Nonprofits, community groups and individuals have an exciting opportunity to be awarded grant money for Granby community improvement projects through the Granby Greater Together Community Fund.
As a result of a listening tour conducted in 2018–19, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving established a grant program for each of the 29 towns in its region. Granby was visited on March 20, 2018, with nearly 30 residents gathering in the Granby Memorial High School chorus room. Some of the key issues raised at that time included the need for a community center, the high prices of land for young farmers, the involvement of youth entrepreneurs in the community and the lack of affordable housing for seniors.
Based on this feedback, the Hartford Foundation created the new Granby Greater Together Community Fund—not to be confused with the decades-longstanding Granby Community Fund. The Granby Greater Together Community Fund (GTCF) is not a fundraising body, but instead receives grants from the Hartford Foundation that are then dispensed to selected projects through an application process.
This year, GTCF has the opportunity to distribute the entirety of the original $100,000 from the Hartford Foundation. When the fund was allocated in 2019, $50,000 was immediately available for grants, while the remaining $50,000 was endowed for future use. Since it took several years for the GTCF to organize, elect a committee and develop procedures, all the money is now available to the community. This is the first year the GTCF will be awarding grants.
Michael Harrison, chair of the GTCF committee, is excited to welcome proposals from the community. He shares, “We’re just really excited to put money into the town. This is a really unique opportunity to put a lot of money into the town in a positive way, to effect impactful change and to sustain good programs that are already here.” For Harrison, who moved here three years ago from California, his love for Granby spurs his desire to serve the community and spread opportunities to create growth. “I love our little town. Everybody has just been so welcoming, so accepting and lovely,” he affirms, “I really look at the town in a different way since I’m raising a child here. I wanted to be involved in something that was positive and could give back and do good.”
While the GTCF was created by the Hartford Foundation, the committee now operates largely independently. The committee of seven Granby residents spans a range of ages and years of residency in Granby. “We’ve got a great team of people,” notes Harrison, “We have a high school student, which is really exciting because we thought it was important to have a youth voice on the committee. She’s grown up in the school system here, born and raised in Granby, so it’s neat to have her voice.”
The application period is open from Feb. 1 to April 1, with final decisions being made by the GTCF by May 1. Requested amounts can range from $250 to $25,000, with proposals detailing the exact use of funds and how each project will directly benefit all Granby residents. A detailed description of criteria are on hfpg.org/donors/ways-to-give/community-funds/granby
The GTCF asks that individuals or businesses interested in applying secure a fiscal sponsor. The committee can help identify a fiscal sponsor for those in need. Please email granby@hfpgcommunityfunds.org
To encourage community involvement and answer questions about the proposal process, the GTCF will host a community mingle event on Monday, Feb. 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Granby Senior Center Community Room. Harrison explains that the intent of the event is to “share information with nonprofits and interested residents, and to hear what residents are looking for in their community.” All are welcome to attend and share their thoughts with the committee.
Looking to the future, the GTCF plans to continue distributing funds to residents and nonprofits in Granby. In celebration of the Hartford Foundation’s centennial, another $100,000 has been allocated to the GTCF for 2026, with a further pledge of $15,000-$20,000 each year after that. “That’s a huge gift,” shares Harrison, “we’re very excited about that as well.” Applicants are encouraged to apply year-over-year to take advantage of this funding opportunity.