The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving boosted its giving by more than a third in 2020 to address pandemic needs, giving nonprofits grants of $52.7 million ‒ its highest-ever yearly total.
“The foundation was able to nimbly, flexibly and effectively respond to the greatest demand for assistance that our communities have experienced in any of our lifetimes,” said Hartford Foundation President Jay Williams.
Major efforts included the foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund, which made more than 200 grants totaling $9.5 million through the end of 2020 for basic needs and improving pandemic safety at area nonprofits.
The foundation also launched a $1.4 million relief program for Hartford-area small businesses that distributed 150 grants of up to $10,000 each, with some of the funding earmarked for enterprises owned by women and people of color.
In partnership with the city of Hartford and Dalio Philanthropies, the foundation also pledged to help fund a network of wireless access points across the city that will give all city residents and businesses free high-speed WIFI access when the project is completed later this year.
The foundation’s grant total for 2020 was the highest ever, followed by $38 million given in 2018.
The community foundation for 29 cities and towns in Greater Hartford, the Hartford Foundation ended 2020 with total assets of $1.125 billion, according to unaudited estimates. It received a total of $26.7 million in gifts for the year and opened 40 new funds.
