Catalyst Members Decide 2025 Grant at
Final Meeting of the Year
At their final meeting of the year on Wednesday, November 19, Catalyst members gathered to decide how the 2025 Catalyst Fund pooled resources would be allocated. For those unfamiliar, the Catalyst Fund is a community-led giving circle hosted by the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. Members come together to learn about local issues, evaluate nonprofit proposals, and collectively decide where to invest funds to create the greatest impact.
This year, Catalyst members voted to support a historic collaboration supporting unhoused populations in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington. For the first time in Catalyst Fund history, multiple organizations partnered on a single proposal. The initiative brings together Journey Home, Friendship Service Center, Community Health Resources, and Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater New Britain to strengthen the region’s homelessness response.
The grant will expand the Compassionate Connections to Housing model, which quickly transitions individuals from encampments into permanent housing with supportive services. Journey Home leads the project, overseeing coordination, landlord engagement, eviction prevention, and data tracking. Friendship Service Center provides frontline outreach, case management, and housing navigation. Community Health Resources delivers behavioral health supports, and Neighborhood Housing Services provides landlord and tenant education to strengthen communication and reduce eviction risk.
The 2025 Catalyst grant will support a coordinated plan to:
• House 12 individuals from encampments in New Britain, Berlin, Plainville, or Southington
• Expand flexible tenant supports and landlord incentives
• Introduce new landlord and tenant education through Neighborhood Housing Services
• Strengthen eviction prevention through monthly landlord check-ins
• Recruit additional small-business landlords to increase housing opportunities
At the meeting, Catalyst members also heard an inspiring presentation from last year’s Catalyst recipient, Best Buddies Connecticut. Best Buddies shared how 2024 funding supported four Workforce Readiness Workshops in New Britain, serving 50 participants from CCSU, Southington High School, and their Citizens Program. The workshops helped participants explore career paths, learn resume writing, practice interviews, develop workplace communication skills, and complete a job tour at Big Y, where one participant even secured a job. Members were moved to see how their pooled resources truly impacted lives, reinforcing the power of Catalyst’s collaborative giving model.
“Catalyst membership has grown exponentially over the past several years, which truly reflects the value people find in being part of a group that learns together, gives together, and takes action on the issues affecting our communities. Members see firsthand the impact they can make when they pool their resources and their voices. Anyone interested in attending a Catalyst event or meeting to learn more is welcome to reach out to me at jwruck@cfgnb.org.”
– Joeline Wruck, Director of Grants and Initiatives
This historic collaboration for 2025 is expected to reduce the time individuals remain unsheltered, improve long-term housing stability, and strengthen relationships with local landlords. By working together, these organizations are creating a more coordinated, humane, and effective approach to addressing homelessness in the region.
Support the Catalyst Giving Circle!
Whether you are thinking about joining or are already a member, your gift can help the Catalyst Fund become fully self-sufficient. This allows the Foundation to put its resources toward other urgent community needs.
Give today and help Catalyst continue making a lasting impact!
Visit cfgnb.org/catalyst-fund to learn more!
About the Catalyst Fund
The idea is simple but powerful: Every membership goes into a collective fund supplemented by the Foundation. This fund, equaling $20,000, becomes a grant that supports local organization tackling a selected issue. Every member has a voice in where the grant goes.
Our model makes philanthropy accessible to everyone. You don’t need to give thousands to make a difference. When we pool our dollars, every gift becomes part of something bigger.
Here’s How It Works:
1. Learn Together
Three times a year, Catalyst members meet to explore a community issue—selected by the group—and hear directly from local nonprofits and experts working on the front lines.
2. Give with Purpose
Together, members review funding proposals from local nonprofits addressing that issue and then vote to decide which program(s) to support with our pooled grant dollars.
3. Build Real Impact
Since 2009, Catalyst has awarded over $247,500 in grants to local programs—and that number keeps growing with your support.
Membership Options
- Discovery Member – $50 (first-time members)
- Annual Member – $250
- Business Sponsor – $250
Join Catalyst and discover how small gifts, when combined, can lead to big change.
For more information about how you can become a part of the Catalyst Fund, please call or e-mail Joeline Wruck, Director of Grants & Initiatives at jwruck@cfgnb.org or 860.229.6018 x 307.