Grants for Youth Programs in Connecticut

The EPOC Grant Program provides non-profit and not-for-profit environmental advocacy groups, community based groups and environmental education organizations funding for local projects that benefit the environment.

The applications will be judged against the environmental benefits of the project and compared to the other grant submittals. Environmental benefits can vary widely and successful applications may include projects within Connecticut that improve the environment, such as:

• property and watershed clean-ups,
• reforestation efforts,
• biodiversity projects,
• streamside buffer restoration projects,
• monitoring environmental conditions of watersheds or ecosystems and
• hazardous waste collection efforts.

Also, proposals that promote environmental education and development of youth for careers in the environmental field will be considered.

The Peter Grayson Letz Fund for Animals and the Environment was established in 2014 to benefit domestic animals and wildlife, as well as environmental education and conservation in New London County through grants to nonprofit organizations. The Josephine and Gabriel Sacco Fund for Animals supports organizations that provide for the care and comfort of animals in the Town of Groton. Additional funding through the P.A.W. (People for Animals & Wildlife) Fund, and the Jacqueline and Marc Chadourne Fund supports animal welfare priorities in New London County, Connecticut.

Areas of Interest

Preserve the Environment

• Foster understanding of and promote action on the relationship between the health of the natural world and the health and well-being of our residents. 
• Priority given to programs that: 
• Preserve and protect environmentally significant land, waterways and wildlife habitats for the benefit of the ecosystem and for the well-being, health, livelihood and enjoyment of residents
• Engage youth in environmental education and activities in natural settings as they learn to become good stewards of their environment.
• Make the connection between mental and physical health and exposure to the natural world.
• Focus on environmental justice: the fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens and meaningful participation of all communities in environmental decision-making.
• Grants between $10,000 and $50,000.

Advance Animal Welfare

• Ensure adequate protection, care and humane treatment of animals and wildlife. 
• Priority given to programs that:
• Provide assistance for veterinary care for domestic animals and/or wildlife, especially spay and neuter services.
• Encourage responsible pet ownership and adoptions of abandoned animals.
• Rehabilitate wildlife for return to natural habitats.
• Make positive connections between humans and animals (i.e. therapeutic riding programs, canine literacy buddies, inmate rehabilitation, etc.).
• Grants between $5,000 and $35,000.

Grants will be awarded for new initiatives, special projects or existing programs that address one or more of the purposes listed above.

Lifting up lives, building resilience, changing perceptions.

The Lilah Hilliard Fisher Foundation is committed to making strategic investments into our agricultural, cultural, health, and educational systems. 

Priorities

The Foundation's grantmaking is currently focused on regenerative agriculture and nutrition education efforts nationwide. The Foundation also supports organizations and projects in New York City and Litchfield County, Connecticut that help survivors of human trafficking, champion youth development, advance social justice, and strengthen safety nets for vulnerable populations.

Areas of Interest

The Lilah Hilliard Fisher Foundation has a geographic focus on organizations working in the northeastern United States in the following areas:

• Regenerative agriculture
• Soil health
• Biodiversity
• Nutrient-dense foods and nutrition education efforts

We ask that your project or idea fit within at least one of these areas of interest. Project proposals outside of these areas are by invitation only.

Mission

The George H. C. Ensworth Memorial Fund was established in 1949 to support charitable organizations that focus on health and human services, youth services, enjoyment of the natural environment, education, religion, and the arts. The George H. C. Ensworth Memorial Fund specifically serves the people of Glastonbury, Connecticut.

Grants from the Ensworth Memorial Fund are 1 year in duration. 

Program types:

• Arts, Culture, & Humanities;
• Education;
• Environment;
• Health;
• Human Services;
• Religion-Related

You will find submission information in the Application and Procedures module here.

Mission

The Anna Fitch Ardenghi Trust was established in 1981 to support and promote quality educational, cultural, human services, and health care programming for underserved populations living in New Haven, Connecticut.

Program type:

• Arts,
• Culture, & Humanities
• Education
• Health Human Services

What is an AgEnhancement Grant?

Each year, Northeast agricultural credit associations and CoBank award grants to help organizations promote awareness and strengthen agriculture, commercial fishing and forest products in the six New England states, New York and New Jersey. Since its inception in 1996, the Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program has awarded more than 2 million dollars in grants to organizations across the Northeast.

