Community Foundation of Greater New Britain Awards More Than $189,00 in First-Round Grants

(May 14, 2009) The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain has awarded $189,890 in first-round grants serving its four-town service area of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington from discretionary, donor advised and scholarship funds.

The Foundation awards grants on a three-time basis and each year distributes upwards of $1 million or more to nonprofit agencies and organizations in its service area. Funding traditionally supports a wide variety of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and/or Southington-based programs and initiatives in arts and humanities, community and economic development, early childhood development, education and health and human services.

The Foundation has four fund categories: discretionary, donor advised, designated and scholarship. Discretionary funds are awarded by the Foundation’s board of directors; donor advised funds are established by an individual, family, company or organization with that party playing an active role in the grant-awarding process; scholarship funds are also established by an individual party and tailored to that party’s personal wishes; designated funds, too, are established by an individual party and benefit one or more specific charities.

First-round 2009 grants by category include:

Discretionary and First Years First Grants ($187,500)

• New Britain Museum of American Art (area wide), $45,000 from the Alix W. Stanley Discretionary Fund. For support of the museum’s education and outreach programs.
• New Britain Discovery Initiative (New Britain), $45,000. Allocated from the Community Foundation’s First Years First Fund for 2009 support of this initiative, which works to improve preschool and early childhood education in New Britain and increase access to preschool for more children.
• Trinity-On-Main (area wide), $25,000 from the Alix W. Stanley Discretionary, Spencer P. Torrell, Anna Thornton, and Marjorie Wright Tomlinson Funds For operating support as Trinity implements a new business plan.
• Capital Workforce Partners (New Britain), $25,000 from the Alix W. Stanley Discretionary Fund. For year two support of the Future Workforce Investment System, which provides improved employment training opportunities for youth in the interest of supporting a more competitive local economy.
• Connecticut Legal Services (area wide), $25,000 from the Johnstone Vance Memorial Fund. For direct legal assistance services to 25-30 low-income families and individuals and for outreach and education events on client legal rights for area social services agencies.
• Friendship Service Center (New Britain), up to $10,000 from the Johnstone Vance Memorial Fund. To match funds raised from the Center’s Directors and Trustees to hire the Center’s first part-time development staff member.
• Southington Community Services (Southington), $5,000 from the Weld Fund for Capital Needs. For computers, supplies and other materials needed to implement some of SCS’ programming goals.
• Berlin High School All Night Graduation Party (Berlin), $2,500 from the Alix W. Stanley Discretionary Fund.  For general support, as designated by 2009 Celebrate Berlin! community service recipients Bart and Donna Bovee and approved by the Community Foundation’s board of directors.
• PARC, Family-Centered Services for People with Developmental Disabilities (Plainville), $2,500 from the Alix W. Stanley Discretionary Fund.  For general support, as designated by 2009 Celebrate! Plainville community service recipients Jane and Bob Mercure and approved by the Community Foundation’s board of directors.
• Bread for Life (Southington), $2,500 from the Alix W. Stanley Discretionary Fund.  For general support, as designated by 2009 Celebrate! Southington community service recipient Benny Cammuso and approved by the Community Foundation’s board of directors.

Donor Advised Grants ($1,390)

• Connecticut Community Care, Inc., Bristol. From the Gilrain Family Fund to support the agency’s work with families of patients with dementia.
• Greater New Britain Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Inc.  From the Ted and Nancy Howe Fund for the Pathways/Senderos Center Program.
• Frank and Ernestine Fraprie Fund (an inter-fund gift in memory of Frank Fraprie). From the Edmund G. Noyes Fund.
• New Britain Public Library. From the Leonard W. and Jeannette C. Varkal Fund for the purchase of books on contemporary history.

Scholarships ($1,000)

• Kirsten Wendth. From the Kim Miller Synchronized Swimming Scholarship Fund. Kirsten is attending Wheaton College.