Connecticut Grants

The Program Enhancement Project for Adult Education, as part of the AEFLA Section 231 Comprehensive Adult Education Services, aims to expand and enhance educational programs for adults in Connecticut. With an emphasis on improving basic skills and literacy, the project facilitates effective participation in society and the workforce. It supports a variety of activities including adult literacy, workplace education, family literacy, and English language acquisition, among others. This initiative, funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), encourages collaborations to avoid service duplication, address local needs, and ensure seamless educational transitions. The project is open for proposals from eligible agencies with the intent to award multi-year grants, ensuring sustained impact from fiscal year 2025 through 2028. Grant renewed every year. It will be a 4-year program ( last application probably around May 2027)

This program provides financial support to retail, service, and restaurant businesses in East Haddam and Haddam to help them recover from revenue losses caused by local construction disruptions.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF), managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), seeks to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound. This grant program, with approximately $12 million available in 2024, aligns with the foundation's mission by supporting efforts to test innovative conservation approaches, deliver transformative projects, and engage communities that value and protect the Sound. Major funding is provided by EPA through the LISS, with additional support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Zoetis Foundation, demonstrating a collaborative strategic approach to environmental conservation. The LISFF targets a broad range of beneficiaries, including non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local and municipal governments, Tribal Governments and Organizations, and educational institutions. The impact goals are centered on improving water quality, enhancing and restoring coastal habitats, and fostering sustainable and resilient communities around the Long Island Sound. The program’s strategic priorities are guided by the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan 2020-2024 Update (CCMP), which emphasizes three core themes: Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds, Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife, and Sustainable and Resilient Communities. Cross-cutting principles of resiliency to climate change, long-term sustainability, and environmental justice are also integral to the program's theory of change. Under the "Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds" theme, the program prioritizes reducing nitrogen pollution, combined sewer overflows, impervious cover, stormwater runoff, and point and nonpoint source loading. This includes funding for "shovel-ready" projects that result in quantifiable pollutant prevention, particularly those addressing water quality at a larger scale. Planning activities, such as community engagement, feasibility studies, site assessments, conceptual design, and final design and permitting, are also supported. Projects in the Upper Basin states (MA, NH, VT) are specifically focused on quantifiable nitrogen/nutrient prevention with a documented benefit to Long Island Sound. The "Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife" theme focuses on enhancing or restoring coastal habitats to maintain resilience and function, supporting fish, bird, and wildlife populations, and sustaining the Sound's ecological balance. This involves implementing "shovel-ready" habitat restoration and nature-based or green-gray hybrid resilience projects, as well as planning activities for such projects. The program also aims to foster diverse, balanced, and abundant populations of fish, birds, and wildlife, encouraging proposals that consider the LISS Habitat Restoration Guidelines. The "Sustainable and Resilient Communities" theme supports vibrant, informed, and engaged communities through projects that offer hands-on conservation experiences. Expected outcomes include quantifiable pollutant reductions, enhanced and restored coastal habitats, increased resilience to climate change, and more engaged communities actively participating in the Sound's protection and sustainability. For water quality projects, measurable results will include quantifiable pollutant prevention, particularly nitrogen/nutrient reductions. For habitat projects, long-term maintenance plans and ecological improvements are expected. The LISFF's strategic framework, rooted in the CCMP, aims to accelerate local and regional water quality improvements, natural resource restoration, coastal resilience, environmental justice, and community outreach, ultimately leading to a healthier, more productive, and resilient Long Island Sound for both people and wildlife.

The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation awards grants to 501(c)(3) organizations located within its market area, covering Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and southeastern Connecticut. The Foundation's grants support a wide array of initiatives including affordable housing, business and economic development, youth and family services, health and human service organizations, arts and cultural institutions, educational entities, environmental groups, and scholarship programs. Notably, the Foundation contributes to local education through scholarships at Providence College, Bryant University, and the University of Rhode Island, facilitating students' access to higher education. The Foundation is a strong supporter of the United Way, reflecting its commitment to community welfare through employee contributions and volunteerism. Grant renewed every year. Annual deadline: October 1st. Grant awarded in January

This program provides funding to schools, municipalities, and nonprofits in Connecticut to promote safe and accessible walking, biking, and rolling through the purchase of safety equipment and educational materials.

The Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation administers the Creating New Work Grant Program to foster creativity in Greater Hartford by supporting local artists in the creation of new work in partnership with arts organizations. The program advances excellence in the arts and strengthens collaborations that benefit artists, organizations, and the community. Projects must be completed within 24 months of award. Organizations are selected based on artistic excellence, quality of collaboration with the artist, and potential community impact. A post grant report is required within six months of project close. Organizations may apply for either the Creation of New Work grant or an Excellence in the Arts grant in a calendar year. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) arts organizations in the geographic area served by the foundation, with priority to Hartford, Bloomfield, East Hartford, Newington, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor. Artists may not apply directly and must partner with an eligible organization. The program is designed to support artists who primarily live or work in Greater Hartford and surrounding towns listed by the foundation. Applications are due May 1, 2024. Grant duration is two years. Additional information is available from the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation.

This funding opportunity supports grassroots community groups in New England that focus on environmental initiatives and social justice, providing financial assistance for projects led by volunteers or small teams.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that serve youth in Derby and Shelton, Connecticut, focusing on projects in areas like education, health, and early childhood development.

The Child Health Research Awards Program by the Charles H. Hood Foundation aims to advance child health by providing grant support to newly independent faculty within New England-based pediatric researchers. The program offers two-year grants of $200,000 ($100,000 per year inclusive of 10% indirects) to researchers who are within five (PhD scientists) or seven (physician-scientists) years of employment following completion of training. The grants support hypothesis-driven clinical, basic science, public health, health services research, and epidemiology projects focused on child health. Application deadlines occur in the spring and fall of each year, with funding beginning every January 1st and July 1st. For complete eligibility requirements and application guidelines, visit CharlesHoodFoundation.org.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in New Britain and Waterbury with essential capital needs to improve their services, while also allowing eligible organizations outside these areas to apply for smaller grants.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for one-day fundraising events in Connecticut, with applications accepted on a rolling basis depending on funding availability. Nonprofits and community groups can receive sponsorships for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events, with a focus on encouraging resident engagement in New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, and East Haven. The Foundation's minimum eligibility requirements must be met by all applicants.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local nonprofit organizations in Connecticut for innovative programs and urgent needs, with grants ranging from $250 to $10,000.

This program provides financial support to small nonprofit organizations in Greater New Haven to help them address COVID-19 impacts or advance racial equity through project support, capacity building, or general operating expenses.

This grant provides funding to empower Waterbury residents in leading initiatives that promote civic engagement, community cohesion, and neighborhood revitalization.

This grant provides financial support to community-based nature and land conservation organizations in New England and upper New York State to advance impactful conservation projects that benefit the environment and local communities.

This program provides small grants to organizations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire that focus on improving community wellness, education, clean energy, diversity, equity, inclusion, and economic development.

This grant provides financial support to small or all-volunteer organizations in Connecticut focused on projects or operational needs that promote equity and dismantle structural racism in Greater Hartford's Black and Latinx communities.

These grants provide matching reimbursement to Connecticut municipalities and 501(c)3 and 501(c)13 nonprofits for projects that advance the goals of the State Historic Preservation Office through education, awareness, promotion, outreach and visioning initiatives. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) offers matching, reimbursement Partners in Preservation (PIP) Grants of up to $20,000 to Connecticut municipalities and 501(c)3 and 501(c)13 nonprofits for projects that advance the goals of the State Historic Preservation Office through a variety of historic preservation education, awareness, promotion, outreach and visioning initiatives

The Historic Restoration Fund Grants (HRF) program by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development provides financial support for maintaining and repairing non-profit and municipally owned buildings listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places. Grants range from $5,000 to $200,000, require a one-to-one match, and are reimbursed upon project completion. Contact Erin Fink at Erin.Fink@ct.gov for more information.

The Annual FirstClass Grant Program for Teachers is a grant opportunity for K-5 public school teachers in the towns of Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport, and Bridgeport. The program aims to support creative educational programs that have a broad impact on an entire class or grade. Eligible programs include nature-based, astronomy, financial literacy, conservation, and environmentally focused initiatives. Requests for books, magazine subscriptions, school trips, and electronics are not eligible. The maximum grant amount is $1,000. Applications are accepted from September 1st to October 31st each year and require authorization from the school principal. For more information and to access the application form, please contact 203.462.4858 or email foundation@firstcountybank.com.