Program Goals

We support programs intended to assist all-size farms, promote diversity and create opportunities for new entrants into agriculture. Applicants that clearly demonstrate how a program, project, activity or event will have a long-term positive effect on the agriculture, forest products or the commercial fishing industries in the eight-state Northeast region are encouraged to seek funding. Statewide and regional projects are also eligible.

Program areas in which financial support may be provided include but are not limited to:

• Leadership Development Programs that develop leadership skills among young farmers and youth. This has included grants to the Future Farmers of America, 4-H, the Holstein Association’s Young Dairy Leaders Institute, Lead New York, the New Jersey Leadership Program, Beef Expo and the Cornell Dairy Fellows Program.
• Economic Viability and Enhancement Projects to promote economic development have included those by the New York Farmers Market Federation, New Hampshire Farm Link, Maine Association of Conservation Districts, the New York AgriDevelopment Corporation and the Center of Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Programs to Promote Northeast Agriculture and Recognize Accomplishments of Ag Leaders Grants to create greater awareness and develop markets for Northeast farm products have included projects of New England Green Pastures, New York Apple Association, the New England Departments of Agriculture – US Food Export Showcase and Long Island Farm Bureau.
• Build a Better Understanding of Agriculture, Forestry and Commercial Fishing Agriculture in the Classroom programs of Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, along with Ocean Adventure (commercial fishing) and Witter Museum at the New York State Fair have been awarded grants to create a greater awareness and understanding of agriculture in the Northeast.
• Economic Analysis to Foster Agriculture Economic studies, including a special report on the need for the Northeast Dairy Compact, a research effort with the State Departments of Agriculture to develop a cost of production crop insurance program, and a special survey of farm worker wages, benefits and performance standards have received grants.

Diversity and Inclusion

Farm Credit AgEnhancement welcomes submission of proposals from all parts of our society. We encourage proposals from organizations that promote or facilitate minority involvement in agriculture and agriculture related businesses. To facilitate our diversity objective, Farm Credit AgEnhancement will accept and consider one-county proposals that would otherwise not be eligible.

Our Commitment

Connecting with our community is an integral part of our company's core values.

Community Grants

Since 2001, Cox has invested nearly $7 million in grants and in-kind support to non-profit organizations providing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) enrichment programs to youth in our service areas of Connecticut, Ohio, and Rhode Island. Cox Charities is funded entirely, by Cox employees and business partners. 

Cox Charities Community Grants range between $5,000 and $12,000 and are given each year to deserving non-profit organizations dedicated to STEAM education.

Recipients will be selected by considering a number of factors, including the following criteria:

• How well the project aligns with the Cox Charities focus area: STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math).
• The overall community impact of the program and a clear explanation of what makes this program unique.
• The ability to define clear metrics for success.

Funding

Cox plans to award nearly $140,000 in grants to nonprofits in our region. Proposals are reviewed by the Cox Charities Community Advisory Committee, comprised of area civic, business, community leaders and Cox employees.

Purpose of Grants

Made possible through the Southbury Community Trust Fund, grants provide support for a variety of programs that benefit Southbury residents. Priority is given to proposals that demonstrate collaboration and strong partnerships.

Possible Projects

• Social and Community Services: Support Southbury residents by providing access to basic needs, transportation, and affordable housing.
• Wellness and Health Education: Promote a healthy, vibrant community by encouraging access to prevention programs, fitness, and access to care for all ages.
• Enhancement of Youth Development: Foster positive identity, strong values, social competencies, commitment to learning, community service, empowerment, leadership, and resilience for Southbury youth.
• Aging and Livable Communities: Develop and promote programs that enable older adults to age in place successfully. May include: connecting older adults with benefits and services; reaching people who are underserved; home maintenance, chore, and home safety programs; and building age-friendly communities.
• Arts and Culture: Promote access to performing arts and fine arts programs for community enrichment.
• Environmental Awareness: Encourage the preservation, protection, and conservation of land, water, and wildlife.
• Cultural Heritage: Support Southbury’s tangible cultural heritage and town history.

