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Three Leaders Honored by Connecticut Council for Philanthropy |
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More than 200 philanthropists, grantmakers and community leaders from across the state gathered at the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy’s annual luncheon on May 2, to honor two individuals and one foundation:
CARLTON HIGHSMITH, a community leader in greater New Haven and a resident of Middlebury, received the John H. Filer Award for creative leadership in philanthropy. Carlton founded Specialized Packaging Group (SPG) in 1983 and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in 2009. Carlton is a Director at First Niagara Financial Group, where he serves as Chair of the Governance Committee. He serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston New England Advisory Council and is a member of the Yale New Haven Hospital Board of Trustees, where he serves on the Finance and Budget Committee. Read more >>
LUCY BALL, executive director of the Lone Pine Foundation and a resident of Darien, received the Martha S. Newman Award for exemplary service to the philanthropic sector. Lucy has worked in the nonprofit world for more than 30 years. Since 2001, she has served as executive director of the Lone Pine Foundation overseeing the distribution of over $40 million dollars to nonprofit organizations in New York City, Fairfield County (CT), Westchester County (NY), London, and Hong Kong. Under Lucy's leadership, The Lone Pine Foundation has been a driving force pushing Connecticut's nonprofits and funders to adopt and support aggressive and sophisticated outcome measurements to quantify the impact of their efforts and use data to make decisions. Read more >>
THE MELVILLE CHARITABLE TRUST, based in Hartford, New Haven and Boston, received the Nancy P. Roberts Award for demonstrated innovation in philanthropy. Since its inception in 1990, Melville has invested more than $113 million to alleviate homelessness by developing supportive housing, community solutions, and a stronger policy environment. In Connecticut, a primary focus has been the creation of partnerships that bring nonprofits, government agencies and other stakeholders together to more effectively address housing, homelessness and community development. Read more >>
For more information: Maggie Gunther Osborn, Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, 860-525-5585, mosborn@CTphilanthropy.org. |
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New Report Predicts US Wealth Transfer of $59 Trillion |
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An estimated $59 trillion, divided among heirs, charities, estate taxes and estate closing costs, will be transferred from 93.6 million American estates from 2007 to 2061, in the greatest wealth transfer in U.S. history, according to a new report, A Golden Age of Philanthropy Still Beckons: National Wealth Transfer and Potential for Philanthropy, issued by researchers at the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy (CWP) at Boston College.
The Dakota Medical Foundation and Impact Foundation of Fargo, ND, commissioned the new study to inspire greater philanthropy and to elevate the importance of planning to help families and individuals direct more of their wealth to causes about which they are most passionate.
The study documents the amount of charitable dollars that will be distributed through final estates, those estates from widows, widowers, separated, and single individuals for whom there is no surviving spouse, and the far larger amount that results from the strong trend toward more lifetime giving. The study reveals a 12% increase in this “give while you live” trend since the authors’ 1999 study. Over 55 years nearly $27 trillion will be given to charity, $20.6 trillion through lifetime giving and $6.3 trillion though estates and various estate planning approaches.
The study also highlights the importance of the rate of growth on charitable giving. If the growth rate were 3% instead of 2%, individuals and families would give more than $40 trillion to charity over 55 years – a 56% increase from the $27 trillion in giving if growth remained at 2%. Read more >> |
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Connecticut Wins Grant to Expand Innovative Parent Leadership |
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The Connecticut Commission on Children has won a $500,000, two-year Innovative Practices in Parent Leadership grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for a national expansion of the Commission’s ground-breaking Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI).
The grant includes funding to broaden the program to a two-generation strategy to include children of participating parents, and translating the PLTI curriculum into different languages.
In addition, the grant will fund several Connecticut-based initiatives including: the design and implementation of a social media strategy for parent leaders to communicate with each other about their civic work and best policies for improved child outcomes; providing resources for the development of a family civics continuum in Hartford encouraging parental engagement in their communities; and research and training to maximize partnerships between parents and public schools.
The Kellogg Foundation, one of the world’s largest private foundations, received more than 1,100 applications for the parent leadership funding—the most ever for a single funding opportunity in its 83-year history. It ultimately backed just 30 organizations, including the Commission on Children.
"We’re so honored to be chosen for this investment," said Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman. "The Kellogg Foundation believes it received so many applications for this funding because of growing national interest in parent engagement and family civics, and our own experience in recent years certainly confirms that."
