Community Foundation of Greater New Britain Concludes Grantmaking Year with More than $214,000 in Grants

Nearly $200,000 Earmarked for Community Initiatives; 2018 Grants Total More than $1.5 Million

New Britain, Conn., December 20, 2018 – The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain recently concluded its 2018 grantmaking year, authorizing more than $214,000 in grant awards including nearly $200,000 in awards designated as Community Initiative Grants.

The latest round of grants brings the Foundation’s total of grant awards for 2018 to more than $1.5 million.

Of the Community Initiative Grants approved, more than $129,000 come from the Foundation’s First Year’s First Fund earmarked for early childhood development, a signature Foundation initiative.

Following is a listing of recently approved Community Foundation grants by category:

Community Initiatives

  • Coalition for New Britain’s Youth. A $45,000 grant from the First Years First Fund for backbone support of the Coalition’s work.
  • Consolidated School District of New Britain. A $30,000 grant from the First Years First Fund to establish a district-wide Behavioral Transition Plan, preschool to kindergarten, to address behavioral and social-emotional needs of the district’s at-risk children and improve chronic absenteeism.
  • Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance. A $10,000 grant to support a project serving Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington that 1) establishes new and strengthens existing relationships with legislators; 2) builds advocacy capacity through trainings and the collection of personal stories, and; 3) assists with the development of a regional early childhood policy agenda.
  • Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut. A $40,000 grant to support programming for parents and their young children at the Central Connecticut Literacy Center.
  • Plainville Family Resource Network. A $3,500 grant to provide the Conscious Discipline series to Plainville parents and educators.
  • Tunxis Community College Professional Early Childhood Educators Consortium. A $900 grant to support a March 2019 workshop for parents and early care providers about technology, literacy development and brain development in early childhood.

Community Response Grants

  • Lewis Educational Agriculture Farm (Leaf)/Southington. A $33,485 grant for winterization and operational support.

Donor-Advised Grants

  • Mayor’s Trophy Charitable Fund. A total of $10,645 in grants to programs and causes including the Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association annual golf tournament; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Connecticut Chapter (Will’s Warriors); Senior Transportation Services; New Britain High School Marching Band (new instruments); ParaDYM Academy (equipment); Rise Against Hunger; New Britain-Berlin YMCA (2018 Endless Summer); Divine Providence Parish (food pantry); New Britain Downtown District (2018 Trick-or-Treat Safe Zone); New Britain High School Madrigal Singers; New Britain Museum of American Art (Landers House restoration); New Britain Little League; Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce (105th Annual Dinner).
  • Naples Family Fund. A $200 grant to the New Britain Downtown District (2018 Trick-or-Treat Safe Zone) and $300 to the Warm the Children Fund of New Britain.
  • Spirit of Beth Telfer Memorial Fund. A $600 grant to Living in Safe Alternatives (LISA).
  • Their Vision Fund. A $2,280 grant to Friends of Southington Community Services.
  • Catalyst Fund. A $10,000 grant to CCARC for an informational series of workshops relevant to families of adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Capacity Building Mini-Grants

A total of $28,000 in mini-grants ($2,000 each) to 14 organizations who took part in the 2018 Capacity Building Workshop Series, including the Berlin Land Trust; Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington; Friendship Service Center (New Britain); Greater New Britain Teen Pregnancy Prevention; Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut; Living in Safe Alternatives/LISA (Southington); Neighborhood Housing Services (New Britain); New Britain Museum of American Art; New Britain Police Athletic League; New Britain Symphony Orchestra; Opportunities Industrialization Center of New Britain; ParaDYM Academy (New Britain); Plainville Food Pantry; Southington Community Cultural Arts.

Established in 1941, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain is “Where Good Begins” in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. Located at The Foundation Center at 74A Vine Street, New Britain, the Foundation works to inspire philanthropy, responsibly manage permanent charitable assets effectively, and partner to address key community issues through strategic leadership. For information about establishing a charitable fund at the Community Foundation with as little as $5,000, please contact Kaylah Smith, Assistant Director of Development, at ksmith@cfgnb.org. or call 860-229-6018, ext. 305. For more information, visit www.cfgnb.org.