2024 Annual Grant Making Process Guidelines
The mission of the Branford Community Foundation (BCF) is to connect people who care with causes that matter, for the purpose of preserving and promoting the quality of life in Branford, Connecticut, now and for generations to come. BCF is dedicated to our core values of integrity, inclusiveness, responsiveness, and accountability.
We fulfill our mission by building and maintaining a charitable endowment and making prudent grants that serve to address the ever-changing needs of the Branford community. Through the gracious giving of donors who are committed to our mission, we fund worthy programs that promote the quality of life in Branford.
Timetable for Annual Grants
The 2024 annual grant application will be available on January 22, 2024. The deadline to submit a completed application to the Branford Community Foundation (BCF) for consideration for funding is March 15, 2024.
Potential applicants are encouraged to attend an information session, to be held by Zoom on Thursday, February 22 at 10:00 am. RSVP to Administrative Assistant Amy Paris aparis@branfordcommunityfoundation.org and a zoom link will be provided. Organizations unable to the session meeting should contact Program Director Jennifer Mullett with questions about the grant guidelines or application process prior to submitting a grant.
If you were unable to attend the information session on the application process, you can view the entire session by clicking on the video below.
Grant Review Process
The Community Investment Committee (CIC) of the Branford Community Foundation is charged with reviewing the applications and making recommendations for funding to the Board of Directors. CIC may request more information from applicants during the grant review process. Grant award decisions will be announced by May 31, 2024.
Important Information
What the Branford Community Foundation Funds
The Branford Community Foundation looks to fund organizations and projects that strengthen and improve Branford in the following focus areas:
2024 Guiding Principles in Reviewing Grant Applications
The Board of Directors has prioritized the following issues for our 2024 competitive grant making process:
Additional Information
BCF holds several “field of interest” funds, including funds dedicated to basic needs, animals, environment, cultural arts, and music. During the application review process, the CIC works to match applications with corresponding fields of interest funds and donor intent.
BCF seeks grants that enhance the quality of life in Branford. Grant applications should address a need within the focus area and demonstrate impact on the organization, project, community, or persons served.
Applications should include some of the following elements:
In 2023, BCF awarded 25 grants through its competitive grant making process. These grants mostly ranged from $1000 to $8,000 with an average award being around $3,400.
Branford Community Foundation will not award grants to:
Your responsibilities if you are awarded a grant:
Additional Funding Opportunities
Emergent Needs Grants: BCF understand that projects and emergencies arise that cannot be accommodated by an annual grant cycle. We reserve a small pool of funding for these types of grant applications, and applicants must clarify why the application was not submitted through the Competitive Grant process. Contact Jennifer Mullett, Program Director, for information.
Sponsorships:BCF is proud to partner with GSB to support organizations serving the Branford community through sponsorship of qualifying events. Sponsorships are a single event (i.e. gala, road race, etc.) or a series of individual events held by an organization over a given time period, to increase visibility or for fundraising. Sponsorship guidelines and application are available for review through the online grant portal. If you are unsure if your event qualifies for sponsorship, please contact Amy Paris, Administrative Assistant.
Scholarships: Scholarship awards for graduating seniors from Branford High School are reviewed and recommended by the Branford High School Guidance office. Questions about scholarships may be addressed to (203) 315-6730.
Photo by Bill O’Brien