President’s Message
2011 was a productive year for The Fund for Greater Hartford. After our planning session in 2010, we made several changes in our grants process that were implemented in 2011. The Board decided to take a more active role in the grant review and various Board members participated in site visits with staff. 2011 was the first year in which organizations could receive grants from the Fund three years in a row. We worked to get the word out to long time applicants and many took advantage of this change. Finally, knowing the challenges of raising money in this economy, the Trustees to raise our spending from 5.5% to 6.0% of a five-year rolling average of assets. Unfortunately, the Trustees, exercising sound fiduciary responsibility, realized that this rise needed to be a one-year event, and settled back on the 5.5% spending level for 2012. This still exceeds that mandatory payout for private foundations and indicates the Fund’s strong desire to do all it can to support our community.
The Fund for Greater Hartford committed over $700,000 to Greater Hartford in 2011. We continued to focus our grants on programs that support children and their families, in the areas of health and social services, arts, community development, and education. Our assets retreated form the nearly $16 million level at the end of 2010 to a level slightly less than $15 million. We continue to work to preserve and grow our endowment so that we can continue to play an important role in greater Hartford. We will stay the course and continue to fund as many worthy efforts as we can. Greater Hartford is fortunate to have many diverse and excellent nonprofit organizations working to strengthen our community. We will continue to offer support to those that are steadfast in their missions, effective in their programs, and efficient in their operations.
We know that 2012 will present continuing challenges to our community, but we look forward to offering a helping hand to many organizations that make a difference in the greater Hartford area.
As I begin the second and final year of my presidency of The Fund for Greater Hartford, I am pleased to report that Jan-Gee McCollam has agreed to step up to the position of Vice President with the expectation that she will take over the reins in 2013. We are sorry to bid farewell to our long–time member, Chris Skomorowski. Chris has served as Vice President and President and has been a stalwart member of the Finance Committee. We will miss his leadership and contributions. Stepping into his shoes is Chris Aroh, a partner with J.H. Cohn. Chris has agreed to join the Finance Committee and we look forward to working with him.
Estela López, President
The Fund for Greater Hartford
Our Impact
“I Would Have Struggled”
“Diane has helped me so much while I was in Foster Care. She is very important to me. Without her I would have struggled a lot. Diane bought me things when I needed them and my foster parents wouldn’t. She kept me company and took me places when I was lonely. I would tell her secrets that she wouldn’t tell anyone else but would keep to herself unless it was urgent. Diane was basically my mom while I was in foster care. She loved and cared for me as much as I did for her.
Lawyers help a child a lot when the child is in foster care. It makes them feel comfortable inside, just like I did. Diane did as much as she could do to get me back with my family. She still helps me a lot as I grow up. Diane is the one I can share anything with; tell her things when I’m feeling down or even lonely. When I thought I had no one to go to when I was alone by myself without my sisters, I thought twice and every time I did, I thought of Diane. She has all the characteristics a person can get. Diane is loving, giving, forgiving, caring, honest, funny, and most of all… trustworthy. This is how Diane helped me while I was in foster care and still is helping me.”
Susan