For more information: Elaine Zimmerman, Connecticut Commission on Children, 860-240-0290, elaine.zimmerman@cga.ct.gov. top |
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Six Health Foundations Sponsor Connecticut Health Care Survey |
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The Connecticut Health Care Survey (CTHCS), a study of Connecticut residents’ own views on their health and health care, shows that many in Connecticut have access to and receive consistent, high quality health care. However, much work remains to be done particularly as it relates to chronic disease prevalence among adults and children.
The funders of the survey, members of the Connecticut Health Funders Collaborative, include: the Aetna Foundation; Connecticut Health Foundation; the Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation of Connecticut; the Foundation for Community Health; Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut; and the Children’s Fund of Connecticut. The study was conducted by the Office of Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Four of the six funders chose to use survey data to commission policy briefs that focus on specific areas of interest and concern in health care and can be accessed here.
Speaking as a collaborative group, the funders noted: “We are proud to present this work of four years to the state and to all parties to the health care system here. We hope it will be used as intended: to inform future health policy-makers, regulators, and other health foundations here and elsewhere to explore the opportunities highlighted by this survey and to measure changes driven by new policy and new law, including the Affordable Care Act.”
A discussion of the findings of the Connecticut Health Care Survey, a town-hall style conversation, recorded for WNPR’s Where We Live, and hosted by John Dankosky, asking the question “How Healthy is Connecticut?” is expected to air on June 24.
For more information: Susan Millerick, The Aetna Foundation, 860-273-0536, millericks@aetna.com; Maryland Grier, Connecticut Health Foundation, 860-724-1580, maryland@cthealth.org; Lynne Garner, Donaghue Foundation, 860-521-9011, garner@Donaghue.org; Nancy L. Heaton, Foundation for Community Health, 860-364-5157, nancy@fchealth.org; Janet Davenport, Universal Health Care Foundation, 203-639-0550, jdavenport@universalhealthct.org; Julie Tacinelli, Children’s Fund of Connecticut, 860-679-1534, tacinelli@uchc.edu. top |
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Collaborative Matching Grant Connects Local Government and Philanthropy |
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The Funders' Network GREEN! Working Group, in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, is pleased to announce the Partners for Places grant program, formerly the Local Sustainability Matching Fund.
Partners for Places is a successful matching grant program that creates opportunities for cities and counties in the United States and Canada to improve communities by building partnerships between local government sustainability offices and place-based foundations. National funders invest in local projects to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy, and well-being of all residents. Through these projects, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our urban areas more prosperous, livable, and vibrant.
The grant program is made possible by generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the JPB Foundation, Kendeda Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, New York Community Trust, Summit Foundation and Surdna Foundation. To date, it has awarded $1,472,750 and funded 29 projects across North America.
Partner for Places is currently accepting proposals for Round Five of funding. Proposals are due July 3, 2014. The full RFP can be found here. top |
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Successful Fund to End Homelessness Receives Boost from Funders Collaborative |
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At a recent legislative briefing, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, fiscal agent for the New London County Fund to End Homelessness, reported that as it nears its second year of operation, the fund has provided rapid rehousing and shelter services for a total of 204 households in the county—including 140 families with 286 children.
At the event, a grant of $33,500 was presented to the fund from the Southeastern Connecticut Funders Collaborative, an alliance of eight corporate and philanthropic funders. Members of the collaborative are: Liberty Bank, Dime Bank, Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Edward and Mary Lord Foundation, Pfizer Foundation, and SI Financial Foundation.
Sue Murphy, executive director of the Liberty Bank Foundation, made the formal grant announcement for the Southeastern Connecticut Funders Collaborative. “We decided to make this grant to the New London County Fund to End Homelessness because we all believe it’s a good investment, in both human and economic terms,” she said. “There is a sea change taking place in the way we address the problem of homelessness in our region. Instead of putting people into shelters—a temporary solution at best—the Fund partners are implementing permanent solutions like rapid rehousing and shelter diversion, which provide people with the foundation to get back on their feet and take care of themselves.”
Virginia Mason, president and CEO of United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, shared the news that the Fund has just been awarded an additional $250,000 state grant for fiscal year 2015. “That’s fantastic news, because it means that this important work that is yielding such terrific results will be able to continue and serve more of our neighbors next year and advance the common good for all of us in Southeastern Connecticut.”
For more information: Virginia Mason, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, 860-464‐3311, Virginia.Mason@uwsect.org; Sue Murphy, Southeastern CT Funders Collaborative, Liberty Bank Foundation, 860-638‐2959, smurphy@liberty‐bank.com. top |
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"When the Mask Comes Off" Video to Spark Conversations Around Youth Mental Illness |
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Everyday Democracy, a project of The Paul J. Aicher Foundation, commissioned Generation Justice to produce the short video, "When the Mask Comes Off" - A Youth Perspective on Mental Illness, as a resource to complement community dialogue about mental health.
