Manchester Greater Together Community Fund Seeking Proposals For Community Projects

MANCHESTER - What do pet health clinics, a historic cabin, a marching band, and inclusive cycling have in common? Answer: all of them are local projects supported in the past year with grant funding awarded through the Manchester Greater Together Community Fund (GTCF)] at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Now, the Manchester Community Fund is looking for more local projects to support with awards of up to $5,000 for the 2025-2026 grant cycle, which begins September 2 and ends on October 10.

“In the last cycle, we had a record number of grant proposals,” said Manchester GTCF Co-Chair Shea Riley. “We are hoping to receive even more in this cycle. The creativity and passion of people in Manchester is truly impressive, and we are excited to be in a position to support projects that make our community an even better place to live.”

The Manchester Community Fund welcomes proposals that will improve or enhance the quality of life of Manchester residents or otherwise contribute to solving a direct need of the Manchester community. Individual grant awards range from $250 to $5,000.

In the 2024-25 cycle, a total of $40,300 was awarded to nine organizations and projects aimed at everything from providing support to survivors of domestic violence to running STEM workshops for students in the summer. A reception for the grant recipients of the 2024-25 cycle will be held on Wednesday, September 10 at the Eastside Neighborhood Resource Center.

In order to be considered for grant funding, projects must benefit the residents of Manchester in an immediate, concrete way. Any nonprofit registered as a 501(c)(3) organization that serves the residents of Manchester is eligible to apply. Groups of town residents may also prepare an application in partnership with a registered 501(c)(3) or municipality that has agreed to serve as a fiscal sponsor for the proposed project.

For further details on project guidelines and how to apply, visit www.hfpg.org/manchestercf. Project applications or grant proposals will be accepted until 11:59 P.M. on October 10, 2025.

In 2019, the Hartford Foundation established the Greater Together Community Funds in each of the 29 towns it serves, including Manchester, with an initial investment of $100,000. In 2020, Manchester’s Greater Together Community Fund Committee was selected. The Committee receives and reviews all grant applications and makes recommendations to the Hartford Foundation. In 2021, the Foundation awarded an additional $50,000 to each of the community funds. In January, as part of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s Centennial year in 2025 and the Fifth anniversary of the Greater Together Community Fund program, the Foundation recently unveiled a new $100,00 investment in each of the 29 town-specific Community Funds. This includes $50,000 immediately available for grantmaking and $50,00 allocated to endowment.

The purpose of the community funds is to support residents in taking ownership around the needs in their towns, encourage broad and inclusive civic engagement and anchor the Hartford Foundation in each town.

The community funds program also creates an opportunity for organizations and individuals to make tax-deductible contributions to the Manchester Community Fund. All donations are welcome, both large and small. Visit www.hfpg.org/manchestercf for more information or to donate.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and twenty-eight surrounding communities. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $1 billion since its founding in 1925. For more information about the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, visit https://www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.