HFPG: Resident Engagement Grants

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving offers Resident Engagement Grants aimed at nonprofits and community groups to enhance civic participation and trust within communities. This program supports projects that foster social issue awareness and allyship with marginalized populations through activities like community meetings and workshops. Grants range from $1,000 to $25,000 and are available for initiatives addressing various social justice issues, including housing and education.

NOTE: As of July 15, 2025, due to a high volume of applications under review, the Resident Engagement RFP is now closed to new applicants this year. Please check back early 2026 for updates on similar funding opportunities.
This competitive grant opportunity is for nonprofits or community groups engaged in or planning local civic participation efforts with the potential to increase civic trust (pg. 91-100), increase social issue awareness and promote allyship with marginalized communities. Resident engagement efforts might include activities such as: hosting community meetings, forums, conducting workshops, or retreats, informational outreach campaigns and volunteerism projects.
Efforts can focus on increasing racial/social justice issue awareness, increasing resident leadership on racial/social justice issues, increasing civic education/issue awareness. Projects can address issues such as housing, education, health care, the concerns of returning citizens, and issues affecting LGBTQIA+ persons among other things.
Funding
Scope of work considered could take place over the course of one year. This is to acknowledge the shifting nature of community work. Grant awards will range from $1,000 - $25,000.

Eligibility

Applicant:Applications must be submitted by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Community groups can use an organization with a 501(c)(3) designation as a fiscal sponsor.A nonprofit or community group may only have one application under consideration at a time. Nonprofits, however, may serve as a fiscal agent for multiple projects.As a community foundation, we make grants that benefit residents in our funding region.If your organization is located outside of our 29-town region, but a significant portion of your services go toward benefiting residents in our region, you may be eligible for a grant.29-town region:Andover
Windsor
Windsor LocksLine items requested from the Foundation may include but are not limited to: materials, software or equipment, stipends for residents, payment for professional services, organizational staffing and overhead.

Ineligibility

Private non-operating foundations will not be funded.The Foundation will not support the hiring of new, permanent staffing with this funding opportunity.We will not review an application if a nonprofit organization or community group currently has multi-year core or project support from the Foundation.We will not review an application if a nonprofit organization or community group that has already been awarded a grant during this year's Community Organizing or Resident Engagement process.
Organizations and groups with applications denied during the open process should contact Foundations staff before submitting another application to make sure the initial denial wasn’t based on something you can’t change.