Learn about grants for Connecticut by browsing our curated list of top Connecticut funders below. Members can also research funding opportunities using the search tool for Grant Finder. Become a member.
Giving Trends in Connecticut
Connecticut is one of the wealthiest states in the nation. Agreater proportion of its residents are philanthropic than the national average. In 2016, 35 percent of Connecticut taxpayers reported making charitable contributions, compared to the national average of 25 percent, according to the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. Foundations collectively gave more than $1.5 billion in grants for Connecticut in 2020, according to Candid.
Knowledge about grants for Connecticut nonprofits flows through the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. Health, education, and human services are the top priorities for Connecticut grants, followed by arts and culture and community and economic development, the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy reports. The populations that receive the most support from Connecticut grants are the economically disadvantaged,children and youth.
The vast majority of foundations in Connecticut are private and family foundations, which give alongside a smaller number of corporate and community foundations. Top funders of Connecticut grants include the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation, Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, Cohen Veterans Network, Zoom Foundation, Stanley Family Foundation, Dalio Foundation, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Fairfield County's Community Foundation, Newman’s Own Foundation, Tow Foundation, Seedlings Foundation, and Aetna Foundation.
Foundations for Connecticut Nonprofits
ANNA FITCH ARDENGHI TRUST
The Anna Fitch Ardenghi Trust supports the arts, culture, humanities, education, health, and human services in Connecticut.
THOMAS J. ATKINS MEMORIAL TRUST FUND
The Thomas J. Atkins Memorial Trust Fund supports education, health, and human services in Middlesex County, Connecticut.
BARNES GROUP FOUNDATION
This is the corporate foundation of the aerospace and industrial company, Barnes Group. The foundation awards grants to Connecticut groups in the areas of education, healthcare, human services, basic needs, and the arts.
LENA BENAS MEMORIAL FUND
The Lena Benas Memorial Fund supports health and human services organizations in Litchfield, Connecticut and the surrounding communities.
BI CARES FOUNDATION
Boehringer Ingelheim’s foundation, the BI Cares Foundation supports access to healthcare and STEM education in the Ridgefield, Connecticut area and throughout Connecticut.
BODENWEIN PUBLIC BENEVOLENT FOUNDATION
The Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation supports Arts, culture, humanities, education, health, human services in the Greater New London area of Connecticut.
ELIZABETH CARSE FOUNDATION
The Elizabeth Carse Foundation supports education, child welfare, and human services in Connecticut.
CHERYL CHASE AND STUART BEAR FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, youth, health, human services, arts, and Jewish causes.
RHODA AND DAVID CHASE FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Rhoda and David Chase Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, youth, health, arts, and Jewish causes.
SANDRA AND ARNOLD CHASE FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Sandra and Arnold Chase Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, health, Jewish causes, human services, and the arts.
FOSTER-DAVIS FOUNDATION
The Foster-Davis Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, the environment, and health.
HASCOE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Hascoe Charitable Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to health, Jewish causes, arts, and education.
MARION ISABELL COE FUND
The Marion Isabell Coe Fund supports human services and housing programs in Connecticut.
CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Connecticut Community Foundation supports 21 Connecticut towns in the areas of arts and culture, cradle to career, economic vitality, environment, grassroots leaders, healthy communities, older adults, Southbury, technology for organizations, and women and girls.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EASTERN CONNECTICUT
This community funder supports 42 communities in the eastern third of Connecticut. Topics of funding are youth, environment, animal welfare, and basic needs and rights.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER NEW BRITAIN
This funder supports Central Connecticut in the areas of early childhood education, arts and culture, general education, economic and community development, and health and human services.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER NEW HAVEN
This well-established community funder supports 20 towns in Central Connecticut in the areas of arts and culture, basic needs, civic vitality, economic success, education, environment, health and wellness, and children and youth.
CONNECTICUT HEALTH FOUNDATION
This health legacy funder is exclusively focused on Connecticut and supports programs for health coverage and access, advocacy and leadership, health and community, and the healthcare delivery system.
GEORGE H.C. ENSWORTH CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The George H.C. Ensworth Memorial Fund supports arts, culture, humanities, education, environment, health, human services, and religious causes in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY'S COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
This Connecticut community funder supports youth career pathways, women and girls, economic security, arts and culture, and nonprofit capacity. It accepts letters of inquiry for the spring and fall grant cycles.
