Windsor Locks Greater Together Community Fund

The Windsor Locks Greater Together Community Fund is a locally focused grant program established by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. With a foundational investment of $100,000 designated for the town of Windsor Locks, the fund is part of a broader initiative designed to strengthen civic engagement and support the unique needs of each community in the Foundation's 29-town region. The Greater Together Community Funds were inspired by insights gathered during the Hartford Foundation's 2018–2019 Listening Tour, where residents across the region shared their perspectives on community challenges and opportunities. By anchoring local decision-making and encouraging community ownership, the initiative empowers towns to identify their most pressing issues and directly support responsive projects. The primary goals of the Windsor Locks Greater Together Community Fund are to foster local participation, inclusivity, and investment in community well-being. The fund awards grants to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or organizations with a fiscal sponsor, as well as municipalities and religious institutions applying for non-religious projects. Projects must benefit residents of Windsor Locks and be free from discriminatory practices. While the projects do not need to benefit every resident, applicants must clearly demonstrate how the initiative addresses specific community needs and serves a segment of the population without exclusion. Beginning June 1, 2025, the Windsor Locks Greater Together Community Fund is accepting applications on a rolling basis until September 30, 2025. Eligible projects can receive between $250 and $5,000 in funding for a single, deliverable project that positively impacts the Windsor Locks community. Applications must clearly articulate why the proposed project is necessary, the anticipated benefits and beneficiaries, and how the initiative aligns with the mission of the applying organization. Applicants must also explain their qualifications to deliver the project and include an itemized budget. While detailed evaluation criteria are not explicitly stated, the application guidance emphasizes clarity, community benefit, organizational alignment, and capacity to execute. No matching funds are required to apply. All applications must be submitted through the designated online application portal. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the official Request for Proposals (RFP) for additional guidance and criteria. In recent years, the Windsor Locks Greater Together Community Fund has demonstrated strong local impact. In 2024 alone, over $50,000 was awarded to organizations such as Aces High Robotics, Windsor Locks Public Library, Special Olympics Connecticut: Windsor Locks, and Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. In 2022, the fund distributed over $15,000 across several local groups. These past awards illustrate the diversity of projects the fund supports, spanning youth engagement, public services, education, and inclusive recreation. For more information, applicants may contact the Windsor Locks advisory committee at windsorlocks@hfpgcommunityfunds.org. Additional inquiries can be directed to Tasheenah Brown, Program Manager, at tbrown@hfpg.org. Media inquiries should be sent to Chris Senecal at csenecal@hfpg.org. The application window runs from June 1 to September 30, 2025, and interested organizations are encouraged to apply promptly.