Neighbor News
Manchester Greater Together Community Fund Celebrates 2024-25 Grant Recipients
'The people in this town really care, and you all prove that with the work you do'
MANCHESTER, Conn. - The tangible benefits of numerous community projects were on display at the Manchester Greater Together Community Fund’s first-ever grant recipient recognition event, held this month at the Eastside Neighborhood Resource Center.
“The words ‘greater together’ sum it all up perfectly,” said Mayor Jay Moran to an audience of representatives from 2024-25 grant recipients, committee members, and other residents. “The people in this town really care, and you all prove that with the work you do.”
State Sen. MD Rahman told the audience he was particularly impressed with the range of projects that received funding from the Manchester GTCF.
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“No matter the challenge, you have been ready to provide solutions, and that is really admirable,” he said.
Representatives from eight of the nine grant recipients attended the event: UR Community Cares, Rebuilding Together, the MHS Marching Red Hawks Boosters, Invent the Summer, Hartford Interval House, Gentle Love Diaper Pantry, Community Health Resources, and Case Mountain Cabin Inc.
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Each group gave a presentation of how they have applied the grant funding awarded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving during the 2024-25 grant cycle and expressed their gratitude to the Foundation and the Manchester GTCF, which receives and reviews grant applications and makes recommendations to the Hartford Foundation.
The event, the first of its kind held by the Manchester GTCF, coincides with the start of the 2025-26 grant cycle, which opened for proposals on September 2 and closes on October 10. “We had a tremendous response in the previous grant cycle, with 30 proposals received,” said Manchester GTCF co-chair Shea Riley. “We’re hoping for an even more successful grant cycle for 2025 and 2026.”
In 2019, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving established Greater Together Community Funds for each of the 29 towns in the Foundation’s region, which includes Manchester. The purpose of the community funds is to support residents in taking ownership around the needs in their towns, encourage broad and inclusive civic engagement and anchor the Hartford Foundation in each town.
In 2020, Manchester’s Greater Together Community Fund Committee was selected. The Committee receives and reviews all grant applications and makes recommendations to the Hartford Foundation. In 2021, the Foundation awarded an additional $50,000 to each of the community funds. In January, as part of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s Centennial year in 2025 and the Fifth anniversary of the Greater Together Community Fund program, the Foundation recently unveiled a new $100,00 investment in each of the 29 town-specific Community Funds.
The community funds program also creates an opportunity for organizations and individuals to make tax-deductible contributions to the Manchester Community Fund. All donations are welcome, both large and small. Visit www.hfpg.org/manchestercf for more information or to donate.
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and twenty-eight surrounding communities. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $1 billion since its founding in 1925. For more information about the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, visit https://www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.
