President’s Message
2010 was a productive year for The Fund for Greater Hartford. In the fall, we conducted a planning session and made several important changes in the way we operate. We confirmed our interest in keeping our priority areas unchanged. The Board decided to take a more active role in the grant review and now has the opportunity to conduct site visits with staff. The Trustees also voted to change the mandatory break from applying from once every three years to once every four years, so now organizations may receive grants from us for three consecutive years. And perhaps most important, knowing how hard it is to raise money these days, the Trustees decided to raise our spending from 5.5% to 6.0% of a five-year rolling average of assets.
The Fund for Greater Hartford committed over $700,000 to Greater Hartford in 2010. 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 increased from their low point in 2008, reaching nearly $16 million as of the end of 2010. We hope this trend will continue so we can expand our grants programs. 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 2011 will present 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 first year of my presidency of The Fund for Greater Hartford, I am grateful for the last two years of strong leadership provided by my colleague, Chris Skomorowski. Chris will remain on the Board this year, serving as Vice President, and I am happy to have his support as I step up to fill his shoes.
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