🔒Williams begins a year of transformation for Hartford Foundation

Jay Williams' first full year as president of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving proved to be a busy one.

The organization covered a lot of ground and laid the foundation — no pun intended — for a new strategic plan.

While he didn't quite meet his goal at the end of 2018 to visit all 29 communities the Hartford Foundation serves — that should be completed by February, he said — the $1 billion in assets foundation has made a concerted effort to ask community members directly how the foundation can better serve them as part of a statewide listening tour.

Under Williams' leadership the foundation also introduced a new subsidiary focused on “impact investment,” created a $2.9 million community fund, overhauled its aging technology infrastructure, and made grants to various nonprofits including ones that support workforce development.

“It has probably been one of the more ambitious years that the foundation has had over the past several years,” Williams said.

Williams joined the foundation about halfway through 2017. A former mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, Williams' last job before the Hartford Foundation was as an economic-development staffer at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

The Hartford Foundation launched its new investment arm — HFPG Impact Greater Hartford — in September to support affordable housing and economic development. It represents a pivot in the foundation's strategy, which has traditionally focused on funding nonprofits or school districts in central Connecticut.

Williams said he wants the fund to operate as a supplement to the foundation's approximately $35 million in annual grant-making and invest in overlooked and underserved communities.

The fund has already been active: In October, the Hartford Foundation's board authorized a $1.2 million investment in Dillon Stadium, which is being renovated for professional soccer, and a $500,000 investment to upgrade Colt Park.

“The idea here is to be able to bring capital in a very inclusive way that is over and above what we have traditionally done,” Williams said. “That often has higher risk profile, but a potential for a higher community return.”

Going into 2019, Williams said, the Hartford Foundation will continue to seek out investments aimed at the issue of “food deserts” in Greater Hartford.

Williams also oversaw the updating of the foundation's computer system, which was about 20 years old, he said.

The foundation also announced a $2.9 million fund that will be split among all 29 communities it serves. Under the plan, each town will have its own fund by spring of 2019, and will receive $100,000 over two years. Half the fund's money will be granted when a community advisory committee of local residents is established.

Looking ahead, Williams expects to complete the foundation's three-year strategic plan in 2019.

“We're using a lot of the conversations that we were having with our stakeholders about how we would begin to frame our strategic plan for the coming year,” Williams said.

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