Archive for January, 2023

TGF 2023 Competitive Grant Application Deadline Set

January 26th, 2023

The Guilford Foundation (TGF) is pleased to announce that the 2023 competitive grant deadline is March 10, 2023. Last year, TGF awarded 22 competitive grants to community-serving organizations, ranging from $1,500 to $10,000, with an average award of $5,000. Application materials and guidelines are available on the website.

“Competitive grants are at the core of our community giving. Any non-profit organization is encouraged to apply, provided their cause or need aligns with our 2023 priorities. Every application is thoughtfully read by our Community Investment Committee, with two members doing a deeper dive into each proposal. This rigorous and thorough months-long process allows The Guilford Foundation to make the greatest impact in our community,” explained Liza Janssen Petra, Executive Director.

The Guilford Foundation’s Community Investment Committee’s 2023 grantmaking theme is community wellbeing.

Areas of focus include:

Basic Needs (especially as related to assisting those individuals and families most at risk)
Services to take priority include food, shelter, emergency financial assistance

Strengthening Our Community
Child and Youth Development (childcare, development, education)
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI)
Arts and Culture
Other innovative initiatives that promote strengthening the Guilford Community

Mental Health (mental health, substance misuse, etc.)
Promoting awareness, prevention, and intervention

Evolving our guiding principles year-to-year gives TGF the flexibility to address our community’s ever-changing needs and increase its impact.

Petra added, “We’re proud to address the emerging needs that impact our community. A heartfelt thanks to those who generously support The Guilford Foundation’s mission to connect people who care with the causes that matter to them. Our investments into the community continue to grow because of this incredible community outreach and support.”

Grant Submission Recommendations The Guilford Foundation seeks grants that enhance the quality of life for the community. Applications should align their need with a focus area and demonstrate the potential impact on the organization, project, community, or persons served.

Before beginning a 2023 grant application, organizations should carefully review the guidelines on The Guilford Foundation website. To help navigate the process, TGF will hold a virtual Grant Application Workshop on Tuesday, February 14, at 10 am. Email Program Director Jennifer Mullett at jmullett@guilfordfoundation.org to RSVP and receive workshop details.

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Opportunities At the end of 2022, the Guilford Board of Selectmen (BOS) announced plans to partner with The Guilford Foundation (TGF) to disperse $500,000 in ARPA funds, entering an agreement to empower the Foundation to distribute the federal funding. The federal monies are intended to address the negative impacts caused by the COVID public health emergency.

TGF will hold a second, separate grant application review process for funds provided to the Town of Guilford through the American Rescue Plan Act later this spring.

First Selectman Matt Hoey explained that the BOS chose TGF to distribute the funding because of the organization’s impeccable reputation and significant experience in assessing the needs of the non-profits serving Guilford.

To learn more about our 2023 Competitive Grant Guidelines, click here.

2023 Sponsorship Award Program Launched

January 24th, 2023

The Guilford Foundation is pleased to report that we are once again partnering with GSB in 2023 to provide sponsorship awards to qualifying organizations serving the Guilford community.

Sponsorships are defined as a single event (i.e., a gala, road race, etc.) or a series of individual events held by an organization over a given time period to increase visibility or to support fundraising efforts.

GSB chose TGF to lead the program because of our role as a trusted community leader, philanthropic expertise, and strong relationships with community-serving organizations. In 2022, we were delighted to distribute $25,000 to support 20 organizations with awards ranging from $250 to $2,500.

For 2023, we are making big and important adjustments to our application and decision-making process to improve our ability to review requests and ensure that distributed funds have the most significant impact.

The three biggest changes are:

We will review requests two times per year instead of on a rolling basis. The first deadline for a request is February 10, 2023, and the second is August 1, 2023. Please plan your requests accordingly—if the event you seek support for is in the first half of the year, be sure to apply in February. If your event is in the fall or winter, you can apply in August.

We have expanded information captured about the applicant’s focus in Guilford. The committee felt that more information was needed about each organization to understand how the award would directly benefit our community.

We will require a signed Sponsorship Agreement for successful applicants. This is to ensure our expectations are in alignment.

Thank you for the wonderful work you do in Guilford and for your understanding as we work to continuously improve how we can support you. Don’t hesitate to contact Jennifer Mullett or me with any questions.

The sponsorship application link is live—click here.

Community Matters – Three-Year TGF Strategic Plan

January 16th, 2023

As the backdrop of a changing landscape coupled with a growing endowment (reaching $6 million in 2022),, The Guilford Foundation (TGF) developed a three-year strategic plan that positions the Foundation to be innovative, proactive, and responsive in meeting community needs.

Executive Director Liza Petra explained, ” Staying aligned with the issues that matter to the community is essential for our cuss. The strategic planning process gave us critical external input and benchmarking insights to prioritize our focus on areas that will help us make an even bigger impact.”

The key strategic goals for TGF include the following:

1. Community Investment – To improve impact, advance equity, and/or encourage innovative solutions to community challenges and opportunities.
2. Community Leadership – To build upon TGF’s recognized role as a leader and convenor on major community issues and initiatives.
3. Outreach and Marketing – To broaden community awareness of TGF’s work and impact.
4. Financial Resource – To double annual philanthropic resources raised over the next five years.
5. Organizational Capacity – To increase TGF capacity to accomplish strategic plan priorities.

Looking forward, TGF will leverage it’s role as a trusted leader that is responsive to community needs, combining a traditional grantmaking with a proactive process that allows for innovation and ways to advance equity.

Take a look at the January issue of Guilford Events to learn more about TGF’s priorities and strategic direction.

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