Grace Farms Foundation Announces Grants of Program Space

NEW CANAAN, CT - Grace Farms has announced its first round of space grants that will allow local, state and national not-for-profit organizations to use the facilities of the 80-acre space.

The grants were awarded to 42 not-for-profit organizations whose programs focus nature, arts, community, justice and faith.

President of Grace Farms Foundation Sharon Prince said in the announcement, “Since we opened to the public in October of last year, Grace Farms has already welcomed more than 50,000 visitors and partnered with 25 not-for-profit organizations.” She added, “Now, as we continue to broaden our reach and make new connections across all five initiatives of Grace Farms—nature, arts, justice, community and faith—we are delighted to partner with these additional organizations. This two-way relationship will help advance the missions of the grantees and provide greater opportunity for Grace Farms visitors to get involved and give back to the community.”

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Some of the grantees and programs include:

• Voices of September 11th: a 15th anniversary gathering focused on resiliency presented in partnership with Grace Farms Foundation on Sept. 12;
• Arts for Healing: bi-weekly, special needs music and art therapy;
• Future Five: a pilot math intervention program for low-income high school students;
• STAR, Inc. Lighting the Way: a weekly book club for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families;
• Discovery Center of Ridgefield and other local nature centers: an ongoing educational nature program that will kick off at Grace Farms’ Winter Outing;
• Full Court Peace: a three-month weekly basketball program to unite, educate and strengthen youth from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Organizations including the NOMI Network, International Organization for Adolescents, Keep America Beautiful, IICONN (the International Institute of Connecticut), Connecticut Department of Children and Families, Silvermine Arts Center and New Canaan Land Trust, will hold board meetings, galas, leadership meetings and retreats that will lay the foundation for potential programming at Grace Farms.

“We are grateful for the many thoughtful ideas and opportunities that came our way with this round of applications, and look forward to developing relationships that will bear fruit in unexpected ways as we all collaborate for good,” said Lisa Lynne Kirkpatrick, Director of Community Initiatives at Grace Farms Foundation.

The application for space grants is available at gracefarms.org/for-good. Deadlines are once a year for larger events and twice a year for smaller grants. The next deadline is May 15.

Contributed photo by Dean Kaufman.