OVERVIEW: The Melville Charitable Trust is a New England foundation that focuses its efforts on homelessness in the state of Connecticut and beyond. Grants are awarded in the areas of health, housing, and income.
FUNDING AREAS: Homelessness, housing, health, income
IP TAKE: Although this funder has a national reach, it prioritizes its home state of Connecticut. In-state job training opportunities are particularly strong here.
PROFILE: Established in 1990, the Melville Charitable Trust (MCT) is headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut and is the largest U.S. foundation exclusively committed to ending homelessness. MCT was founded following the passing of the late Dorothy Bigelow Melville, Ward Melville’s widow. Ward Melville led the Melville Corporation, which is a retail company that encompasses familiar names like CVS Pharmacy and Marshall’s department store. With a sole grantmaking focus on homelessness, MCT believes that “homelessness is solvable and preventable, and that philanthropy is an essential partner to end it.” It funds homelessness, housing, health, and income.
Within the realm of homeless prevention and alleviation, MCT conducts three funding areas. MCT’s housing program supports groups that increase the supply of affordable housing, expand rental subsidies, and improve access to housing. The funder’s health funding revolves around connecting people who are risk of homelessness to the financial, legal, and medical services they need to support themselves. MCT also supports groups in Connecticut that provide job training services to people who have recently been homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless. Past grants have gone to Connecticut organizations including the Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development, the Connecticut Association for Human Services, and Capital Workforce Partners.
Typical MCT grants range in size from $3,000 up to $150,000. However, an occasional grant from this funder may exceed the million-dollar mark. In recent years, the foundation has awarded between 50 and 75 grants per year. A significant portion of this funder’s homelessness mission prioritizes its home state of Connecticut. Large grants support established, national organizations. Approximately 55 percent of recent grants have been going to Connecticut organizations lately with the remaining 45 percent going to broader efforts nationwide.
MCT welcomes online letters of inquiry from nonprofits and also issues occasional requests for proposals as well. Applicants can submit LOIs on the funder’s website on a rolling basis. The foundation only responds to inquires that it wants to explore further. Grantseekers can follow the News and Views section of its website. Direct general questions to the foundation staff at info@melvilletrust.org or (203) 901-1065.
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