Seedlings Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Seedlings Foundation is a grantmaker in Connecticut that supports the physical and mental health of children and families and also educated and engaged citizenship.

FUNDING AREAS: Physical and mental health of children and families, educated and engaged citizenship

IP TAKE: This funder keeps a low profile and isn’t very accessible to new grantseekers. However, organizations in New Haven, Connecticut often receive funding.

PROFILE: Established in 2002, the Seedlings Foundation is an independent foundation based in Branford, Connecticut. This is one of the top giving foundations in Connecticut, with over $31 million in a recent year. This foundation aims to “nourish the physical and mental health of children and families and foster an educated and engaged citizenship.”

This grantmaker does not provide extensive information about its grantmaking program or grantmaking guidelines. However, past support has gone to many Connecticut area organizations, including the Hartford Stage, the New Haven Independent, the Connecticut Mirror, Connecticut Voices for Children, the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, and New Haven Reads.

The foundation also supports the Seedlings Educators Collaborative, which brings together educators to share skills and learn new skills. This funder is a supporter of the Madison, Connecticut-based Truth in Advertising, which is a nonprofit aimed at empowering consumers.

Foundation grants tend to range between $10,000 and $1 million or more. Grantseekers should review the foundation’s recent tax records to learn about past grantees. The funder also shares a partial list of grantees on its website. Grantmaking prioritizes Connecticut, although the foundation has ties to Illinois as well. The funder will also occasionally support larger and well-known national organizations that are within its areas of interest.

This foundation does not accept or review unsolicited grant proposals from nonprofits. Grantseekers can contact the foundation by phone at 203-481-5740. Karen Pritzker of the wealthy Pritzker family based in Chicago serves as the president of the Seedlings Foundation and a resident of Connecticut. 

PEOPLE:

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