Grant Opportunities Available to Nonprofits for Project, Capacity Building and General Support; Deadline to Apply is March 28

[The Community Foundation for GNH]

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region’s largest grantmaker, is accepting applications for the 2014 Responsive Grants process. This grants process is intended to be a source of flexible funding and is open to all requests from nonprofits serving the 20-town region of The Community Foundation for projects and organizational support that meet the eligibility criteria.

Grants awarded in this category range from over $5,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on available funds and terms of grant. Any nonprofit that creates positive sustainable impact in the areas of: arts and culture, basic needs, civic vitality, economic success, quality education, the environment, health and wellness and children and youth is encouraged to apply. In 2013, more than $2.9 million in single and multi-year grants was awarded through the Responsive Grant process; deadline to apply is 5:00 pm on March 28, 2014.

Nonprofit organizations seeking a grant through the Responsive Grant process are strongly encouraged to sign up for the Grantseeker Information Webinar scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, 2014 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Grant seekers may attend in person at The Community Foundation or from their office. Register for the webinar here. If you would like to attend in person, please contact Denise Canning at [e-mail] or 203-777-7076 to reserve a seat.

Guiding Principles, Eligibility Criteria and Opportunities for Responsive Grants

Grants awarded through The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Responsive Grant process are based on The Community Foundation’s commitment to support nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Haven region that strive towards providing the highest quality services and advance ideas, innovations and techniques that improve the quality of life for area residents. It is important that nonprofits continually improve their services and programs by applying what they learn through self-reflection, assessment, evaluation and use of data, knowledge building, risk taking, and the use of sound and prudent financial management practices. It is the belief of The Community Foundation that the best use of the community’s endowment is to invest in nonprofits that 1) display leadership in addressing issues and seizing opportunities in the community, 2) regularly perform evaluation of their services and 3) practice sound programmatic and organizational management. 

The following eligibility criteria applies to all competitive grant opportunities at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; distributions from permanent unrestricted and preference funds, Community Foundation initiatives and several donor advised funds make grants under this category possible:

• Organizations must be defined as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) or any applicable statute of the Internal Revenue code.
• They must provide services within The Community Foundation’s local service area comprising: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, North Branford, North Haven, West Haven, Oxford, New Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, Orange and Woodbridge.
• Applicants must also adhere to a policy of non-discrimination.
•  The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven does not make grants or loans to individuals, nor does it provide permanent funding for projects.

For more information, visit The Community Foundation’s website at www.cfgnh.org/grants.

In addition to providing capacity building workshops, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven raises the visibility of nonprofits through giveGreater.org® (www.giveGreater.org) - an online platform that provide scomprehensive information about local nonprofits serving its 20-town region. The website provides one searchable database for people to find, learn about and give to nonprofits serving Greater New Haven and to engage the community around the issues and opportunities that impact the region. Donors can view profiles and make online donations 24/7. giveGreater.org has distributed over $2.2 million in new and matching funds as a result of direct online donations and several fundraising campaigns;  another campaign, The Great Give® 2014, is scheduled for May 6-7, 2014. Nonprofits interested in creating a profile on the site to participate in this year’s campaign are urged to contact Stephanie Chung at [e-mail] or call 203-777-7077.

Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, millions of dollars each year are distributed from an endowment of more than $400 million and comprising more than 900 named funds at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, reduce New Haven’s infant mortality rate, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org and encourage community awareness at www.cfgnh.org/learn. For more information, visitwww.cfgnh.org or www.facebook.com/cfgnh.