Hartford Foundation Submits Testimony Supporting Senate Bill 1112 and Senate Bill 1113

Read the Foundation's Testimony

On Thursday, January 30, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving submitted testimony in support of Senate Bill 1112, An Act Prohibiting Scholarship Displacement and Senate Bill 1113, An Act Concerning Workforce Development Initiatives In The State.

As part of its strategic efforts to dismantle structural racism and advance equitable economic and social mobility for Black and Latine residents of Greater Hartford, the Hartford Foundation continues to work with government, nonprofit and other public-private partners to increase stable employment and career opportunities for youth and adults in our region facing multiple barriers. 

The foundation supports the intent of Senate Bill 1112 to ensure that Connecticut students who need financial aid receive all the resources available to them. Recognizing the value of postsecondary education and training to the economic mobility of middle- and low-income students, in 2024 the foundation awarded 440 scholarships totaling more than $1.45 million. These scholarships were awarded through more than 100 funds created at the Hartford Foundation by individuals, families, and organizations. The foundation has been awarding scholarships since 1945 and has seen first-hand the importance of students receiving adequate funds to attend college. For many students, especially those from low- and moderate-income families, whether they receive the financial aid needed directly affects the feasibility of attending four-year colleges. We know that a high percentage of older and first-generation students in Connecticut rely on receiving substantial support. 

The foundation applauds the proposal’s effort to ensure that private and public investments in scholarship programs are used to complement rather than supplant college financial aid resources at Connecticut’s higher education institutions. We have seen how the practice of scholarship displacement can threaten the availability of institutionally provided financial aid when students earn external scholarships. This practice often negates the benefit of those scholarships. By preventing colleges from reducing aid, this bill can help ensure that scholarships provide genuine additional financial support to students pursuing higher education.

The foundation also supports Senate Bill 1113, which directs the Board of Regents for Higher Education to conduct a comprehensive study on workforce development initiatives within the state. To ensure that public resources for workforce education and training are used effectively, it is vital that the state examine current workforce development strategies and identify areas for improvement, service gaps, and opportunities to fully align educational resources with employer as well as job seeker needs. The Foundation offered what it has learned in supporting workforce programs with public-private partners to inform this work. 

The proposed study report could provide meaningful guidance to ensuring that workforce education programs align with existing and future job opportunities in Connecticut and provide adequate career orientations.  

We recommend that this new effort build on other efforts to assess the workforce development landscape by the Office of Workforce Strategies and Connecticut research organizations that have studied the issue. Many organizations engaged in workforce development training programs have expressed a desire to take stock in what programs already exist in the state and address unmet needs. 

October 2024 data indicated that there were 73,000 job openings in Connecticut. The Hartford Foundation is eager to partner with legislators, philanthropy, nonprofits, advocates, and businesses to eliminate barriers to employment and ensure that all residents have an opportunity to qualify for those job openings, reach their potential and economic stability, to thrive, and contribute to Connecticut’s economy.