The Community Fund Of Darien Awards Nearly $800K In Grants To 36 Area Nonprofits

DARIEN, CT — The Community Fund of Darien awarded $790,000 in grants to 36 nonprofit organizations and community initiatives supporting residents of Darien, Norwalk and Stamford, during its annual grant awards celebration on July 16.

Held at The Meadowlands at the Darien Community Association, the event drew more than 150 attendees, including donors, volunteers, grant recipients and community leaders, to recognize programs providing access to food, housing, health care, youth services, and workforce training.

The funding includes $770,000 in Community Grants, $15,500 in Youth Community Fund (YCF) Grants, and $4,500 in Touch A Life Grants.

"We are deeply grateful to our donors whose commitment to this community makes this level of giving possible," said Lisa Haas, grants director of The Community Fund of Darien, in a prepared statement. "Our dedicated volunteers witnessed the complexity and urgency of the challenges nonprofits are facing and assumed the arduous task of prioritizing allocations to maximize successful outcomes. These grants reflect both great need and great hope—and we are proud to be the facilitator in closing the gap."

This year, 78 community grant review volunteers spent more than 1,400 hours evaluating 65 applications, reviewing financials, and conducting site visits to help determine how funds would be distributed.

Since its founding in 1951, The Community Fund of Darien has distributed more than $29 million to local nonprofits and initiatives. With its 75th anniversary approaching in 2026, the organization anticipates surpassing the $30 million milestone.

"Our grants provide an umbrella of support targeting basic needs, community health, youth success and workforce development, and we have committed donors who give year after year because of our longstanding history," said Maggie Domont, executive director of The Community Fund of Darien, in a prepared statement. "The Community Fund’s mission remains clear: to improve the lives of our neighbors by investing in nonprofit organizations that create meaningful, lasting change."

Out of this year’s $790,000 grant total:

• $230,750 was awarded to basic needs programs supporting food access, shelter, housing and emergency services
• $263,000 went to community health efforts focused on physical and mental health care, recovery services, and crisis support
• $198,750 supported youth success programs, including early childhood education and after-school enrichment
• $93,000 was directed toward workforce development initiatives

In addition, the Youth Community Fund awarded $15,500 in grants to 15 nonprofits.

The student-led program, comprising 65 high school students from Darien, engages in fundraising, volunteer service, site visits and grant-making throughout the school year.

"This process gives students a firsthand understanding of the impact of philanthropy and the important role nonprofits play in our communities," Haas added. "Empowering youth to engage in real-world philanthropy ensures that the next generation understands both the challenges our communities face and the power they have to make a difference."

The Community Fund’s 2025 Nonprofit Grantees include:

• Abilis
• Americares Free Clinics
• Boys & Girls Club of Stamford
• Building One Community
• The Carver
• Child Guidance Center of Southern CT
• Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County
• Domestic Violence Crisis Center
• Domus
• Family & Children’s Agency
• Family Centers
• Filling In the Blanks
• Food Rescue
• Future 5
• Horizons at CT State Norwalk
• Horizons at New Cannan Country School
• Inspirica
• Intempo
• Kids In Crisis
• Laurel House
• Liberation Programs
• Mid-Fairfield Community Care Center
• New Covenant Center
• Norwalk Housing Foundation
• Open Doors
• Pacific House
• Person to Person
• Saint Joseph Parenting Center
• Senior Nutrition Program
• SilverSource
• Stamford Cradle to Career
• Star, Inc.
• Lighting The Way
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children
• The Depot
• The Rowan Center
• Waveny Lifecare Network