Grassroots Grants

Purpose

We recognize that healthy communities have civically-engaged residents, community organizers, and civic groups. Funding civic efforts requires responsiveness and flexibility and should be done by those closest to community issues. As a result, a committee made up of Waterbury residents reviews requests in this grant area and applicants have the opportunity to meet with the committee to talk through their proposals. These grants are currently focused on resident leaders and organizers in Waterbury.

Our approach focuses on:

• Supporting equitable efforts to revitalize communities, influence local systems and foster youth leadership
• Supporting a robust and collaborative network of multi-generational residents in Waterbury who are working together toward a shared vision
• Expanding the availability of tools and resources that support organizing efforts and increase the connection between organizers in Waterbury with the rest of the region, state, and country

Efforts we support include:

• Nonpartisan voter registration and engagement efforts
• Campaigns that aim to increase marginalized voices at the neighborhood level or across the city of Waterbury
• Neighborhood and community-building activities, such as community conversations and celebrations that increase connection between people
• Community organizing and leadership training that support emerging resident leaders in achieving their goals
• Educational campaigns that promote increased engagement in local systems 

Possible Projects

• You and your local neighborhood association decide to host a block party for neighbors and residents to get to know each other and have a good time, for the purpose of community building. Funds can be used to create marketing materials, rent tents or hire a photographer to capture the event.
• You and other parents work together to support more equitable access to educational services and programs for students in Waterbury. Grassroots grant funds can be used to rent meeting space, buy refreshments or create mailings to invite or educate others about the work.
• You and your friends want to create a bipartisan website to share information about candidates in an upcoming local election, so the information is clear, accessible and provides ways to contact the candidates. Funds can be used to create the website, advertise or host candidate forums.
• You and your classmates want to create a web series (e.g. a vlog) in which you discuss current events, share your viewpoints and invite local residents to engage in conversation. Funds can be used for a webcam, to create flyers or website content or to design branded items to distribute for free.

American Savings Foundation

American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment which provides grants to local nonprofit organizations, in addition to college scholarships to area students. The Foundation is a broad-based funder dedicated to improving the quality of life for the residents of the communities we serve. This is our lasting commitment.

Funding Priorities

The Foundation is a broad-based funder, with a special emphasis on the needs of children, youth and families. Our general funding priorities are Education, Human Services and Arts & Culture. These are not rigid categories, and many of our grants overlap more than one. We focus on direct service programs that help those with highest need, and where our funding can make a direct, measurable impact. Our Grant History helps grantseekers understand our priorities.

Capital Grants

Capital grants support projects that are closely aligned with American Savings Foundation’s mission, and the needs of the community. 

Guidelines

The Foundation focuses its limited capital grants funding towards one-time capital needs that are essential to direct program services in New Britain and Waterbury. Agencies serving communities outside New Britain and Waterbury are encouraged to use the Community Grants application to apply for capital needs up to $5,000, or to submit a Letter of Intent (below) for larger requests (typically up to $10,000). Visit our Grant History page for a list of recent capital grants.

The Mission of Peridot Foundation, Inc. is:

• To improve the welfare of the greater Hebron, Connecticut community by supporting the activities of local charitable organizations; including, but not limited to:
  • Children's Programs (i.e. AHM Youth Services, education programs, sports programs, literary projects, etc.)
  • Public Safety (i.e. fire department, ambulance, etc.)
  • Community Programs (i.e. the Douglas Library, Senior Center, etc.)
• To promote the medical research activities of other charitable organizations; including, but not limited to, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Independence Unlimited and charitable organizations for the disabled.
• To provide assistance and contributions to other charitable organizations.

Washington Trust Charitable Foundation

The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation provides grants to 501(c)(3) organizations within our market area, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts and southeastern Connecticut.

Charitable grants range widely in size and multi-year grants are often considered for capital funding (to build or repair facilities), capital campaigns, or specific projects, with consideration given to:

• Affordable Housing and Revitalization Programs
• Business and Economic Development
• Youth and Family Services
• Hospitals, Health and Human Service Organizations
• Museums, Arts and Cultural Organizations
• Colleges, Universities, Libraries
• Conservation and Environmental Groups

Community Giving through the Chelsea Groton Foundation

Chelsea Groton Foundation, Inc. was established in 1998 as a Section 501(c)(3) organization. Initially endowed with a $2 million dollar donation from Chelsea Groton Bank, the Foundation has awarded over $6.79 million in grants to non-profit organizations in the Bank’s Connecticut and Rhode Island market areas.

