Shakesperience Productions

Connecticut Community Foundation has awarded $27,000 in event sponsorship grants to local organizations

In its February grant round, Connecticut Community Foundation awarded a total of $27,000 in sponsorship grants to 30 nonprofit organizations hosting community events in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills in the coming months. The sponsored events include fundraising parties, theater productions, concerts, lectures, and celebrations of young writers, gay pride, and literacy.

Julie Loughran, president and CEO of Connecticut Community Foundation, said, “Thanks to our generous donors and local nonprofit organizations, residents of Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills have a lot to look forward to in the coming months! We are thrilled to support such a breadth of superb events that bring our communities together to break bread, laugh, learn, or celebrate together.”

The Foundation awards sponsorship grants of up to $2,500 to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, libraries, over-55 communities and/or senior centers for events held in the Foundation’s 21-town service area or to agencies whose programs serve the area.

One new grantee, the Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut in New Milford, was awarded $1,000.

Said Executive Director Dawn Hammacott, “Connecticut Community Foundation’s sponsorship grant for our ‘Recipe for Success’ annual gala is so greatly appreciated! It validates the work that we do, which encourages other organizations to provide sponsorships, too. And, guests are motivated to give more at the event to help us meet the challenge goal. All the money raised through the gala goes directly towards tuition for employed and underemployed individuals in our job training programs ― helping them pursue culinary careers.”

Below are the Foundation’s newest event sponsorship grantees, with grant award amounts, events and event dates. Tickets are currently available for many of the events.

  • Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury, $1,000, 2nd Annual Home Matters Dinner and Benefit, March 15
  • Shakesperience Productions, $1,000: Sweets to the Sweet, March 22
  • Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut, $1,000: Recipe for Success, March 24
  • Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury, $1,000: Out of the Shadows, April 11
  • History Bites Consortium, $500: Local Treasures, April 12 ‐ June 7
  • Joyful Noise, $1,000: Brahms Requiem, A Journey for the Soul, April 14
  • Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury, $1,000: Wines of the World,  April 20
  • TheatreWorks New Milford, $1,000: Senior Nights, May 3, July 12, September 20, December 6
  • Oxford Public Library, $800: Grand Opening Celebration, May 5
  • Madre Latina, $1,000: The Achiever Gala and Award Ceremony, May 5
  • Friends of Litchfield Community Greenway, $1,000: “Tour, Taste and Toast the Greenway,” May 11
  • Literacy Volunteers on the Green, $1,000: Celebration of Literacy, May 12
  • Palace Theater, $1,000: Palace 10.3 — Party of the Decades, May 18
  • Bethlehem Land Trust, $1,000: Wine and Beer Tasting and Auction, May 19
  • The Glebe House Museum and Gertrude Jekyll Garden, $1,000: An Evening of Cocktails and Festive Dinners with Friends, May 19
  • Town of Prospect Parks and Recreation, $1,000: Summer Concert Series, June ‐ August
  • Merryall Center for the Arts, $1,000: Merryall Celebrates Gay Pride Month, June
  • ASAP!, $1,000: Celebration of Young Writers, June 2
  • Waterbury ARC, $1,000: WARC Annual Wine and Beer Tasting Fundraiser, June 6
  • New Milford VNA and Hospice, $1,000: 100th Anniversary Gala, June 15
  • Bridgewater Library Association, $500: Project Summer, June 16 ‐ August 8
  • Gunn Memorial Library, $1,000: Library Luminaries, June 16
  • Are You Dense?, $1,000: Music Fest, June 16
  • Historic Overlook Community Club, $1,000:  Make Music Waterbury, June 21
  • Acts 4 Ministry, $1,000:  Inspiration Annual Event, June 28
  • Litchfield Community Center, $1,000: SummerFest Gala, July 21
  • Waterbury Youth Services, $500: 21st Annual Back to School Rally, August 22
  • Litchfield Land Trust, $1,000: Sunset Party, September 7
  • Main Street Ballet Company, $1,000: The Nutcracker, December 1-2
  • St. Michael’s Parish, $500: Free Community Winter Concerts, December 16, 2018 and January 20, and February 17 (2019)

Connecticut Community Foundation is accepting applications now for its next round of sponsorship grants. The deadline to apply is April 27.  Learn more at www.conncf.org/event-sponsorships/.