Grant making is at the heart of what we do as a community foundation. Our trusted nonprofit partners do tremendous work to move our community forward.  Our goal is to support a diversity of services and programming that touch virtually all aspects of our community.

In 2024, BCF distributed $93,050 in community impact grants to 34 area non-profits. These grants, ranging from $800 to $8,000, support vital programs and services which significantly benefit Branford residents.

In 2024, BCF experienced a record-breaking year, receiving 45 grant applications—a 32% increase from the previous year. The total funding requested was $245,338, marking a 26% rise from last year’s figures. This increase underscores the growing needs within our community and the expanding role of BCF in addressing them.

The 2024 guiding principles in reviewing grant applications were basic needs, including food insecurity, shelter, emergency financial assistance, and childcare; mental health services, including promoting awareness, prevention, and intervention related to mental health and substance misuse; programs which create joy in the Branford community; child and youth development services; striving for high impact in the Branford community; and the consideration of supporting organizations and populations which are disparately impacted and which BCF may not have previously supported.

The 2024 Community Impact Grant Recipients are:

•  Tail To Paw Animal Support (2024 Vet Care To the Community – $2,000.00)
• Branford Compassion Club (Branford Compassion Club Neuter/Spay Program – $1,000.00)
• Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance (2024 BACA Operating Expenses – $3,000.00)
• Shoreline Arts Alliance (Tassy Walden Workshops for Diverse Voices – $1,000.00)
• Stony Creek Museum Inc. (DINO WEEK IN THE CREEK – $4,000.00)
• Legacy Theatre (Restoration and Display of Historic Stony Creek Puppet House Puppet – $2,000.00)
• Community Dining Room (Operating Expenses – $4,000.00)
• Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven (Engaging The Branford Community with Literacy Support – $3,000.00)
• Women & Family Life Center (Guided Assistance Program 2024 – $6,000.00)
• Children in Placement, Connecticut Inc. (2024 Guardian ad Litem Program – $1,500.00)
• Feed Branford Kids (2024 Feed Branford Kids Operating Expenses – $8,000.00)
• Peace Love and ACCESSability (Educational project-designing to Connecticut police departments – $1,000.00)
• SARAH Inc. (2024 Enhanced Enrichment Project – $2,500.00)
• Special Olympics Connecticut (Special Olympics Connecticut Central Shoreline local program support – $3,000.00)
• East Shore District Health Dept. (2024 Reducing Fecal Contamination in Short Beach Waters – $2,500.00)
• Branford Garden Club (Plastic Plant Pots Reduction Education and Sustainable Gardening – $800.00)
• Move to Heal CT (Move to Heal 2024 Operating Expenses – $2,000.00)
• Orchard House Medical Adult Day Center (Flashboard Bingo – $4,200.00)
• BHcare, Inc. (Adult Welcome Center Sponsorship – $2,500.00)
• Clifford W. Beers Guidance Clinic, Inc. (Jennifer Cretella – $3,000.00)
• The Connecticut Hospice, Inc. (Improvements to the CT Hospice summer swimming pool program for Branford residents – $2,000.00)
• Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (2024 Technology Initiative $ 1,000.00
• Shoreline Village CT (Shoreline Village 2024 – $4,000.00)
• Read to Grow, Inc. (Supporting childhood literacy in Branford through Books for Kids program & Popcorn and PJs – $2,000.00)
• Branford Early Learning Center (2024 Children and Family Resource Guide for Branford Families – $2,500.00)
• Society of Nepalese in America (Nepali Language and Culture Class for kids – $2,000.00)
• BHS Project Graduation (2024 Branford High Project Graduation – $2,000.00)
• Camp Hazen YMCA (2024 Financial Assistance to Support Youth from Branford, CT – $3,000.00)
• James Blackstone Memorial Library (2024 Summer Reading Program – $1,600.00)
• Soundview Family YMCA c/o Central Connecticut Coast YMCA (2024 Soundview Family YMCA Y Be Fit Youth Program – $2,000.00)
• The Cove Center for Grieving Children (2024 Guilford Cove Family Program – $3,750.00)
• Soundview Family YMCA (2024 Every Second Grader Learns to Swim – Branford Public Schools – $4,000.00)
• Traveling Toys, Inc. (2024 First Toy Lending Library for Children and Teens at the James Blackstone Memorial Library – $2,500.00)
• Branford FRC at Indian Neck School (2024 Family-Child Yoga Program – $3,700.00)