The Foundation’s mission is to support the ongoing commitment in partnership to the long-term growth of our community. Along with Chelsea Groton Bank, the Foundation is committed to belonging, equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring an ongoing sense of belonging for all, today and in the future.

Since its inception in 1998, the Chelsea Groton Foundation has awarded over $6.79 million in grants to non-profit organizations in the Connecticut and Rhode Island market areas. Throughout that time, there have always been two grant cycles per year. Due to the rising increase in requests, and after careful consideration, the Chelsea Groton Foundation Board has decided to make a few changes to the Grant Procedures EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2025 in order to best support our community partners.

Is your nonprofit working to create positive change in your local community? 

Presented by the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation in partnership with NBC and Telemundo stations in 11 markets, NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants Program is strengthening our communities by providing funding to local nonprofit organizations that are solving everyday problems. This year, our station will award $225,000 to exceptional nonprofit programs focused on local impact.

Grant Categories

Youth Education and Empowerment - In-school and out-of-school programs that equip youth with the tools they need to succeed, including STEM/ STEAM education and youth entrepreneurship.

Next Generation Storytellers - Programs that promote access and develop pathways for emerging talent, diverse voices, and underrepresented youth to explore careers in arts, news, sports and entertainment.

Community Engagement - Programs that enable individuals to engage and volunteer in their communities.

Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, NBCUniversal Local and Telemundo stations are committed to supporting a culture of inclusion whereby organizations encourage equitable access, opportunities, and resources for traditionally underrepresented communities.

Youth Travel

Purpose

To support group domestic and international travel for youth under 21. Priority is given to experiences which enrich and educate youth on the diversity of lived experiences, trips that focus on promotion of justice and equity between people, and programs that involve practical and direct connection with a broad and diverse cross-section of young people of varied cultures.

Women’s Fund History

The 20th anniversary of Connecticut Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund prompted not only celebration, but contemplation. Reflecting on our grantmaking and other activities on behalf of women over the years and looking toward the future, we undertook an intensive effort in 2014 to listen to women and girls from across our 21-town region, to understand the issues they consider most important and to think strategically about how the Women’s Fund might best impact the community. Local brainstorming sessions and national research raised the persistent problem of low self-esteem among pre-teen and teenage girls. Read the report.

Women’s Fund Purpose

To identify, convene and support programs that promote advocacy and skill development while fostering resilience, self-esteem and self-respect among girls and young women in our region.

Women’s Fund, Possible Grant Funding Projects

• Creation of inclusive, welcoming, and supportive conditions and positive role models
• Outreach that builds participation and inclusion of underrepresented populations
• Meaningful youth involvement in creating the program’s plans and or implementation
• Programs that contribute to positive youth development and utilize the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets; programs that have established achievable and meaningful goals for participants, as well as tracking systems to follow progress; and programs that include teenage and pre-teen girls.
• Multiple organizations working collaboratively on establishing goals, developing curricula or schedules, and addressing training needs, implementation and evaluation efforts.
• Planning grants that allow organizations the opportunity to explore and plan for a potential project. Costs associated with analyzing feasibility, solidifying partnerships, developing work plans or proofs of concept are eligible.

Travelers believes that strong communities are sustained by educational and economic opportunities — and we are dedicated to assisting our communities in generating those opportunities. With a focus on equity and inclusion, we target our giving and volunteerism to help improve academic and career success, develop thriving neighborhoods and create culturally enriched communities.

Travelers is ensuring opportunity by contributing to efforts that create strong, vibrant communities and offer pathways to success. Through corporate funding and the Travelers Foundation, Travelers targets its giving to achieve three outcomes: Academic & Career Success, Thriving Neighborhoods and Culturally Enriched Communities. Our primary focus is educating underrepresented students to lead tomorrow’s workforce. In addition, Travelers contributes to organizations that aid in developing communities through small business support and neighborhood revitalization, and that enhance lives and learning through arts & culture. 

Travelers accepts grant applications exclusively for Hartford, Connecticut and St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily for project, program and operating support and for limited capital opportunities.

