Manchester wealth manager Andrew R. Worthington is the new chair of the Catalyst Endowment Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
The 20-year-old fund issues grants that support nonprofits operating programs devoted to health, housing and education, the Hartford Foundation said Thursday.
A new trend in philanthropy when it started, the foundation says a recent published estimate is that there are 800 giving circles nationally, granting about $100 million a year.
Members of the fund annually choose a topic of concern to study and hold meetings to learn from experts then make grant recommendations. The Hartford Foundation pools and invests donations from members (at least $500 annually per membership) to fund grants.
Worthington is a certified financial planner and partner with Lips Rousseau Partners, a wealth management group with UBS Financial Services in Hartford.
A graduate of Colby College, he previously held commercial banking positions with Shawmut National and Webster Bank. He also is an overseer at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.
