Black Giving Circle Fund in Connecticut

Established in 2015, the Black Giving Circle Fund was created to promote sustainable change within the Black community by leveraging donor contributions and celebrating Black philanthropy. Managed by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Fund has partnered with the Beta Iota Boulé Foundation to invest in mental health support for Black men and boys in the Greater Hartford area. The initiative stems from a $1 million collaboration: a $400,000 investment from Beta Iota Boulé Foundation, matched with up to $600,000 from the Hartford Foundation. In 2025, the Fund enters its second year of this collaboration and will distribute $200,000 across two years. This year’s grant opportunity allocates $100,000 in total, divided into five individual awards of $20,000 each for one-year projects. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status or community groups with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Projects must address the mental health needs of Black men and boys through either training or awareness campaigns, with a demonstrated capacity to engage these populations effectively. Applicants must choose one of two project types: Mental Health Training or Mental Health Awareness Campaigning. Training projects may involve recognized programs such as Mental Health First Aid, Question, Persuade, Refer, Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum, or Urban Trauma Framework, but are not limited to these. Training should ideally be completed within one year of award, though flexibility is allowed based on availability. Awareness campaigns may include a range of public outreach efforts such as media spots, public service announcements, social media content, or creation of resource directories, all centered around increasing accessibility and reducing stigma around mental healthcare. Applications must be submitted by September 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM. Selected applicants will be invited to present at the Black Giving Circle Fund Grantmaking Meeting on November 11, 2025, where they will give a 10-minute presentation on their proposed project and respond to questions from Fund members. Evaluation of proposals will consider alignment with the goals of the Fund and potential for impact within the targeted community. Grant recipients will be expected to report on metrics such as number of individuals trained or reached, and observed benefits from training or campaign activities. Questions about the program should be directed to Ramonita Garcia at rgarcia@hfpg.org. Technical questions about submission should be sent to grantsadministration@hfpg.org. Full application information can be found at the Hartford Foundation’s Black Giving Circle Fund webpage.