WATERBURY—In December, Connecticut Community Foundation awarded $623,954 in grants to 62 nonprofit organizations serving residents of Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills. The funds will bring vital programs and services to people throughout the Foundation’s 21-town service area.

Julie Loughran, president and CEO, stated, “Nonprofit organizations throughout our region are facing unprecedented demand for their services amid challenges none of us could have anticipated just two years ago. We are awed by the creativity and resilience with which these organizations have stepped up to the challenge. Connecticut Community Foundation is grateful to local nonprofits for their critically important work, and to the donors past and present whose generosity enables us to support local organizations whose work is moving the community closer to our vision of an equitable, inclusive, just, and vibrant community in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.”

Among other grants, the recent awards included:

  • $162,985 to 15 nonprofit organizations working to build equitable opportunities for local residents. Grants in this area support efforts to address deep educational and economic disparities.
  • $187,815 to 13 organizations working to improve outcomes in health and environmental justice. The Foundation recognizes that a person’s health is influenced by where they are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age. Improving health outcomes requires an approach that supports a whole person within their community.
  • $47,000 to fund seven organizations that seek to build additional capacity in order to effectively meet their goals. Nonprofit capacity-building grants can include support for strategic planning, financial management, technology, fund development and communications. Investment in building stronger non-profits creates a more sustainable operational infrastructure, builds efficiencies, improves program delivery and increases overall impact.
  • $179,990 in grants to support 18 organizations working to improve quality of life for older people. These initiatives help people in our region age successfully and remain healthy, informed and engaged.
  • $46,164 in grants to seven nonprofits to support efforts benefiting residents of Southbury through the Southbury Community Trust Fund.

Grants are made possible by the extraordinary generosity of donors who have established more than 500 charitable funds at the foundation to benefit residents of Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.

One of many organizations awarded grants, Vision to Learn, received $50,000 from the Health and Environmental Justice Fund and the Herbst Fund for Eye Research. Vision to Learn provides free eye exams and glasses to students in underserved communities, using mobile clinics that travel directly to school sites. This project will serve four Bridge to Success Boost! Community Schools in Waterbury: Carrington Elementary, Duggan Elementary, John G. Gilmartin Elementary and Jonathan Reed Elementary. Approximately 2,000 students will receive vision screenings. An estimated 600 will receive follow-up eye exams, and approximately 480 will be provided prescription glasses.

Ann Hollister, Executive Director of Vision to Learn, said, “Vision to Learn is thrilled to receive a grant from Connecticut Community Foundation supporting school-based vision care for students in need. Every child deserves the ability to see clearly at school.”

View all the grants awarded by the Foundation in the December grant rounds at: http://www.conncf.org/grants-awarded