The Community Foundation of Eastern
The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut (CFECT) is a public charity and community foundation established in 1982 and headquartered in New London, Connecticut. The organization serves as a civic leader and resource steward, connecting donors with nonprofit organizations and causes across Eastern Connecticut. CFECT manages more than 600 individual funds and operates as a tax-exempt, nonprofit public charity devoted to improving quality of life in the communities it serves.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$127.4M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.8M
+10.0% YoY
Grant Count
223
+22200.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$30K
-99.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To collaborate with partners to put philanthropy into action to address the needs, rights, and interests of communities in Eastern Connecticut.
Vision: A healthy, thriving, sustainable Eastern Connecticut with greater equity for all.
The foundation is committed to the values of equity and social justice and focuses on anti-racism work. Primary funding areas include:
- Youth Empowerment: Supporting initiatives that empower young people
- Basic Needs: Addressing fundamental community needs
- Environmental Preservation: Supporting environmental conservation and sustainability
- Animal Welfare: Advancing animal welfare initiatives
- Women & Girls: Long-standing initiative supporting issues such as domestic violence prevention and teen pregnancy prevention
- Education: Scholarship awards and educational support
- Human Services: Supporting various human service organizations
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $1,000 to $50,000
Grant Types
How to Apply
** Grants are administered through an online portal at grantinterface.com. Decision timelines vary by program, with announcements typically made by June.
Ready to take the next step with The Community Foundation of Eastern?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CFECT serves 42 towns across Eastern Connecticut, including:
- New London County
- Windham County
- Six towns in Tolland County
The service area extends from Mystic and Stonington to Mansfield and Brooklyn.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $127,426,784 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving: $8,000,000
Total Revenues: $13,055,357 (2024)
Total Expenses: $10,379,840 (2024)
Staff: 11 employees
Historical Impact: Over 40+ years of operation, CFECT has awarded more than $94 million to local nonprofit agencies and student scholarship recipients.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $127,426,784 | $121,799,726 | $106,532,387 |
| Revenue | $13,055,357 | $17,283,333 | $10,396,872 |
| Expenses | $10,379,840 | $9,868,056 | $8,802,564 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $5,545,354 | $6,794,099 | $1,464,758 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
84 open opportunities from The Community Foundation of Eastern
250th Anniversary of the United States of America Grant
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EASTERN
Amount
US $500 - US $2,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Albert "Buttsie" and Loretta Roberge Fund
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EASTERN
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Albert B. Glassenberg Fund
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EASTERN
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Access Community Action Agency ($225,500), Click ($122,650), Connecticut Land Conservation Council (clcc) ($100,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4-1 CARE HARTFORD, CT | YO - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & EMPOWERMENT | $10,000 |
| 50CAN DBA CONNCAN WASHINGTON, DC | BN - BASIC NEEDS & RIGHTS | $15,000 |
| A BETTER WAY FOUNDATION NEW HAVEN, CT | YO - YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & EMPOWERMENT, BNRJ - RACIAL JUSTICE, BNHOUS - ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, SAFE, & INCLUSIVE HOUSING | $37,500 |
| ACCESS COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY WILLIMANTIC, CT | BN - BASIC NEEDS & RIGHTS | $225,500 |
| ALEWIFE COVE CONSERVANCY NEW LONDON, CT | AW - ANIMAL WELFARE | $40,000 |
| ALL PAWS ON DECK GRISWOLD, CT | AW - ANIMAL WELFARE | $6,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR THE MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED MYSTIC, CT | ENV - ENVIRONMENTAL | $50,000 |
| ALWAYS HOME INC MYSTIC, CT | BNHOUS - ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, SAFE, & INCLUSIVE HOUSING | $35,299 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF CONNECTICUT INC (ACLU) HARTFORD, CT | BN - BASIC NEEDS & RIGHTS | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS-CONNECTICUT & RI REGION FARMINGTON, CT | BN - BASIC NEEDS & RIGHTS | $8,127 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President & CEO: Maryam Elahi
Program Officers:
- Jennifer O'Brien (Environmental Grants, Southeast Area Women and Girls Fund)
- Deb Battit (Willimantic Basic Needs Fund, Norwich Youth Grants, Windham Area Women and Girls Fund)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARGARET O'SHEA | BOARD CHAIR | 4 | — |
| NICHOLAS FORTSON | VICE CHAIR | 4 | — |
| SANDRA HALE | TREASURER | 4 | — |
| CAROL WILLIAMS | SECRETARY | 4 | — |
| JOE DELONG | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| LEE-ANN GOMES | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| LEAH HARTMAN | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| IZASKUN LARRANETA | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| MICHAEL RAUH | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| BARBARA SAHAGAN | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| LEAH POLLARD | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| CATHERINE MARRION | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| MORGAN TUCK | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| MARYAM ELAHI | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $269,021 |
| MEGAN BROWN | VICE PRESIDENT | 40 | $125,495 |
| JANET GRANT | CFO UNTIL 05/15/24 | 40 | $56,055 |
| JENNIFER O'BRIEN | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $122,094 |
| LAUREN PARDA | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $113,825 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
CFECT has received recognition for its grantmaking focused on advancing equity and opportunity in Eastern Connecticut. The foundation has announced multiple rounds of significant grant distributions, including awards through its Women & Girls Fund and general grantmaking programs targeting inequities in the region. The organization is the only community foundation in Connecticut to receive grant funding from the Connecticut Social Equity Council.
CFECT Awards Over $2.2 Million in Grants to Advance Equity and ...Contact Information
Address: 68 Federal Street, New London, CT 06320
Phone: 860-442-3572 | Toll-free: 877-442-3572
Fax: 860-442-0584
Website: cfect.org
Email: admin@cfect.org
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays
Grants Portal: grantinterface.com
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Community Foundation of Eastern fund?
**Mission:** To collaborate with partners to put philanthropy into action to address the needs, rights, and interests of communities in Eastern Connecticut. **Vision:** A healthy, thriving, sustainable Eastern Connecticut with greater equity for all. The foundation is committed to the values of equity and social justice and focuses on anti-racism work. Primary funding areas include: • **Youth Empowerment:** Supporting initiatives that empower young people • **Basic Needs:** Addressing fundament…
How do I apply for a grant from The Community Foundation of Eastern?
**Grant Range:** $1,000 to $50,000 **Annual Giving:** Approximately $8 million annually **Grant Types:** CFECT awards grants on a competitive basis through volunteer committees and board-approved donor-advised recommendations. The foundation also administers scholarship programs for students entering college and those already enrolled. **Application Process:** Grants are administered through an online portal at grantinterface.com. Decision timelines vary by program, with announcements typically…
Where does The Community Foundation of Eastern make grants?
CFECT serves 42 towns across Eastern Connecticut, including: • New London County • Windham County • Six towns in Tolland County The service area extends from Mystic and Stonington to Mansfield and Brooklyn.
What size grants does The Community Foundation of Eastern award?
In 2024, The Community Foundation of Eastern awarded 223 grants totaling $6.8M — an average of about $30K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Community Foundation of Eastern's EIN?
The Community Foundation of Eastern's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1080097. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Community Foundation of Eastern's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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