Prejudices associated with mental illness have been the cause of silence and shame for people of all ages. Research shows that most disorders begin in individuals before age 14. Featured in the video are young people from New Mexico discussing their experiences of living with mental illness. The video aims to shift the paradigm and allow youth to talk about their experiences and opinions on mental illness and how the topic should be addressed.
The documentary comes with adaptable discussion guides for use in communities and schools. To download the free discussion guide go to: generationjustice.org/mask-discussion/
For more information: Malik Russell, Everyday Democracy, 860-928-2616. top |
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Calder Foundation Puts Support Behind Elementary STEM Education |
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The Louis Calder Foundation has contributed $250,000 to Project Lead The Way (PLTW), the nation’s leading provider of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, to support the PLTW Launch program for students in grades K-5. Through the Foundation’s generous support, 51 schools have or will receive funding to offset expenses related to implementing the PLTW Launch program, such as teacher training, participation fees or program supplies.
“It is absolutely critical that we engage students in math and science as early as kindergarten to help them develop a life-long love of these subjects and begin building the essential skills that will prepare them for success, said PLTW President and CEO Dr. Vince Bertram. "Thanks to The Louis Calder Foundation, students across the United States are getting access to this kind of education.”
Studies show that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, and think they are good at, math and science. PLTW Launch is designed to capture students’ interest in math and science and spark a lifelong passion. Through activities, projects, and problems, students develop their critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills and build confidence in the STEM subjects.
For more information: Holly Neuchterlein, The Louis Calder Foundation, 203-966-8925, hnuechterlein@calderfdn.org. top |
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Partnership Benefits for the Uninsured |
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Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation and AmeriCares are partnering in a new extension of their Product Donations Program for the Uninsured. The program will provide a free supply of medication to more than 3,000 eligible uninsured U.S. patients. Under this new program extension, Boehringer Ingelheim has committed to producing a portfolio of critically needed medicines that will be distributed by AmeriCares to free clinics in Connecticut, Florida, West Virginia, Texas and Ohio.
Beginning this month, patients suffering from hypertension, chronic respiratory problems and infections may receive a supply of Boehringer Ingelheim medicines free of charge. Approximately 2,500 hypertension patients and nearly 1,200 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are expected to benefit from this extended program. In the four Connecticut clinics alone, the new program will provide treatment for approximately 600 patients diagnosed with hypertension. The donated Boehringer Ingelheim medicines will allow safety net clinics to increase capacity and provide more comprehensive care.
"Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation is committed to improving access to healthcare with a focus on underserved patients," said Lilly Ackley, President, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation. "This new program with our valued partner, AmeriCares, is our latest way to accomplish this goal."
For more information: Amy Fry, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation, 203-798-4701. top |
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LINKS TO MORE FOUNDATION NEWS |
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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION NEWS |
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Governor's Proclamation Honors Community Foundations in Connecticut |
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| Governor Dannel P. Malloy honored and recognized the state's 18 Community Foundations with a proclamation that was read at the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy's May 2, 2014 Annual Luncheon. The proclamation is part of the Council's year-long acknowledgement of the field's 100th anniversary. "During 2014, we will be highlighting the value and effectiveness of community foundations in Connecticut with special story features in our communications and on our website, said Council President Maggie Gunther Osborn." Read the full proclamation >> |
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Give Local and Give Greater Events Generate $1.3 Million for Connecticut Nonprofits |
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In partnership with Give Local America and in celebration of the 100th anniversary of community foundations, three community foundations in Connecticut, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Valley Community Foundation and Connecticut Community Foundation, participated in giving events on May 6 and 7, which generated $1.3 million for Connecticut nonprofits.
In Greater New Haven, served by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (CFGNH) and Valley Community Foundation (an affiliate of CFGNH), $767,000 in gifts and matching funds were raised during The Great Give® 2014. The funds will be distributed to nonprofits serving Greater New Haven thanks to the generosity of thousands of individuals. Money raised for nonprofits by category indicated a strong community interest in arts and culture organizations ($169,207), followed by nonprofits providing basic needs ($90,674), youth development ($85,735), health ($85,205) and education ($77,439) services. The greatest number of gifts came from individuals residing in New Haven (1268), followed by Shelton (359), Hamden (307) and Guilford (243), Connecticut. A list of prize winners is available at www.thegreatgive.org.
In Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills, served by the Connecticut Community Foundation, $533,000 in gifts and matching funds were raised during Give Local Greater Waterbury & Litchfield Hills. “We are amazed and impressed that the community has yet again embraced our Give Local campaign and we are confident that the nonprofits and the people they serve will benefit greatly from this concentrated outpouring of support,” comments Jack Baker, President of the Connecticut Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees. A list of prize winners is available at www.GiveLocalCCF.org.
For more information: Tricia Caldwell, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, 203-777-7090, tcaldwell@cfgnh.org; Maybeth Morales-Davis, Connecticut Community Foundation, 203-753-1315, mdavis@conncf.org. |
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New Report Highlights Critical Mental Health Issues in Fairfield County |
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With May nationally recognized as Mental Health Month, Fairfield County Community Foundation (FCCF) released a new report, Healthy Minds, Healthy Communities. It highlights more than 70 hours of “Community Conversations” on mental health that took place between October 2013 and March 2014 across cities and towns in Fairfield County. The report includes challenges, recommendations for solutions, and community-based action steps.
“Mental illness is one of the few remaining taboo subjects in our society,” said Juanita James, president and CEO of Fairfield County Community Foundation. “Yet with nearly one out of five Fairfield County residents experiencing a mental health problem, it’s time to remove the stigma and ensure whoever needs help can access quality services and treatment.”
The Community Conversations series was initiated and funded by FCCF. Connecticut’s Southwest Regional Mental Health Board, Inc. and local chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) spearheaded promoting, organizing and holding the conversations.
Fore more information: Sallie Mitchell, Fairfield County Community Foundation, 203-750-3206, smitchell@fccfoundation.org. |
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First Step Taken In Improving Status of NW CT Children and Families |
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The Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut hosted a presentation by CT Voices for Children that provided an in-depth picture of the status of children and families in the Northwest Corner. Using data specific to Northwest CT towns and cities, CT Voices for Children provided a baseline for assessing needs, and identifying emerging trends, challenges, and successes of children and families in local towns.
The presentation provided a regional snapshot of unemployment rates; affordable family housing; children living in poverty; teenage pregnancy and education. The presentation slides can be viewed on the Foundation's website.
“Much of this research is startling,” said Guy Rovezzi, president of the Community Foundation of Northwest CT. “As a community, we balance our love for the Northwest corner with the knowledge that hardship and adversity exist within our beautiful and vibrant towns. We hope this research begins a broader conversation as the first step in facilitating collective action and positive change in our communities.”
For more information: Nicole Carlson Easley, Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut, 860-626-1245. |
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Foundation Combats Summer Learning Loss |
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The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has granted more than $790,000 to support 2014 summer education/recreation programs for school-age youth in Greater Hartford.
While offering parents with a safe, affordable option for their children, the programs also promote reading and other enrichment activities, and are designed to help prevent summer learning loss. The programs help students retain and build on skills gained during the school year and to grow developmentally.
“The Hartford Foundation investment in summer programs relates directly to its education strategy to improve education success for the region's students by working to prevent summer learning loss, which is a primary factor in helping to reduce the education achievement gap” said Judith McBride, a senior program officer.
The grants have been awarded to 63 programs for reduced-fee or free registration and will serve more than 16,000 children from across the Greater Hartford region.
A directory of the programs can be found at Hartford schools, local libraries and community centers. Available in both English and Spanish, it is also available for download at www.hfpg.org/summer and www.hartfordschools.org.
For more information: Judith McBride, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 860-588-1888. |
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Links to More Community Foundation News |
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The Hartford's Free Concert For Asylum Hill Community - June 4 |
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| Wednesday, June 4, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, The Hartford's HartBeat Park, 140 Garden Street, Hartford. The second of The Hartford's free outdoor concerts for its employees, Asylum Hill neighbors, local students and the general public features the Hartford Symphony Orchestra's String Quartet. The concerts are an effort of The Hartford to build a more connected community. |
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A Year of Saturday Openings - New Britain Industrial Museum - June 14 |
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Saturday, June 14, 10 am - 4 pm, New Britain Industrial Museum, 185 Main Street on the second floor of the CCSU/ITBD building, New Britain. Starting on Connecticut Open House Day, June 14, the museum will be celebrating a Year of Saturday openings, made possible by the American Savings Foundation.