Academic & Career Success

Because today’s student will be tomorrow’s co-worker, education is the primary focus of our giving. We support college and career readiness programs for underrepresented students from middle school through college and into career. 

A successful future starts in the classroom. But many people struggle to get the education they need to compete for quality jobs and to lead a fulfilling life. Our giving focuses on helping to provide a foundation for individual success and on building a skilled workforce for our industry and our communities.

Where We Give

Nearly half of our annual giving goes toward initiatives that help underrepresented students attain academic and career success. We seek to improve academic achievement gaps by focusing on low-income and minority students in grades five through 12, students in college and those seeking careers in the insurance industry.

Funding Priorities

Academic & Career Success: Travelers supports initiatives that improve academic achievement and career success for underrepresented youth, specifically targeted at public school students in grades five through 12, students in transition to post-secondary education, and students in post-secondary learning environments.

• Middle & High School Academic Achievement– Travelers funds initiatives that foster improved academic achievement for middle and/or high school students.
• Post-Secondary Preparation & Degree Attainment– Travelers supports organizations that are building awareness of and personal readiness for post-secondary education and educational initiatives that improve degree completion for underrepresented students.
• Career Awareness & Readiness– Travelers supports educational initiatives that are building awareness of and preparation for careers in insurance and financial services.

Our Mission

The Foundation’s mission is to utilize its assets to assist any not-for-profit organization seeking to promote the arts or create programs that inspire, engage, and teach.

We hope that someday the arts will no longer be considered a school elective or an interest for the few but a necessity for living a full life and for the health of our hearts and minds. 

Through our partnerships in the community, we are utilizing the arts to harness its extraordinary power to inspire, raise educational outcomes for students, and enrich the overall quality of life in marginalized communities.

We believe that there is a great synergy in combining the talents of musicians, museum educators, nonprofit arts advocates, actors, teachers, and writers. We believe that the arts, in all forms, have significant intrinsic societal value and can take on multiple roles in youth education for healthy brain and social development. 

In keeping with our mission, the Foundation values and will support organizations protecting and utilizing nature to enrich peoples’ lives through conservation and beautification. We believe that a healthy environment means a healthier population overall. 

Studies have shown that children benefit both mentally and physically from outdoor activity and clean air. We seek to continue to work with organizations that understand the value of our human connection with and reliance on a thriving and accessible green infrastructure.

Our Foundation is also interested in supporting health science and medical research. We understand that supporting cutting-edge technology and research is paramount in gaining important ground on treating and hopefully curing all forms of cancers and diseases. We are specifically interested in supporting research in treating and curing pancreatic and other forms of high-mortality illnesses that have lagged in funding and medical advancement. 

P/Arts Program

P/Arts Program Information

P/Arts stands for Philanthropic Arts and is our Foundation’s own initiative launched in 2019 to help catalyze non-profit, tax-exempt public charities, accredited schools and universities, and government or public agencies. We want to help implement or enhance educational programs utilizing the arts in daily curricula for early childhood education programs as well as K-12 students.

The P/Arts Program Was Created To Encourage Partnerships Within The Philanthropic Arts And Education Communities.

Organizations applying for P/Arts funding must be accredited 501(c)(3) organizations that are using performing and/or visual arts education to help:

• Enhance and Transform Existing Outdated Public School Curricula
• Motivate & Engage Children and Students
• Deepen Professional Development for Teachers, Professors, and Childcare Workers
• Link School and Home
• Use Evidence-Based, Arts-Based Instruction
• Help to Lessen the Education Achievement Gap

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Anne S. Richardson Fund

The Fund was created in the mid-1960s under the will of Anne S. Richardson to support charitable purposes.

Funding Interests

• Eight organizations recommended by Miss Richardson;
• In Ridgefield, Connecticut: programs that assist lower-income people or are of broad interest to the community; and
• In Connecticut (particularly Fairfield County): programs that promote the independence of women, support the lesbian and gay community, encourage youth development, or promote environmental conservation. See grant page for this opportunity here.

Type of Support

Project, capital and, in limited circumstances, operating.

Alexis de Tocqueville said in Democracy in America that “the health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.”

We at the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut believe that an informed and engaged citizenry is an essential ingredient of a healthy democracy. Through our initiatives, we hope to create an inclusive table and invite all voices to participate, especially those from communities of color and our youth. Our civic engagement grants are intended to support initiatives that share these inclusive values and will further the depth of understanding and likelihood of participation in civic life in the community.

