Nonprofit Grant Program

 CHEFA Awards More Than $1 Million in Grants to Support Connecticut Healthcare, Education, Childcare and Cultural Organizations

May 20, 2020-The Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) awarded more than $1 million in grants to assist education, healthcare, childcare, and cultural organizations throughout Connecticut.  

The eighteen awards provide grants to entities in four out of the eight Connecticut counties, including: Hartford, New Haven, New London, and Fairfield. In addition, two grants will be conducted in multiple counties, and three, statewide. Betty Sugerman Weintraub, CHEFA Grant Program Manager stated, “the grant awards demonstrate CHEFA’s ongoing commitment to supporting a diverse group of organizations that provide vital services in communities throughout our State.”

Jeanette W. Weldon, CHEFA Executive Director stated, “we are proud to assist these important organizations with their vital work. The grants represent investments in our four core priority sectors at a critical time.”

CHEFA’s Board of Directors voted at their April Board Meeting to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Although the FY 2020 Nonprofit Grants were submitted prior to the crisis, CHEFA will offer awarded organizations the option to convert their grant funds to general operating support.  In addition, the grant period will be eighteen months vs. twelve months and grant reporting timeframes will each be extended by six months.

For the FY 2020 Nonprofit Grant Program, CHEFA received 162 Letters of Interest. This represent a 41% increase in applications, up from 115 in FY 2019. Ultimately, 45 organizations submitted applications

CHEFA’s Nonprofit Grant Program was established in 2002 and has provided more than $15.5 million dollars since inception to CT nonprofit organizations supporting capital projects/purchases, and programs.  In total, CHEFA’s three grant programs (Client, Nonprofit, and Targeted) have distributed over $34 million dollars to CT organizations.

CHEFA is one of the only funders providing grants statewide in Connecticut and funds both program and capital project grants.

See below for FY 2020 CHEFA Nonprofit Grant Awards Recipients. 

CHEFA FY 2021 COVID-19 GRANT PROGRAM NOW CLOSED

At the April 15, 2020 board meeting, the CHEFA Board of Directors approved the replacement of their typical three grant cycles (Client, Nonprofit, Targeted) for FY 2021 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The FY 2021 CHEFA COVID-19 Grant Program will focus on funding statewide efforts that are currently, or plan to be, launched by 501 (c) (3) CT nonprofit entities within the next few months to respond to the crisis.

The program application period is now closed.

We expect to make announcements of grant awards for the FY 2021 COVID-19 Grant Program in late June 2020.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

THERE WILL NOT BE A FY 2021 NONPROFIT GRANT PROGRAM.  THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE FY 2021 CHEFA COVID-19 GRANT PROGRAM.  WE EXPECT THAT THE FY 2022 NONPROFIT GRANT PROGRAM WILL OPEN WITH A LETTER OF INTEREST PROCESS SOMETIME IN THE FALL OF 2021. PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.

 CHEFA Announces Grant Program Modifications Due to COVID -19 

 At the April 15, 2020 board meeting, the CHEFA Board of Directors approved the following modifications to the existing FY 2019 and 2020 Client and Nonprofit Grant Programs and upcoming FY 2020 Nonprofit Grants:

GRANT TIMEFRAME EXTENSIONS

1.  An additional six months for:

a. FY 2019 Nonprofit Grant Program

b. FY 2019 Client Grant Progrram

c. FY 2020 Client Grant Program

d. FY 2019 Targeted Grant Program: for second year of two-year grant

e. FY 2020 Targeted Grant Program

2. Allow FY 2020 Nonprofit Grant Program (currently under review) approved grants by the Board of Directors at the May 20, 2020 board meeting to have eighteen months to complete their project/program.

3. CHEFA may offer additional extensions at its sole discretion.

GRANT REPORTING TIMEFRAME EXTENSIONS

1. A six-month timeframe extension for grant reporting for all FY 2019-2021 cycles.

2. CHEFA may offer additional extensions at its sole discretion.

POTENTIAL FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT

1. Allow for FY 2019 Nonprofit and FY 2020 Client grantees to convert their program grants to general operating grants if the crisis results in program disruption.

2. Allow program grants awarded through the FY 2020 Nonprofit Grant cycle as of the May 20, 2020 board meeting to utilize their award for general operating funds.  Awardees will be notified of details after May 20th board meeting.  Please note May 15th deadline noted below does not apply to this grant cycle.

3. Allow for current or pending capital expenditure grantees to request redirection of their grants to general operating funds.  These grant requests will be reviewed by management and approved on a case by case basis.

4. Allow organizations requesting conversion of their remaining program/capital expenditure grants to general operating funds to utilize the effective date of March 2, 2020 through the end of the grant cycle.

ALL GRANTEES MUST INFORM CHEFA IN ADVANCE OF THEIR INTENT TO EXERCISE THESE OPTIONS BY CONTACTING BETTY SUGERMAN WEINTRAUB, GRANT PROGRAM MANAGER BY JUNE 15, 2020.

For more information please contact Betty Sugerman Weintraub, Grant Program Manager at 860.761.8428 or bweintraub@chefa.com