MR. & MRS. WILLIAM FOULDS FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Mr. & Mrs. William Foulds Family Foundation supports arts, culture, humanities, education, and human services in Manchester, Connecticut.
GAWLICKI FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Gawlicki Family Foundation provides grants to non-profits to transform innovative ideas into solutions for the community.
R.S. GERNON TRUST
The R.S. Gernon Trust supports education, health, and human services nonprofits in Norwich, Connecticut.
GRACE FARMS FOUNDATION
The Grace Farms Foundation supports nature, arts, justice, community, and faith in Connecticut and beyond.
WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND
The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund education, fighting racism, ending poverty and promoting societal equity in Connecticut.
HAROLD & REBECCA H. GROSS FOUNDATION
The Harold & Rebecca H. Gross Foundation supports organizations that assist people with physical disabilities in Connecticut.
GROSSMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Grossman Family Foundation supports children, neighborhoods, literacy, animals, and education in Connecticut.
HALVORSEN FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Halvorsen Family Foundation supports education, arts and culture, outdoor recreation, health and the environment in Connecticut.
HARTFORD FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC GIVING
This community funder supports a 29-town region around Hartford, Connecticut, in the areas of education, health, arts and culture, community and economic development, family and social services, summer programs, and the environment.
MABEL F. HOFFMAN CHARITABLE TRUST
The Mabel F. Hoffman Charitable Trust supports education, health, and human services in and around Hartford, Connecticut.
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER HARTFORD
The JCF supports Jewish learning, Jewish community outreach, seniors, and nonprofit capacity building within the state of Connecticut.
DAVID N. LANE TRUST FOR AGED AND INDIGENT WOMEN
The David N. Lane Trust for Aged & Indigent Women supports health and human services programs for underserved older women in Fairfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut.
GEORGE A. & GRACE L. LONG FOUNDATION
The George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation supports arts, culture, humanities, education, health, and human services in Connecticut.
FRANK LOOMIS PALMER FUND
The Frank Loomis Palmer Fund supports arts, culture, humanities, education, health, and human services in New London, Connecticut.
KATHARINE MATTHIES FOUNDATION
The Katharine Matthies Foundation supports education, health, and human services in the Lower Naugatuck Valley of Connecticut.
MERIDEN FOUNDATION
This funder supports Meriden, Connecticut and the surrounding region in the areas of health, education, literacy, after-school programs, community development, neighborhoods, and people with special needs.
MARJORIE MOORE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Marjorie Moore Charitable Foundation supports arts, culture, humanities, education, environment, health, and human services in Kensington and Berlin, Connecticut.
NEWALLIANCE FOUNDATION
This bank legacy funder supports 44 Connecticut communities in the areas of arts, community development, health and human services, youth and education, and literacy.
NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The NCCF supports 20 towns in Northwest Connecticut in the areas of hunger, homelessness, access to the arts, women and girls, youth, and human services.
CHARLES PARKER TRUST FOR PUBLIC MUSIC FUND
The Charles Parker Trust for Public Music Fund supports the arts, culture, and humanities as they relate to music in New Britain, Connecticut.
EVELYN W. PRESTON MEMORIAL FUND
The Evelyn W. Preston Memorial Fund supports music, arts, and culture in Hartford, Connecticut.
The RISC Foundation supports economic development in Connecticut.
SAGE FOUNDATION
The Sage Foundation supports education, arts and culture, health, safety and the environment in Connecticut and other places of interest to the Denning family.
SBM CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
This funder supports the Connecticut counties of Hartford, Tolland, and Windham in the areas of health, human services, education, housing, and the arts.
OLGA SIPOLIN CHILDREN’S FUND
The Olga Sipolin Children's Fund supports education, health, and human services organizations in Connecticut.
ANDREW J. SLOPER MUSICAL FUND
The Andrew J. Sloper Musical Fund supports music organizations that serve the people of New Britain, Connecticut.
SWINDELLS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Swindells Charitable Foundation supports health and human services organizations in Connecticut.
LINFORD & MILDRED WHITE CHARITABLE FUND
The Linford & Mildred White Charitable Fund supports education, health, and human services organizations in and around Waterbury, Connecticut.
