Omni Hotel, New Haven |
Mutual Impact Community Investment Program Friday, September 18 - Application deadlineMassmutual is proud to announce the launch of their new employee-driven community investment program, Mutual Impact. This program provides nonprofit organizations in Hartford, CT and Hampden, MA counties to apply for funding in the areas of food Insecurity, family economic self-sufficiency, violence prevention & safety and early grade reading proficiency. Learn more and download the application >> |
Health & Well-being Grants to Benefit Southington Residents Wednesday, September 23 - Letter of Intent deadlineThe Bradley Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust of the Main Street Community Foundation invites nonprofit organizations serving the Southington community to submit a letter of intent for capital projects, programs or initiatives that will enhance the health and wellbeing of Southington residents. Learn more >> |
PLACES Fellowship Wednesday, September 23, 1:00 - 2:00 pm, Briefing call Friday, October 30 - Application deadline The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities is now accepting applications for its seventh PLACES Fellowship class. PLACES is a leadership development program that offers tools, knowledge, and best practices to enhance funder grantmaking decisions in ways that are responsive to the needs and assets of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. Learn more >> |
CHEFA Client Grant Program Monday, September 28 - Application deadline Since 2003, Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority's (CHEFA) Client Grant Program has provided nearly $8.5 million in grant funding to it's client institutions for projects and programs that make a difference in the lives of Connecticut residents. In the 2016 program, grants of $5,000 to $75,000 are available for capital projects and purchases, programmatic needs, or operating funds. Learn more >> |
Women & Girls Grants - Burlington and Bristol Area Wednesday, September 30 - Application deadline |
Lawrence W. O'Toole Award Wednesday, September 30 - Online voting deadline The Lawrence W. O'Toole Award is given out each year to an individual, organization, school or district exhibiting great leadership through innovation or courage in moving student-centered approaches to learning forward in New England. The winner will receive a $100,000 grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. The nominees, one from each of the 6 New England state, include the Hartford Journalism and Media Academy whose partnership with a public broadcasting network is taking learning to the next level. Learn more and vote >> |
CT Humanities Grants Deadlines Thursday, October 1 - Application deadlines |
Women & Girls Funds Grants - Eastern CT Thursday, October 1 - Application deadline Nonprofit organizations offering services or programs that help improve the lives of women and girls are invited to apply for grants from the Women & Girls Funds of The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut. Each of the four permanent endowment funds, created by gifts and bequests from generous local donors, will award grants in their respective areas (Northeast, Norwich, Southeast and Windham). Learn more >> |
#LincolnsLegacy #Award Friday, October 2 - Online voting deadline |
Impact Fairfield County Grant Opportunity Wednesday, October 7, 10:00 - 11:30 am, Lone Pine Foundation, Greenwich - Applicant information session Monday, November 2 - Tuesday, December 1 - Letters of Inquiry accepted online Impact Fairfield County is pleased to announce a new $100,000 grant opportunity. Funds will be available for significant projects or programs that reach under-served populations and highlight unmet needs in our area. They seek applications proposing a new project or program or the expansion of a proven program that will have a lasting impact on the community. One to two grants of $100,000 each may be awarded. Learn more >> |
Grants Supporting Critical Community Needs Monday, October 12 - Application deadline Nonprofit organizations in the regions served by Dominion, including targeted areas of Connecticut, are invited to apply for grants of up to $50,000 each for programs that provide essential community services in areas of housing, food security, medicine and medical services. Learn more >> |
Grants for Environmental Projects & Internships Thursday, November 19, Application deadline The Rockfall Foundation is entertaining applications for the 2015-16 Environemental Grant Cycle. Grants will be awarded for projects that contribute to the general environmental education of the public, promote environmental planning, contribute to the preservation of the Connecticut River watershed, or fund an internship with a non-profit organization for an environmental project. Proposals must have ties to Middlesex County in order to be considered. Learn more >> |
 PEOPLE
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The board of trustees of The Fund for Greater Hartford has announced the appointment of Kimberley Russo as its new executive director. Russo succeeds Kate Miller, who retired after 15 years with The Fund.
"The trustees are very excited about the wide variety of proven nonprofit and philanthropic skills
and experiences Kim brings to The Fund and the communities we serve," said Nina Elgo,
president of the board of trustees. "She has the grant-making, strategic planning, community
impact assessment and relationship-building expertise that we need."
Most recently, Russo served as director of community investment, for United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, where she has been employed for more than 10 years. Read more >> |
| In the personal finance section of the Forbes Magazine, freelance writer Rebecca Theim writes about Connecticut and New England technology entrepreneur Kate Emery from The Walker Group. The article describes Emery's first steps in turning her IT services firm into a "social enterprise" and the founding of reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust, a Hartford-based incubator serving the social enterprise sector. Read - Her Second Act: Tech Pioneer Puts People Over Profits >> |
| Judith Meyers, president and CEO of Children's Fund of Connecticut and its subsidiary, the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (CHDI), was appointed to the new Connecticut Home Visiting Consortium by the Office of Early Childhood (OEC). The Consortium, created by Public Act 15-45, is tasked with advising OEC; Department of Children and Families; Department of Developmental Services; and the Department of Education on the implementation of the early childhood system home visitation programs. |
ABOUT CCP |
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 The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy is an association of grantmakers committed to promoting and supporting effective philanthropy for the public good. Council membership is open to foundations (private, corporate, community), business and corporate giving programs, public charity grantmakers, bank trusts, donor-advised funds and individual philanthropists. Associate and Professional Membership in the Council is open to professionals and organizations serving the philanthropic sector. The Council benefits the larger grantmaking community, the nonprofit sector and the public in Connecticut. For more news about philanthropy in Connecticut, go to the Council's News Room, Connecticut Philanthropy Digest archives and our blog, CTPhilanthropyNotes.org. News about Connecticut funders may be submitted to the Council for consideration. The Connecticut Philanthropy Digest is brought to you by the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. Edited by Laurie Allen, Manager of Communications. |
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