The current featured exhibit at the New Britain Industrial Museum is Stanley Helps You Do Things Right Exhibit, which will be on view in the Industrial Museum until Saturday June 28. More information >> |
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Volunteer for United Way Family Book Festival - June 21 |
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| Saturday, June 21, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Hartford City Hall, 550 Main Street, Hartford. The United Way of Central and Northeastern CT will allow children to participate in fun literacy-related crafts, receive books and sign a Summer Reading Pledge. Volunteers will assemble bookplates into books prior to the event, assist families with engaging, educational activities, and distribute books (volunteer hours: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm) The event will help raise awareness about the importance of reading during the summer when lower-income children tend to lose two months of learning, causing an achievement gap among their peers. More information >> |
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The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy welcomed SUE MURPHY, Executive Director of Liberty Bank Foundation (Middletown and Colchester), as the newly elected chair of the board of directors at its Annual Luncheon on May 2 at the New Haven Lawn Club. Sue succeeds KIM HEALEY, Executive Director of NewAlliance Foundation (New Haven and New Canaan), who completed two years as chair and nine years of service as a board member.
The Council also welcomed two other elected officials: Vice Chair— JUDITH MEYERS, Executive Director of the Children’s Fund of Connecticut (Farmington); and Secretary— CHRIS TRACZYK, Farmington Bank Community Foundation (Farmington and Wethersfield). ROBERT (BOB) HAGGETT, of Newman’s Own Foundation (Farmington, Westport and Glastonbury) will continue as Treasurer.
Newly elected members to the board of directors are: AMY FRY, VP of Communications and Public Affairs for Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation (Ridgefield and Canton); FRANCES G. PADILLA, president of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut (Meriden and New Haven); and FAHD VAHIDY, philanthropic advisor for the Graustein Family Office (Hamden and West Hartford).
The Council also recognized retiring board members for their service to the organization: ANDREW (ANDY) BOONE, The Netter Foundation; PENNY CANNY, formerly with the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven; BARBARA FERNANDEZ, State of Connecticut, Department of Economic and Community Development; KIM HEALEY, NewAlliance Foundation; and JOHN (JACK) HORAK, Reid and Riege. |
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The Ms. Foundation recently announced its new CEO and president, TERESA YOUNGER, who most recently served as the executive director of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), where she has spearheaded successful campaigns for women’s health, safety and economic empowerment.
Ms. Younger is a board member of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, whose mission is to increase the number and influence of women in elected and appointed office in the United States and around the globe. She serves on the National Advisory Board on Religious Restrictions on Care and was the first woman and the first African-American to serve as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut. She subsequently served as director of affiliate organizational development at the American Civil Liberties Union National Office, where she spearheaded affiliate growth nationwide.
Ms. Younger has recently concluded her role as two-term president on the board of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, which serves 46,000 Connecticut girls and 20,000 volunteers. She also serves on several on the board of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut — and she previously served on the board of the National Association of Commissions for Women. |
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National Medical Fellowships (NMF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of underrepresented minority physicians and other health care professionals, has honored Aetna Foundation President GARTH GRAHAM, MD, MPH, with its 2014 Philanthropy Leadership Award.
The award, presented at the organization's gala in New York City in April, recognized Dr. Graham's continuing leadership in advancing community and national health initiatives that aim to improve health equity in under served and minority communities.
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| Aurora Women and Girls Foundation welcomes SUSAN B. CLEMOW to their Board of Directors. Ms. Clemow is Managing Partner, Clemow Consulting Group, LLC, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Planned Giving Group of Connecticut. She also currently serves on the Board of the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts. |
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| KATE EMERY, CEO of The Walker Group and RESET, was acknowledged as one of ten 2014 Design & Innovation Honorees by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame. Honorees are a distinguished group of women who help transform our world in diverse ways. The Hall of Fame will celebrate their 21st Annual Induction Ceremony, Shaping our World: Women in Design & Innovation, on October 29, 2014, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. |
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 The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy is an association of grantmakers committed to promoting and supporting effective philanthropy for the public good. With members representing 114 private and community foundations, federated funds, and corporate foundations and giving programs, the Council is Connecticut’s foremost resource on philanthropy. The organization benefits the larger grantmaking community, the nonprofit sector and the public in Connecticut.
For more news about philanthropy in Connecticut, go to the Council's press room, Connecticut Philanthropy Digest archives and our blog, CTPhilanthropyNotes.org.
News about Connecticut funders may be submitted to the Council for consideration. The Connecticut Philanthropy Digest is brought to you by the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. Edited by Laurie Allen. |
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