Catalyst Fund

The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain operates the Catalyst Giving Circle, a collective giving program designed to make philanthropy accessible while directing pooled charitable resources toward important community needs. Catalyst members meet three times each year to explore a community issue selected by the group, hear from local nonprofit organizations and experts, review funding proposals, and vote on the program or programs to support. Since 2009, Catalyst has awarded more than $247,500 in grants to local programs. Membership contributions are pooled and supplemented by the Foundation to create the Catalyst grant fund. For the current Catalyst Giving Circle funding cycle, members selected Increasing Access to Food for Those in Need as the funding priority. The opportunity responds to food insecurity affecting children, older adults, working families, individuals experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, and others throughout Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington, Connecticut. Catalyst recognizes the continuing importance of emergency food assistance while also emphasizing the need for lasting change through stronger systems that make nutritious food more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. The funding opportunity therefore seeks a proven or promising initiative that improves access to nutritious food within the four-town service region. The Catalyst Giving Circle will award one grant of $20,000. The source states that the grant is intended to support a proven or promising initiative improving access to nutritious food within Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington. It does not provide, in the supplied material, additional restrictions concerning specific expense categories, indirect costs, subawards, capital expenses, debt reduction, political activity, or other detailed allowable or prohibited uses. No cost-share or matching contribution requirement is stated in the supplied source. Accordingly, no matching requirement is identified from the available information. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington. The supplied material does not state that individuals, businesses, government entities, schools, institutions of higher education, or other organization types may apply. It also does not provide information concerning fiscal sponsorship, eligibility of 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) organizations, faith-based organizations, minimum organizational size, operating history, or other organizational capacity requirements. Geographic eligibility is specifically tied to service within the four-town region of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington. Applications are due Monday, August 17, 2026. The source directs prospective applicants to download the Request for Proposals for information concerning the funding opportunity and references the June Catalyst meeting as an additional source for learning about the year's opportunity and community discussion. The supplied webpage text does not provide a complete list of application questions, required attachments, submission portal instructions, or an application opening date. Catalyst members review funding proposals from local nonprofits addressing the selected issue. Selected finalists may be invited to present their proposals to Catalyst members at the September 23, 2026 meeting before the final funding decision is made. The source establishes an annual pattern for Catalyst issue selection by stating that each year Catalyst members select a community issue to explore and address through collective giving. Based on that explicit annual language, the opportunity is treated as recurring. The current application deadline is August 17, 2026, and the finalist meeting is scheduled for September 23, 2026. No separate award notification date, grant start date, performance period, or project completion date is stated in the supplied material. For more information, applicants may contact Joeline Wruck, Director of Grants and Initiatives, at jwruck@cfgnb.org or 860.229.6018 x 307. The Foundation's general contact information is info@cfgnb.org and 860.229.6018.

Strong proposals include measurable impact, collaborations, and a sustainability plan.