Our commitment to civic engagement seeks to impact the lives and well-being of residents throughout the region. Mini-grants of up to $1,000 are available to support efforts to build and strengthen our communities towards a just and civil society.

Grant Making Process

The mission of the Branford Community Foundation (BCF) is to connect people who care with causes that matter, for the purpose of preserving and promoting the quality of life in Branford, Connecticut, now and for generations to come. BCF is dedicated to our core values of integrity, inclusiveness, responsiveness, and accountability.

We fulfill our mission by building and maintaining a charitable endowment and making prudent grants that serve to address the ever-changing needs of the Branford community. Through the gracious giving of donors who are committed to our mission, we fund worthy programs that promote the quality of life in Branford.

What the Branford Community Foundation Funds

The Branford Community Foundation looks to fund organizations and projects that strengthen and improve Branford in the following focus areas:

• Basic Needs (food, emergency financial assistance, fuel and heat support, shelter)
• Health (mental health services, senior services, social services, health education, substance abuse prevention)
• Education (literacy, job training, collegiate scholarships)
• Arts (music, dance, theatre, visual, community performances)
• Environment (public spaces and land, recycling, animal and wildlife support)
• Youth (access to summer camps, children in need, early childhood education)
• Civic engagement/resources (historical preservation, volunteerism, community events and enhancements)

The Branford Community Foundation holds several “field of interest” funds, including funds dedicated to basic needs, animals, environment, cultural arts, and music. During the application review process, the Board works to match applications with corresponding fields of interest funds.

BCF seeks grants that enhance the quality of life in Branford. Grant applications should address a need within the focus area and demonstrate impact on the organization, project, community, or persons served. Applications should include some of the following elements:

• Address a documented need or concern of the focus area.
• Recognize and build on a community’s or organization’s strengths and assets.
• Build the capacity of community organizations and/or individuals to help themselves.
• Support cooperative approaches to community issues through collaborations based on shared visions and mutual responsibility.
• Encourage attracting other resources, such as matching gifts.
• Build infrastructure within the organization in order to meet its mission.

Building Equitable Opportunity

This new grant area combines several of the Foundation’s former grant opportunities including Cradle to Career (early care and youth development) and Economic Vitality grants. By combining these areas, we recognize that although systems are often siloed by issue area or population, individuals and families navigate across policies, systems and programs. Building Equitable Opportunity seeks to explore solutions across generations and systems.

Our focus on equitable opportunity emerged from research on the deep educational and economic disparity that exists in our region. We found disparity based on race, and also income, age, geography, and gender/sexuality.

Income: The median household income of Waterbury residents was $40,879 in 2017, compared to over $93,000 for the towns in the Litchfield Hills.

Age: Children and youth are most likely to be low-income in Waterbury with 64% of the population being under the age of 17.

Geography: Funding spent per pupil varies greatly by geography, students in the Litchfield Hills have nearly $20,000 spent per pupil vs. just over $15,000 in Waterbury. Only 62% of Waterbury children have a pre-k experience compared to 79% statewide.

Race: Only 26% of Black students and 23% of Latinx students were proficient in reading by 3rd grade compared to 45% of white students in Waterbury

Gender/Sexuality: LGBTQ youth are at more than double the risk of homelessness compared to non-LGBTQ peers.

Our approach focuses on:

• Supporting programs, advocacy, and system change efforts that build equitable pathways out of poverty and to economic mobility
• Promoting access to quality culturally responsive education, especially focused on Waterbury where there are significant disparities by race and income
• Supporting the development of jobs and career pathways with livable wages
• Promoting opportunities to build assets for BIPOC families that have been left behind in traditional banking systems
• Targeting education interventions that support BIPOC students and include youth and parent voice in decision-making

Efforts we support include:

• Increasing collaboration between school systems and preschools to align readiness, support kindergarten transition, and focus on parent voice
• Evidence-based initiatives that improve the quality of the pre-k and K-12 experience for Black and Latinx, low-income, and children with disabilities (examples include: RULER, Circle of Security, Restorative Justice Practices)
• Interventions that address disproportionate minority contact in in pre-K-12 education and expand access to pathways to college
• Programs that substantially build the long-term assets and economic resiliency/mobility of residents (such as financial education and planning, job and skills training, etc.)

