Summer, 2026 Newsletter:
In our Summer, 2026 newsletter we welcomed Hedy Ayers, who will be joining the Foundation in October as Director of Development and Advancement. Hedy knows our community. She knows the Foundation’s work. And she arrives ready to build on the extraordinary foundation that our outgoing Director of Development, Cindy Merrick, has spent years constructing. Cindy will remain with us, as a Special Advisor, Development, through her retirement on December 31, ensuring a thoughtful and well-supported transition. Also Featured:
- August is Make-A-Will Month, and the Foundation has partnered with FreeWill, a service that makes creating a legally valid will simple, fast, and free. Find out more about FreeWill.
- One Inspiring Evening: Celebrating Our Scholars! Over 400 students received mor than $1.3 million in scholarship support from our generous donors. View a photo gallery of this inspiring evening.
- On Wednesday, October 21 the Women’s Giving Circle will celebrate 10 years of growth, impact, and the future of giving together to support women and girls in our community!
- On June 9, The Women’s Giving Circle held their annual voting event and awarded $56,000 in grants to six deserving nonprofits.
- On June 21, the Waterbury Black Giving Circle gathered to celebrate Juneteenth and honor their grant award recipients.
- The Impact NOW fund continues to support immediate, basic needs in our community. Most recently, local nonprofits have reported significant hardships related to rising fuel costs that callenge their ability to meet their missions.
- The Fall Grant Cycle is now open and accepting proposals. Nonprofits – the due date for applications is September 15, 2026.
- Nonprofit leaders are encouraged to register for a three-part workshop in September and October entitled “Navigating Uncertainty: Strategies for Nonprofit Reslience.”
- Healthbridge Foundation has launched its first competitive grant round, and in June it convened members of our community to support maternal health equity.
- The Foundation’s Annual Meeting and Summer Social will be held September 15, 2026. Please RSVP by September 8.
- End Child Poverty Now partner organizations have each invested $25,000 to support statewide housing advocacy and address root causes of child poverty in our state.
- Foundations are collaborating to fund the first study on The State of Girls in Connecticut.
- On Tuesday, August 4, Foundation staff enjoyed a visit to the New Milford Nonprofit Roundtable.
- Be sure to visit and follow our new, official Facebook page!
