February 16, 2023 A Family Foundation Tapping a Fast Food Fortune Just Got a Lot Richer. Here’s What to Expect February 16, 2023/ Ade Adeniji The foundation of Peter Buck and his wife Carmen, both deceased, recently inherited a 50% stake in Subway, which could be worth billions. Here’s what we know about the family’s philanthropy and interests. Read More
October 25, 2022 Six Questions with Mendi Blue Paca, New President of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation October 25, 2022/ Mike Scutari Mendi Blue Paca is president and CEO of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation in Connecticut. We chatted with her about her background, her influences, and how community foundations can talk about race.Read More
August 08, 2022 What Went Wrong? A Look Back at the Collapse of a Billionaire-Funded Education Partnership August 08, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Barbara Dalio spearheaded an ambitious public-private partnership for education equity in Connecticut. Not long after, it all went up in smoke. The saga highlights some fraught questions about big donors’ role in K-12 funding.Read More
July 27, 2022 How a Connecticut Family Foundation Evolved to Support Youth-Led Social Change July 27, 2022/ Ade Adeniji Since its start in the 1990s, the Perrin Family Foundation has shifted from local funding to supporting racial justice and organizing across Connecticut. Family members explain how the foundation has evolved over the years.Read More
June 10, 2022 How the Haymarket People’s Fund Backs Social Justice in New England June 10, 2022/ Alyssa Ochs The Haymarket People’s Fund has given money to nearly every major social justice organization in New England since 1974. Here’s a closer look at how this well-established social justice grantmaker operates in the region. Read More
August 17, 2021 Where the NBCUniversal Foundation Is Focusing Its Local Giving in the U.S. August 17, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs This media giant’s corporate funding arm awards millions of dollars to various regions to address community challenges. We take a closer look.Read More
February 03, 2021 A Look at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation’s NYC Philanthropy February 03, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs Here’s a look at the Cohen Foundation’s giving in the New York City area to help grantseekers get to know this local funder a bit better.Read More
January 20, 2021 “The Community Are Our Kids.” Meet a New Foundation Focusing on LGBTQ Causes January 20, 2021/ Ade Adeniji The newly minted Leonard-Litz Foundation focuses on LGBTQ causes with an eye toward community organizations and racial justice. We talk to the couple behind the foundation to find out more.Read More
July 02, 2019 “If You Want to Go Far, Go Together." In Connecticut, an Ambitious Collective Impact Push July 02, 2019/ John Freund A new fund quarterbacked by a community foundation is aiming to close opportunity gaps from “cradle to career.” The initiative has a strong focus on building the capacity of local funders to have greater impact in a state with deep inequities. Read More
June 22, 2019 Campbell's Remains Committed to New Jersey Nonprofits, but is Less Accessible June 22, 2019/ Alyssa Ochs When it comes to soup, Campbell’s is America’s most iconic name. But many soup fans don’t realize the company has a philanthropic foundation that’s deeply involved in the Tri-State Area’s nonprofit scene. Here’s how it operates. Read More
April 09, 2019 In a State with Deep Inequities, a Billionaire Couple is Catalyzing Action on K-12 and Jobs April 09, 2019/ Caitlin Reilly In recent years, Barbara Dalio has quietly tapped a vast hedge fund fortune to help address Connecticut’s education problems. Now, in a big step up, she and her husband Ray are giving $100 million for a public-private partnership. Read More
February 23, 2019 What Connecticut Nonprofits Should Know About the Elizabeth Carse Foundation February 23, 2019/ Alyssa Ochs The Elizabeth Carse Foundation has been assisting local nonprofits in Connecticut for decades. Here are a few things to know about how it operates and what organizations win support. Read More
February 09, 2019 How the Barnes Group Foundation Links Into the Connecticut Nonprofit Scene February 09, 2019/ Julia Travers The Barnes Group Foundation has been supporting local groups in Connecticut and other location where it operates for nearly 75 years. We identify its key philanthropic avenues and initiatives, including a robust employee volunteer program.Read More
January 30, 2019 “It’s Very Empowering.” Latino Giving Circles Are on the Rise January 30, 2019/ Julia Travers Donors of color are becoming more collaborative and organized, a push that reflects growing wealth in these communities and longstanding frustrations about neglect by mainstream philanthropy. A recent convening underscores the new energy around Latino giving. Read More
December 21, 2018 Four Ways Boehringer Ingelheim Funds Health and Science in Connecticut and Beyond December 21, 2018/ Julia Travers Boehringer Ingelheim and its BI Cares Foundation make a lot of grants in Connecticut, but also to researchers nationwide. What healthcare access, STEM, and research programs does this pharmaceutical giant back? Read More
October 15, 2018 Setting a New Standard: How a Community Foundation Is Taking on Sexual Violence October 15, 2018/ Julia Travers As the #MeToo movement continues to spotlight a pervasive problem, a local funder is teaming up with abuse prevention nonprofits to tackle sexual violence in Connecticut. Their focus: youth sports.Read More
September 26, 2018 Behind a Community Funder's Foray into Voter Engagement September 26, 2018/ Philip Rojc While boosting civic engagement is a deeply local enterprise, this is a tricky area for community foundations to navigate. We talk to the Fairfield County Community Foundation about its new work to spur higher turnout. Read More
September 24, 2018 This 172-Year-Old Bank is Giving Millions in New England and the Tri-State Area September 24, 2018/ Alyssa Ochs The Berkshire Bank Foundation gives at least $2 million annually to nonprofits that operate within the bank’s territory—which includes Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. We take a closer look. Read More
September 17, 2018 This Funder Works In 42 Different Communities in Connecticut September 17, 2018/ Alyssa Ochs With a mix of rural areas, small towns and coastal cities, there are many things going on in the state of Connecticut right now. Here’s how one community funder is addressing competing issues in the state. Read More
August 24, 2018 Avangrid Foundation: A Northeast Grantmaker With an Interest in Food Insecurity August 24, 2018/ Julia Travers The Avangrid Foundation is helping a local food bank distribute fresh food year-round in an era when about 14 percent of Americans use food pantry or meal services.Read More