Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

Hartford native Renae James co-founded the community, wellness and social run club Eight Six Go, also known as 86G0, in 2020. The idea came after Renae combined her exercise and sports science degree from the The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with her passion for prioritizing movement. With her business partner, Renae built a running community where everyone can find a sense of belonging — particularly those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Eight Six Go’s mission is to “uphold an inclusive, comfortable and social community that inspires personal growth through challenging people to get up and go.” #EightSixGo #86G0 #Runclub #Hartford #Inclusive #Sports #Exercise #BIPOC #GetUpAndGo

JoAnn Price is a co-founder of the independent investment management firm Fairview Capital Partners, Inc. — based in West Hartford. JoAnn is a passionate advocate for an array of community organizations, as co-founder of the Brother Carl Hardrick Institute, and as a board member at the Wilson-Gray YMCA Youth and Family Center and Blue Hills Civic Association. On a national scale, she serves on the board of the Howard University School of Business and the Apollo Theater Foundation, among others. JoAnn is also a former board chair of the Hartford Foundation. “Although diversity can lead to competition, working together is a more direct path to success and power,” said JoAnn. “It takes faith in each other and the humility to understand that listening without ego can expand your universe to unlock our true strengths.” #Investment #Investor #Hartford #HartfordFoundation #WestHartford #FairviewCapitalPartners #Communityleader #avonct

Eleanor Hope Emery, endearingly known as Hope, was celebrated for her service to others and her ability to balance work, family, and volunteering. Seeing her work as inseparable from her personal life, she founded lasting organizations in Farmington, including Services for the Elderly, the Farmington Village Cooperative Nursery School, the Friendly Visitor Program, the Oral History Project, the Sounding Board for troubled teens, and the Lookout Fund for local initiatives. Hope cherished her family, the town of Farmington, and her deep connection to the First Church of Christ Congregational, where both her grandfathers served as ministers. She held leadership roles in the church, including Moderator and Deacon. Hope was admired for her listening skills, patience, and practical advice, and always helping those around her. #volunteer #CommunityService #CommunityImpact #ChurchLeadership #farmingtonct

Deadline Approaching: Submit Your Neighborhood Beautification Idea by March 14th! Are you a Hartford resident and/or organization passionate about beautifying your neighborhood? If you have an idea for your neighborhood such as community clean-up, transforming vacant lots into community spaces, and celebrating love for your block, we want to hear from you. Submit your ideas by March 14th! Selected ideas will be invited to submit a full application. If you want more information about Love Your Block check out the guide. #LoveYourBlock #Hartford #CommunityFoundation #HartfordHasIt #CommunityGarden #PublicArt #GrantMaking

Explore our 2024 grantmaking total, upcoming grant opportunities, and career openings to join our team. #Nonprofit #CommunityFoundation #Connecticut #Grantmaking #Hartford #PhilanthropyJobs #NonprofitJobs #Grants

As a Community Impact Officer, Cynthia Wills is a member of both the Civic Engagement & Resident Engagement and Thriving Neighborhoods teams. She actively supports initiatives focused on affordable housing, small business support, and increasing civic participation. Her work is centered around empowering residents to play an active role in shaping their communities and fostering vibrant, thriving neighborhoods. Cynthia shares, "Projects like Love Your Block celebrate Hartford’s cultural vibrancy and allow resident to transform their neighborhoods through projects to clean, green and beautify. This initiative not only promotes creative problem-solving but also empowers residents to become decision-makers and active builders of their communities." Originally from Miami, Cynthia previously worked at the Knight Foundation, where she contributed to initiatives designed to sustain and grow a creative, entrepreneurial community. She also previously supported tenant organizing of immigrant communities in New York. #LoveYourBlock #AffordableHousing #HousingJustice?#CommunityFoundation #Philanthropy #Grant #Connecticut #Nonprofit #Hartford #Civics

Kate Emery is a businesswoman, artist, and advocate. She founded The Walker Group, a technology consulting firm that blends high-tech solutions with a human touch. Kate was inspired by her engineer father and her social worker mother, Hope, who founded a number of nonprofits in Farmington that support nature, the elderly, and children. Kate soon turned a computer recycling initiative into an independent operation. Her passion for social enterprise led her to establish reSET (Social Enterprise Trust), Hartford's social enterprise incubator, aiming to make Connecticut a hub for social entrepreneurship. In 2014, The Walker Group became the state's first Benefit Corporation, committing a third of its profits to the community. Kate recently transitioned the company into Connecticut's first Perpetual Purpose Trust to ensure its commitment towards a fairer, more sustainable world. #Nonprofit #HartfordFoundation #TechnologyConsulting #SocialEnterprises #Hartford #Entrepreneurship

The Hartford Foundation is pleased to announce a grant opportunity through the John E. Blair Fund, offering awards from $1,000 to $40,000. This fund supports organizations serving individuals with visual impairments across the Foundation’s 29-town region. [Video Description for Accessibility] A grant officer sits at a desk and speaks directly to the camera. She shares information about a request for proposal aimed at supporting Greater Hartford nonprofits that serve community with visual and/or hearing impairments. Captions appear on the screen to ensure accessibility for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. #Hartford #VisualImpairment #RFP #RequestForProposal #Nonprofit

Last month, more than 50 educators gathered at the Foundation to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Hartford Family Child Care Educators Community, an initiative dedicated to supporting family child-care providers. It began when Maria Amado, a family child-care educator, started connecting with others to share knowledge and resources. Since then, she has become a leader in the field, fostering connections with stakeholders and empowering Latine women—both providers and entrepreneurs—by offering training, licensing support, and language accessibility to enhance the quality of child care in the community. Senior Officer Joel Hicks-Rivera, LPC shares, "Maria's ability to connect with other providers and share valuable resources has strengthened the early childhood network in Hartford and beyond. She has created pathways for countless Latine women to thrive as both providers and entrepreneurs. Her work has been transformative, and it's been an honor to witness and collaborate with her on this journey." #ChildCareProvider #Hartford #NAFCC #FamilyChildCare #EarlyChildhoodEducation #Nonprofit #Granmaking #CommunityFoundation #Community

We are sharing The Bridge Project's (TBP) op-ed advocating for an increased Child Tax Credit. With a strong record of success, TBP provides unconditional cash assistance to new mothers, offering financial relief and enabling them to invest in their child’s critical early years. Designed to be accessible, culturally responsive, and judgment-free, TBP meets the needs of mothers—particularly in Hartford, where 430 of the 1,500 babies born annually are born into poverty. This three-year support helps alleviate the toxic stress of poverty, break intergenerational cycles of trauma, and improve economic mobility for families in our region. It also serves as a bridge to universal care and education programs that begin at age three. To support their expansion into Hartford, the Foundation awarded TBP two multiyear grants totaling over $400,000. https://lnkd.in/ekHmdKTi #TaxCredits #CtFamilies #ChildPoverty #MaternalHealth #EconomicMobility #CommunityFoundation #CT #Hartford