We encourage requests that:

• Provide services or support to the communities located within our 21-town service area
• Support system change and advocacy efforts
• Include support for core nonprofit operations such as staff time, overhead and evaluation
• Support organizations led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Our Mission

The mission of the Vermont Mutual Charitable Giving Fund is to enhance the quality of life in communities where the Group conducts business, by providing financial support to worthy community organizations.

Where We Give

The Charitable Giving Fund is designed to benefit organizations within the marketing territories of Vermont Mutual Insurance Group that aim to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

Giving Focus

The Fund provides financial support to organizations that help to build, maintain and enrich healthy lives and strong, vibrant communities. The Fund's primary focus is to contribute to non-profit organizations that serve communities through any of the following four initiatives:

• Promote Education: Examples may include traditional and non-traditional opportunities focused on inspiring academic excellence, leadership and community service
• Foster Youth: Examples may include teaching and modeling positive life skills
• Community-based: Programs that build better communities in which to live and work
• Satisfy Basic Needs: Examples may include affordable housing, homelessness and hunger

Annual Environmental Grant Program

The Rockfall Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2025 Annual Environmental Grants Program, available to non-profit organizations, municipalities, and schools. The Environmental Grants are for projects and programs that support the environment through conservation, preservation, restoration, or education in the Lower Connecticut River Valley, which includes Middlesex County as well as Lyme and Old Lyme.

Funding for materials, transportation, program/presenter fees, intern stipends and similar items are eligible.  Funding must be applied to the items/activities described in the application form. Substitutions are not permitted unless prior approval has been obtained.

Applications are rated on the following criteria:

• likelihood of proposal reaching fruition and its target audience;
• clear alignment and benefit to a priority area;
• innovation;
• engagement of youth;
• environmental justice/disadvantaged populations;
• Previous Rockfall support or existing project with proven progress;
• implications beyond the immediate purview of the proposal;
• Potential for broader application beyond the proposed activity;
• Clarity and confirmation of matching funds sources.
• likelihood on continuation without further funding from the Foundation; and
• a budget that is clear and reasonable.

Types of programs, projects and initiatives that are funded include:

• environmental education,
• responsible environmental planning,
• preservation of the Connecticut River Watershed,
• innovative solutions to waste stream management and pollution,
• open space acquisition,
• environmental justice, or
• anything consistent with the priorities listed.

Environmental Education is broadly defined, and not limited to school curricula; environmental education programs can target any age from preschool through adults. Activities that engage young people, provide hands-on experiences, offer internships, or creative approaches to learning are encouraged.

Capital projects that facilitate learning are not prohibited but will be carefully scrutinized for their application to hands-on learning. Planning projects should be approached with consideration for the natural environment and those that support sustainable communities. Preservation of the Connecticut River Watershed includes projects designed to protect and benefit the water quality of the Connecticut River watershed and raise awareness of responsible living in the watershed. 

Priority Areas

• Preservation – work to protect ecosystems, species, and other irreplaceable elements of the region’s natural heritage.
• Conservation – work to minimize our use of finite natural resources and our negative impacts on ecosystems and communities.
• Restoration – work to re-establish the healthy functions of an ecosystem or parts of ecosystems.
• Education – work to foster a stronger awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainability issues.

Corporate Sponsorships

We give back as much as we can, as often as we can, and to as many organizations as possible. Because nothing is more rewarding than knowing we played a part in finding a solution. Easing the burden for people struggling to make ends meet, helping a child learn to read, or inspiring someone to keep moving forward – one step, one day and one moment at a time.

As part of this commitment, we proudly support numerous non-profits and events through corporate sponsorships at many levels. Contributions support organizations that are involved in meeting the cultural, educational, community development, health and human services needs of communities within the bank's footprint in the central, eastern, western and shoreline areas of Connecticut and in Greater Springfield Massachusetts.

