CFON Spotlight:
The Foundation enters its second century of serving Greater Hartford region, with a name change from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving name to Greater Hartford Gives Foundation. The name change also comes with a new logo and tagline: A strong foundation for all.”
Greater Hartford Gives Foundation believes that the student debt crisis is holding young people back from achieving economic security and contributing their talents as our next generation of leaders and innovators.
In 2025, the Foundation launched a partnership with Hartford Promise that awards up to $100,000 to all Hartford Promise Scholars — offering a path to debt free college with ten years of expansive support services throughout high school, in college, and beyond. The scholarship and wraparound services such as mental health supports, academic coaching, and career mentoring aim to dismantle the barriers to college access, persistence, and completion, opening a world of possibilities after graduation.
The Greater Futures Program will support approximately 100 students each year. In addition to the scholarships, Greater Hartford Gives provides annual grantmaking and capacity building resources to strengthen and grow Hartford Promise. We are also funding a five-year learning and evaluation effort with Hartford Promise and CT Data to understand the impact of this initiative. We plan to share what we learn along the way.
“Every student deserves the freedom to choose their own future without being held back by financial barriers,” said Jay Williams, President and CEO. “The Greater Futures Scholarship Fund is more than just tuition assistance — it’s a comprehensive support system that will change lives, strengthen communities, and serve as a national model for education-driven economic transformation.”
The Greater Futures Program is but one of many ways in which the Foundation demonstrates commitment to CFON’s mission of creating thriving and equitable communities.
The Foundation’s strategic priorities are dismantling structural racism and advancing economic and social mobility throughout Greater Hartford. To achieve those goals Greater Hartford Gives Foundation focuses resources and energy toward five long-term outcomes:
In the next few months, the Foundation will break ground on a new headquarters as part of a broader vision for a gateway to Hartford’s North End. The headquarters will place the Foundation closer to the community to make a catalytic impact while positioning the Foundation as cornerstone for broader community engagement and economic revitalization.