Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust Grant

The Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust was established by Southington resident Bradley Henry Barnes to support the health and well-being of those living in the Southington, Connecticut area. The Trust is administered by the Main Street Community Foundation and awards grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are either based in Southington or directly serve Southington residents. The program supports both new projects and continued funding for previously supported initiatives, but these are applied for through separate processes. Grants from the Trust are designed to address key community health and healthcare priority areas. These include supporting health and healthcare needs for an aging population, addressing behavioral health and substance use issues, and promoting healthy initiatives and lifestyle programs. Specific areas of focus include access to healthy food, environmental protection, fitness and physical health, health equity, health literacy and education, and transportation and access to healthcare services. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal will impact Southington residents and align with one or more of these targeted focus areas. The application process follows a structured, two-phase model for new applicants. First, interested organizations must submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). The current LOI cycle opens on August 18, 2025, and submissions must be completed by 4:00 PM on September 19, 2025. LOIs are reviewed for alignment with the Trust's priorities, and organizations will be notified by September 26, 2025, if they are invited to submit a full application. The full application, for both new and continued funding, will become available on September 29, 2025, and must be submitted by October 24, 2025. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits and must demonstrate that they serve residents of Southington. A suggested minimum grant request is $25,000 for program or initiative support and $50,000 for capital projects. Organizations cannot receive more than one grant in a calendar year unless participating in a community collaboration, and may not receive funding for more than three consecutive years. Additional application eligibility requirements include compliance with reporting for any past funding cycles. All applications are reviewed by an Advisory Committee which makes recommendations to the Main Street Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for final approval. Organizations are strongly encouraged to contact Kate Kerchaert, Director of Grants & Programs, at kate@mainstreetfoundation.org or 860-583-6363, at least five business days before the LOI deadline to discuss proposal eligibility and alignment with funding priorities. The Foundation’s online grant platform must be used to submit all materials, and additional guidance, including full eligibility and application requirements, is available through the Foundation’s Online Grants Center.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Grants Director at least 5 business days before the LOI deadline to verify eligibility and alignment.