We strongly believe that supporting the causes we are passionate about creates stronger engagement and longer lasting ties in the communities where we live and work. Here are some examples of events we’ve sponsored in the past:

• Dinner fundraisers
• Walk-a-thons/5Ks
• Community concert series
• Golf tournaments
• Theatrical performances
• Chamber of Commerce events, fairs, festivals, parades, and home shows
• Community, semi-professional or professional sporting events

Branch Sponsorships

Many branch offices sponsor local youth athletic programs, school events, walk-a-thons, golf tournaments and other events, at amounts up to $1,000.

Nordson Corporation Foundation

The Nordson Corporation Foundation awards grants to non-profits in our communities throughout the United States. Since 1989, the Foundation has awarded more than $60 million in grants to improve the quality of life in our communities, placing a special focus on causes related to education. Employees support the foundation by making donations during our annual A Time to Give Campaign, or by participating in a Community Affairs Committee (CAC). Committees review grant applications and vote to distribute Foundation funds to deserving local causes. During the last financial year, the Foundation gave out 362 grants totaling $6.3 million.

Nordson Foundation Giving Strategies

The geographic areas in which Nordson has major facilities determine the Nordson Foundation's giving priorities.

Within these geographic areas, granting priorities are driven by community needs. Although needs change quickly, our vision is long term. We pursue and support results-oriented opportunities that prepare individuals for full and equal participation in the economic and social mainstream. We believe these kinds of programs help improve the quality of life over the long term and produce stronger, more enlightened communities in which we live and work. We strive to fulfill these responsibilities in our communities through contributions to charitable activities with a focus on education. Other major giving categories that are supported are human welfare, civic affairs and arts and culture. 

Nordson Foundation Values 

In the spirit of our corporate founders, the Nordson Corporation Foundation continues to operate on the belief that business, as a corporate citizen, has a social responsibility to share its success with the communities where it operates and draws employees.  

The Nordson Foundation is dedicated to improving our communities by supporting the continuum of education from birth to adulthood in the belief that education is the key for individuals to become self-sufficient, productive members of society.  

To prepare individuals for economic independence, a variety of quality educational experiences are necessary. To be successful today, individuals not only need to master the basics, “reading, writing and arithmetic”, they must also know how to think critically and creatively. Strengthening the community’s human capital – through quality education – is crucial.  

The Nordson Foundation offers support to non-profit organizations that cultivate educational curriculum and experiences that foster self-sufficiency, job readiness and goals to aspire to higher education. The Foundation is well aware of the fact that for non-profit organizations to remain viable they must receive operating support. With this in mind, Nordson Corporation Foundation does invest in general operating support.  

As stewards of the Foundation assets, the directors feel strongly that the organizations that are supported by the Foundation be able to measure the effectiveness of their mission and programs. Quantitative and/or qualitative data allows for the Foundation to ensure that the organizations it supports are bringing about the desired outcomes in our communities.

Nordson Foundation Goals

The goals of the Nordson Corporation Foundation are to insure that:

• All children have access to and receive quality educational experiences from early childhood  
• All individuals have the opportunity to be self-sufficient members of society 
• There is a continuum of quality educational opportunities 
• Our communities are strengthened by the organizations we fund whether their focus is education, human welfare, civic or arts and culture

Nordson Foundation Funding Strategy

Through its grant-making, the Foundation supports organizations that directly or indirectly seek to maximize success before, during and beyond the traditional classroom years. Grants will be reviewed and considered on the basis of their enrichment to the communities where our employees live and work. Organizations and programs receiving grants will be expected to identify relevant, measurable outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of their programs.

Education

• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Maximizing Student Success
• Access to quality educational opportunities
• Innovative programs
• Partnerships/collaborations with school districts
• Funding gaps not covered by public monies
• Augmenting core curriculum
• Exposure to programs that expand on traditional education
• Workforce Preparation
• Initial preparation for the world of work
• Retraining for the new job market
• Strengthening our communities

Human Welfare

• Promote prevention and lifestyle maintenance programs and activities
• Promote crisis intervention
• Promote life transition opportunities
• Promote systemic change

Arts and Culture

• Actively seek to broaden the audience bases in Nordson communities
• Support the visual and performing arts
• Provide educational enrichment for students
• Motivation for at-risk youth
• Provide access to the arts for special needs audience
• Promote greater understanding among people via the arts

Civic

• Work to improve the physical or economic environment
• Provide cultural or historical preservation
• Strive to inform citizens and increase their participation in community improvement