Norwich Youth Grants support youth development programs and services for economically and socially disadvantaged Norwich youth.

This grant opportunity is to help fill the gap in services left by the closing of the YMCA of Southeastern CT in 2009 and aligns with our Empower Youth and Basic Needs & Rights strategic priorities. Grants are made possible by the generous legacy gifts of Grace & Lewis Sears and Jeannette Frisbie, as well as the John. E. and Elizabeth M. Martin Fund, the Hargus Family Fund and several other funds.

Priority is given to programs that empower youth:

• enhance quality early childhood education and intervention services;
• support mentoring programs that encourage relationships between youth and caring adults;
• support access to programs that promote mental and physical health as well as those that address disconnected youth;
• enhance educational opportunities in science, literacy, arts and culture, especially for those that use experiential learning;
• support post-secondary education access and job readiness;
• support youth-led social change and elevate the voices of youth in program planning.

Grantmaking will not exclusively address these desired outcomes, but the Foundation will look for opportunities to contribute to problem-solving and strengthening the systems that address these issues for Norwich youth.

What we will fund

Preference is given to programs that:

• are offered by Norwich-based organizations;
• seek to eliminate racism and societal inequities;
• incorporate the voices of youth and their families in planning;
• are collaborative in nature and are rooted in evidence-based, solution-oriented approaches;
• include specific and measurable outcomes and affect positive change over the long term.

Eligible applicants may submit grant requests of up to $15,000. Few grants are made at the maximum amount.

Please review our General Eligibility Criteria for Grants

We recommend that grant seekers contact us before beginning an application. First-time applicants to this cycle are required to have an initial conversation with the Foundation before applying. Contact: Deb Battit, Program Officer, deb@cfect.org or 860-442-3572.

Deadlines and notifications

• The link to the grant application will be available on our website by November 1, 2023.
• The application deadline is 5pm on Friday, January 12, 2024.
• Final decisions will be made and applicants will be notified by the end of April 2024.