The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the community foundation for 29 communities in Greater Hartford, awarded more than $33.1 million in 2,135 grants to the region’s nonprofit agencies and educational institutions in 2015.
Foundation president Linda J. Kelly said both numbers were records.
The foundation invested 30 percent of its grants in education from birth through high school, and new and renewed college scholarships. Grants for family and social service received 20 percent; health – 4 percent; arts and culture – 11 percent; housing and economic development – 19 percent; general – 11 percent and summer programs – 4 percent.
According to the latest estimated, unaudited numbers, the foundation ended 2015 with assets of $888.3 million in 1,120 funds. The Foundation received gifts totaling $17.5 million with 29 new funds, including a new giving circle, the “Black Giving Circle Fund,” to address issues facing Greater Hartford’s Black community. Since its founding in 1925, the foundation has awarded approximately $654 million in grants.
Among examples of grants given:
- Alliance District Grants – More than $1.5 million was awarded to three Greater Hartford school districts, Bloomfield, East Hartford and Windsor, for implementation grants following the districts’ strategic planning;
- The Hartford Foundation has approved $3.95 million over three years in grants and technical assistance to support the Career Pathways Initiative, a collaborative, cross-cutting approach to providing residents with education and workforce training; and,
- With the support of a two-year, $190,420 grant from the foundation, a partnership of six Manchester agencies will be conducting a town-wide early childhood developmental screening and family support project.
