Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, youth, health, human services, arts, and Jewish causes.

IP TAKE: The foundation does not maintain a website, which restricts transparency about grantmaking strategies and guidelines.

PROFILE: Established in 2000, the Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation was established by real estate executive Cheryl Chase and her husband, Stuart Bear, a retired judge. Cheryl is associated with Chase Enterprises, known for shaping the Hartford skyline and developing modern buildings like One Financial Plaza. The foundation does not maintain a website, which makes it difficult to locate further information on its priority areas and grantmaking strategies. Tax filings suggest that the Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, youth, health, human services, arts, and Jewish causes.

Education grantmaking mostly focuses on schools with which the family has a personal connection, particularly University of Connecticut, as does the family’s other organization. Cheryl serves on the board of University of Connecticut Health. Her late father David was a Holocaust survivor and a founder of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The foundation’s arts giving broadly supports museums and theaters rather than individual artists. Cheryl and Stuart are strongly involved with New Britain Museum of American Art, home to the Chase Family Building.

Grants range between $50 and $50,000. In a recent year, the foundation gave away around $300,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on Connecticut, particularly the Hartford area. Past local grantees include Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Cheryl is on the board), Hartford Stage, Boys and Girls Club of Hartford, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, and Congregation Beth Israel.

While the foundation keeps a low profile, it does accept contact. There are no deadlines listed.

PEOPLE:

Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).

CONTACT:

John P. Redding c/o Chase Enterprises
Goodwin Sq., 225 Asylum St., 29th Fl.
Hartford, CT 06103