The Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving work together as a collective as part of the NEON Cohort.
The Hartford Foundation
The Hartford Foundation is committed to putting philanthropy into action to create lasting solutions that result in vibrant communities; That is our “North Star.” However, we cannot achieve our mission without taking significant steps to dismantle structural and systemic racism and achieve equity in social and economic mobility in Greater Hartford’s Black and Latinx communities. Our grantmaking in our five opportunity outcome areas, our capacity building and our expanded public policy advocacy all closely align with these efforts. We are building our capacity, alongside our many partners, to engage in inclusive, participatory grantmaking and culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE) which requires the integration of diversity, inclusion, and equity in all phases of evaluation and incorporates cultural, structural, and contextual factors using a participatory process that shifts power to individuals most impacted.
Learn more about specific grantmaking portfolios and initiatives:
- High Opportunity Neighborhoods: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/our-outcome-areas/higher-opportunity-neighborhoods
- Employment Opportunity: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/our-outcome-areas/employment-opportunities
- Digital Divide: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/new-and-noteworthy/hartford-to-provide-free-citywide-wifi-to-residents
- Artists of Color Unite Advisory Group: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/our-outcome-areas/arts-study-response/artists-of-color-advisory-group
- Empowerment Grants: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/new-and-noteworthy/hartford-foundation-announces-25-million-initiative-to-empower-greater-hartfords-black-and-latinx-communities
- Civic Engagement & Advocacy: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/our-outcome-areas/civic-engagement-and-resident-engagement and Greater Together Community Funds https://www.hfpg.org/donors/ways-to-give/community-funds
- Racial Justice Grant Opportunities:
- ACCESS Grants: https://www.hfpg.org/nonprofits/access-grants
- Faith Community Grant Opportunity: https://www.hfpg.org/what-we-do/new-and-noteworthy/hartford-foundation-announces-new-grant-opportunities-for-faith-based-organizations
- Organizational Commitment to DEI Principles and Practice: https://www.hfpg.org/who-we-are/diversity-equity-and-inclusion
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Regarding Income & Wealth, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation (FCCF) leverages data, national, state and local partnerships, philanthropy, and advocacy to increase living wage employment and job preparedness and retention. Related to these efforts are initiatives to ensure higher graduation rates and increased housing stability. Regarding Power & Leadership, FCCF leverages partnerships and community agency and power building, working to increase understanding and constructive dialogue on the root causes of opportunity gaps, namely the history and impacts of systemic racism. Related initiatives include increasing the capacity of nonprofits and individuals to self-advocate, voter turnout, and community support for affordable housing.
Learn more about our programs:
- Civic Engagement & Advocacy: https://fccfoundation.org/community-impact-fund/civic-engagement/
- Housing: https://fccfoundation.org/community-impact-fund/housing/
- Family Economic Security Program (FESP): https://fccfoundation.org/community-impact-fund/fund-women-girls-new/family-economic-security-program/
- Community Conversations: https://fccfoundation.org/webinars/
- Community Well-Being Index: https://fccfoundation.org/publications/2019-community-well-being-index-report/
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Advancing equity and opportunity is central to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s work. In 2021, The Foundation launched Stepping Forward, which committed significant new funding and programmatic resources to addressing the impacts of COVID-19 and to advancing racial equity. By expanding its reach and deepening its relationships, The Foundation is listening to and collaborating with the people and organizations in Greater New Haven to build a community of expanding opportunity.
The Community Foundation’s work to advance equity and opportunity includes:
- Building community-wide support for inclusive and equitable economic growth through a variety of events, community conversations and collaborations.
- Funding grants for programs that advance racial equity.
- Establishing a new Racial Equity Fund to tackle the structures that contribute to racial disparities.
- Making investments in an equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem through The Community Foundation’s Mission Investment Company (TCF-MIC) and supporting projects such as ConnCORP and NXTHVN.
- Supporting career pathways in local growth sectors including a multi-year commitment to ConnCAT.
- Co-founding in 2010 and committing ongoing financial resources to New Haven Promise, which offers up to free college tuition and mentoring for New Haven public school students.
- Promoting diversity in the nonprofit sector through professional development education grants.
- Investing in community leaders through the Neighborhood Leadership Program.
- Supporting advocates working and organizing to change racially inequitable systems in health, education, employment, housing and civic participation.
- Making grants for artists, with the goal of advancing racial equity and community healing from COVID, administered in collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater New Haven.
- Long-term partnership with New Haven Healthy Start, which works to eliminate racial disparities in birth outcomes.
- Measuring the health and wellbeing of the community through a partnership with DataHaven.
Cohort Members
Cesar Aleman, Director, CT Urban Opportunity Collaborative
Jay Williams, President & CEO, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Elysa Gordon, Vice President, Community Impact, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Mendi Blue-Paca, President and CEO, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
William Ginsberg, President and CEO, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Yolanda Caldera-Durant, Vice President for Community Strategies, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Christina Ciociola, Senior Vice President for Grantmaking & Strategy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Lutonya Russell-Humes, Vice President, Grants & Programs, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Elaine V. Mintz, Vice President, Strategy & External Relations, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation