The Women’s Giving Circle’s 2026 grant recipients include $56,000 in awards to the following organizations:

• The Center for Empowerment and Education was awarded a $6,000 grant to support victims of domestic violence and abuse by providing shelter, food, clothing, educational resources, counseling, and mindfulness programs.
• Greenwoods Counseling Referrals, Inc. was awarded a $6,000 grant to expand access to critical mental healthcare services for women and girls including mental health assessments, individual counseling and therapy, and medication management.
• Malta House of Care-Waterbury, Inc. was awarded a $6,000 grant towards improving women’s cardiac health through supporting a community health worker position responsible for after care, resource navigation, the development of a screening process to identify women considered high-risk of heart disease, and to support the distribution of health equipment to increase home monitoring.
• Naugatuck Valley Community College Foundation was awarded a $6,000 grant to support an 8-month leadership development program for women of color which includes tuition assistance and a goal of improving persistence, graduation, and transfer rates.
• Naugatuck Valley Soup Kitchen was awarded a $6,000 grant to fund groceries and packing supplies for its year-round meal delivery service to women, single mothers, and elderly women.
• Save Girls on FYER was awarded a $20,000 grant to support community-centered core programming for girls of color focused on leadership development, mentorship, identity-affirming learning, and youth-led engagement. 
• Susan B. Anthony Project was awarded a $6,000 grant to fund their Girls Circle Support Group for at-risk and/or court-involved girls focused on empowerment, self esteem, violence prevention, and self-advocacy skills.

Over the last eight years, the Circle has awarded over $300,000 in grants to organizations advancing opportunities for women and girls in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.

What Membership Means

Members of the Women’s Giving Circle:

• Collaborate and network with a diverse group of generous people who value improving opportunities for women and girls in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills

• Learn about community issues and effective philanthropy

• Share the joy of giving—together.

When it is time to make grants, circle members decide together the issues they want to support, such as employment, education, pay equity, housing, parenting or women’s health. Circle members review grant applications and make funding decisions together.

2025-2026 Steering Committee Members

Hannah Alley Keller – Chair
*Grace Richardson
Pam Bless
*Regina Duchin Kraus
Baba Frew
Trish Lindenman
L. Joyelle Maini
*Karen Powell – Past Chair
Amanda Pulawski – Grant Review Committee Chair 
*Jodi Wasserstein – Past Chair

*Denotes founding members

Women’s Giving Circle Chair:

Hannah Alley-Keller is passionate about amplifying the voices and helping to improve the lives of women and girls in the greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills communities. After a successful 15-year career fundraising for independent and higher education institutions, she decided to focus her time and energy on raising her two sons and volunteering. She has held a variety of annual and major giving roles throughout her career, most recently serving as the Director of Development Operations with The Frederick Gunn School. Hannah is a proud Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Agnes Scott College, hoping to further their mission by engaging in the intellectual and social challenges of her time.

FAQs for Women’s Giving Circle Grant Applicants

If you have questions about how to apply for a Women’s Giving Circle grant please visit our FAQs for grant applicants.

Joining the Women’s Giving Circle

The Women’s Giving Circle is open to anyone who cares about women and girls in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills. Members make a minimum annual contribution to the Women’s Giving Circle. Your investment also entitles you to invitations to Women’s Giving Circle activities and events and to cast a vote at an annual meeting to decide how the circle’s pooled funds should be granted to local organizations. Select a giving level that not only meets your needs, but has impact!

• $ 1000 Women’s Giving Circle Game Changer (or monthly payment of $84)

• $ 500 Women’s Giving Circle Community Hero (or monthly payment of $42)

• $ 250 Women’s Giving Circle Community Catalyst (or monthly payment of $21)

• $ 120 Women’s Giving Circle Community Builder (or monthly payment of $10)

Contribute, Renew or Join Now!

You can donate online or via check,  and can give monthly or in a single installment. Checks can be made payable to Connecticut Community Foundation. Please include Women’s Giving Circle on the memo line. To join with a gift of appreciated securities, please contact Development Director Cynthia Merrick.