People’s United Community Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This corporate bank foundation supports communities in the Tri-State area and Northeast in the fields of community development, youth development, and affordable housing.
FUNDING AREAS: Community development, youth development, affordable housing
IP TAKE: Nonprofits in both the Tri-State area and Northeastern region of the U.S. should get to know this bank’s grantmaking. Pitch an economic development idea for a local community here.
PROFILE: The People’s United Community Foundation (PUCF) is the grantmaking arm of People’s United Bank that was established in 2007. The foundation is based in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where it focuses its grantmaking. The PUCF seeks “to invest in programs and services that enhance the quality of life for residents, promote the economic development and well-being of neighborhoods and support the educational and developmental needs of children and youth, with special emphasis given to programs and services in low-income areas.”
PUCF makes grants to community development, supporting basic needs services, financial literacy, entrepreneurial programs, job skills training, and programs that help people with disabilities become more self-sufficient. Youth development grants fund programs that address the needs of youth in low/mid-income school districts. PUCF also awards grants to STEM programs, literacy programs, charter and magnet schools, college and SAT prep programs, and internship programs. Affordable housing is the PUCF's third largest funding area, which supports community loan funds, closing costs and down-payment assistance programs, first-time homebuyer education, and local neighborhood revitalization efforts.
A majority of PUCF grants are around $5,000, with the typical range being $2,500 to $10,000. PUCF restricts grantmaking to the communities served by People’s United Bank. As a result, the foundation prioritizes grassroots Connecticut organizations, but the foundation also funds organizations in the Greater Boston area. Overall, this is a foundation that serves the states of Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Lately, grants prioritize community and economic development (39 percent), followed by youth development at 29 percent and affordable housing at 16 percent. Around 16 percent of foundation funding supports local United Way organizations. Local nonprofits receiving support in Connecticut include the Applied Behavioral Rehabilitation Institute, Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, and the Jewish Home for the Elderly of Fairfield County. New York grantees include Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, Rebuilding Together Long Island, Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn, and the Queens Economic Development Corporation.
There are three grant cycle periods for which grantseekers can apply for program or service support. Organizations must be operating for a minimum of two years to be eligible for a grant. The grant application process is online, and paper applications by mail are not accepted. You can only apply for one grant per 12-month period, and the open application periods are March 1-31, July 1-31, and November 1-30. You can call the staff with general questions at 203-338-6111. Keep up with what this funder is doing by browsing the News Room section of its website.
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