Seth Pomeroy Holcombe and Lucy Eaton Holcombe were longtime residents of the village of North Granby in the town of Granby. Both were active in their community, enthusiastically supporting the culture and history of the town they loved. Seth and Lucy served on many local boards and committees, and shared a passion for Morgan horses, giving a home to many horses over the years and founding the Granby Horse Council. To continue their lifetime of giving back, the Holcombes established the Pomeroy-Brace Fund at the Hartford Foundation to support organizations serving the residents of Granby and the region.
At year-end 2025, the fund provided 10 grants totaling nearly $192,000 to local nonprofit organizations.
The Farmington Valley YMCA’s Teen Lounge is a space where local teens can spend time together and access a variety of resources including computers, interactive games and other activities intended to support their social, emotional, academic and emotional growth.
In an effort to improve the space, the Y successfully applied for and received a $27,805 grant from the Pomeroy-Brace Fund. This grant will be used to make a variety of enhancements to the lounge, turning it into a more vibrant, multi-purpose hub. The grant will also provide 18 free memberships to Granby teens.
Additional Pomeroy-Brace grants
Goodwin University Magnet Schools received $28,000 to support the overhaul and modernization of the under-utilized space in the school’s manufacturing training facility for the Early College Advanced Manufacturing Program (ECAMP). The program supports a select number of high school seniors enrolled in Granby Public Schools who participate in the program and take BMM175 CNC Machining I throughout the school year.
Granby Homes for Senior Living (Stony Hill Village) received $25,250 to upgrade the existing Stony Hill Village Community Room building’s heating and cooling capacity by installing energy efficient mini splits. The project also requires removing and disposing of the inoperable fan system and upgrading the electrical service to current code.
The Hartford Public Library received $28,000 to support the development and installation of specialized archival art and artifact storage. The proposed storage solutions include custom archival cabinetry and flat files for broadsides, maps, and manuscripts; textile storage systems with acid-free materials and rolling racks; and shelving and mounts for sculptural and three-dimensional works.
Holcomb Farm received $25,525 to support improving winter storage capacity. The project would cover the prefab cooler panels of Holcomb Farm’s storage room with PVC panels, install a commercial refrigeration unit and obtain stackable macro bins.
Salmon Brook Historical Society received $16,500 to support the continuing restoration of the Wilcox House (c. 1800) and Barn (c. 1857) including replacement of the barn roof and finishing stabilization needs, as well as interpretation with signage for the barn.
The Friends of Granby Public Libraries received $28,000 to support continuing restoration work on historic F.H. Cossitt Library (c. 1891). Work will focus on critical repairs to the lower-level north and east sides to prevent further water damage.
Generation Power CT received $10,000 to support Emergency Energy Assistance grants to low- to moderate-income residents for about a year or until the funding is expended. Grants will range from $250 to $500, paid directly to utility vendors.
Valley Pre-School received $2,650 to support a free summer playgroup for families with young children. It will be held once a week for children aged 18 months to four years with caregivers. This will provide time for families with young children to get to know each other and create a greater sense of community.
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding communities made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations.