The West Hartford Chamber of Commerce announced Monday it has created a nonprofit foundation.
The foundation will allow it to seek charitable funding and expand its work in areas including workforce development, education and leadership training, officials said.
The new West Hartford Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that will operate alongside the chamber, which is organized as a 501(c)(6) business association.
Chamber President and CEO Chris Conway said the new structure allows the organization to seek additional funding sources and work with businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions and philanthropic organizations on community initiatives.
Affiliated charitable foundations, he added, are used by chambers across the country to complement their traditional business advocacy and economic development activities.
The foundation said it plans to support educational and community-based initiatives intended to expand access to resources, develop the workforce and future leaders, and promote economic and community development in West Hartford and the region.
Chris Clarke of Webster Bank will serve as chairman of the foundation’s founding board.
Other founding board members include Christine Looby of Trinity Health Senior Communities, secretary; Mark Walker of On The Court, treasurer; Aaron Frankel of Franklin & Frankel, legal counsel; and directors Mary Kay Curtiss of CliftonLarsenAllen and Bernard Kavaler of Express Strategies.
The chamber did not identify specific programs the foundation will initially fund or operate. It said the board will work to establish the foundation’s programs, partnerships and philanthropic priorities.
