West Hartford Greater Together Community Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Receives $100,000 Donation

Just two months after creating 29 separate community funds, the Hartford Foundation is pleased to announce that an anonymous donor has contributed $100,000 to the West Hartford Greater Together Community Fund. 

In November 2018, the Hartford Foundation announced an initial investment of $2.9 million to create the Greater Together Community Funds. This investment established 29 separate $100,000 community funds, one for each of the towns in the Foundation’s region: Andover, Avon, Bloomfield, Bolton, Canton, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Hartford, Hebron, Manchester, Marlboro, Newington, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, Suffield, Tolland, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, and Windsor Locks. 

The purpose of the Greater Together Community Funds is to support residents in taking ownership around the needs in their towns, encourage broad and inclusive civic engagement and anchor the Hartford Foundation in each town. The funds also create an opportunity for organizations and individuals to make tax-deductible contributions to any of the 29 Community Funds to support their towns. 

“By providing access to funds and a commitment to allow town residents to decide what needs in their towns should be funded, the Foundation is committed to promoting broader and more inclusive resident collaboration across our region,” said Hartford Foundation President Jay Williams. “We have been overwhelmed by the positive response we have received from residents in our region.  This generous contribution to the West Hartford Greater Together Community Fund is a wonderful example of how this effort can catalyze philanthropy in the communities we serve.”

Monies through the Greater Together Community Funds will be available once a community’s advisory committee, comprised of town residents that are representative of all the residents in that community, and an inclusive grantmaking process are in place.  Half of the fund amount will be available immediately (current use).  The other half of the funds are endowed meaning a percentage of those dollars will be available every year to grant, following the Hartford Foundation’s spending policy.

All donations are welcome, both large and small. There have been several other contributions to Greater Together Community Funds over the past two months. The anonymous donor to West Hartford’s fund chose to contribute to the endowed portion of the fund; donors have the option of donating towards the current or immediate use, the endowment, or a combination of the two. 

To learn more about the Greater Together Community Fund, log onto https://www.hfpg.org/communityfunds

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding communities. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $750 million since its founding in 1925. For more information about the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.