5 Stratford Nonprofits Win Operating Support Grants

STRATFORD, CT — Connecticut Humanities, the statewide nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has awarded Cultural Fund Operating Support Grants totaling $34,400 to five Stratford nonprofit organizations.

The grants support Boothe Memorial Railway Society with $5,300; Connecticut Air and Space Center with $6,700; Friends of Boothe Park with $5,600; Stratford Historical Society with $11,600; and Stratford Veterans Museum with $5,200, according to a news release.

The Cultural Fund Operating Support Grants are funded by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development and the Connecticut Office of the Arts.

The purpose is to “help the state’s museum, cultural, humanities, and arts organizations to maintain and grow their service to their community and the public, connect K-12 teachers and students to strong humanities and arts content, and improve their information technology and digital infrastructure,” the news release states.

“Stratford’s nonprofit organizations and the volunteers who run them are such an important part of what makes Stratford a great place to live, work and visit,” Mayor Laura R. Hoydick said. “I am always grateful to them. I extend my thanks to Connecticut Humanities for recognizing these five local groups and supporting their work to grow even stronger in our community.”

Read more from the news release below:

The local groups plan to utilize the grant funding in a variety of ways.

Boothe Memorial Railway Society in Boothe Park promotes interest in model trains and railroad history through educational projects, community outreach and fellowship among members. They will use the funds to strengthen the museum’s connection and presence on the Internet to publicize and showcase the variety of experiences the group has to offer.

The Friends of Boothe Park’s mission is to preserve the heritage of the park. They maintain gardens, grounds and buildings in cooperation with the Town; run events, museum exhibits, tours, school programs, a genealogy library; and they cultivate the rose garden for the general public. Friends will use the grant to develop their website, enhance office organization and function, and support a strategic planning process that will be completed this year.

Stratford Historical Society’s mission is to preserve, protect, cherish, and celebrate the history of the Town of Stratford. They will be using the grant to upgrade computer systems, digitize inventory, improve recordkeeping, and enhance our digital presence on the Internet.

Stratford Veterans Museum opened in November and recognizes those veterans from Stratford who have served our country honorably in war and in peace. The museum is a repository for their stories. Grant funds will be used to increase awareness and attract visitors to the museum, especially school children in fifth grade and up. Also, funds will be used to acquire electronic tablets for visitors to use with the interactive exhibits.

Connecticut Air and Space Center is an association of persons interested in the past, present and future development of aviation and aerospace technology, with special emphasis on the historic contributions made within Connecticut by its citizens. The Center is an educational and museum facility; and a training facility for historians, students, experts, tradespeople and technicians to restore aircraft and maintain aerospace exhibits. The grant funding will allow the Center to design, fabricate and install exterior welcome signage for the 1929 Curtiss Aviation Hangar, and fabricate traveling history panels for loan to local schools, libraries and other public venues, bringing the story of aviation history to groups off-site.

The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) is the state agency charged with fostering the health of Connecticut’s creative economy. Part of the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, the COA is funded by the State of Connecticut as well as the National Endowment for the Arts.