Three West Hartford nonprofit organizations were among the 48 recipients of funding announced by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

By Ronni Newton

Three West Hartford nonprofit arts and cultural organizations were thrilled to learn recently that they are recipients of “Appreciation Grants” – a surprise gift from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving which has launched a two-year enhanced investment initiative in arts and culture as part of its Centennial celebration.

Playhouse on Park, the Children’s Museum, and the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society received unrestricted grants of $100,000, $100,000, and $50,000 respectively as part of a commitment HFPG announced last week, an overall $6 million commitment to investing in Greater Hartford arts and culture, “a comprehensive initiative designed to launch the next century of creativity,” the organization’s announcement stated.

There was no application process for the Arts and Culture Appreciation grants. All arts and culture organizations that previously received Hartford Foundation-directed grants, dating back to 2022, were eligible and all but the largest nonprofit organizations received roughly 10% of their operating budget in grant funds.

“A complete surprise! We were invited to an event that turned into a press conference,” Tracy Flater, founder and executive director of Playhouse on Park told We-Ha.com when asked about the $100,000 grant.

“I think it’s just fantastic that the HFPG is making this incredible investment in the arts. We are surprised and thrilled to have been included as a recipient. Performing arts organizations like ours need this kind of unrestricted operating support now more than ever,” said Flater. “Today’s environment is a challenging one with costs of labor and materials increasing, the continued demand for affordable ticket and tuition costs, the need to rebuild reservers which were eaten up during the pandemic and more so post-pandemic and the decrease in Federal funding. The funds will be used to bridge the anticipated gap in our budget. We thank the HFPG for this incredibly generous gift and look forward to learning more about their long term plan as it relates to the arts.”

The grant was also unexpected and very much appreciated by the Children’s Museum.

“The news of the HFPG’s generosity and forward thinking where arts and culture are concerned was the most wonderful surprise!” shared Missy DiNunno, who in July 2024 took over as executive director of the nearly-100-year-old nonprofit that continues to operate out of temporary space at The Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford. “I can tell you a number of my former industry colleagues and I were all abuzz that day with excitement because it was a windfall of sorts that came at a critical time for so many of us!! I mean, it’s not often you finish out a typical Wednesday with news of a $100,000 donation that you didn’t solicit!!!” DiNunno said in an email.

“We’ve been fortunate to have consistent support from the HFPG over the years, including most recently to the tune of over $60,000 through both a TAG grant for strategic planning (a process in which our organization is currently in the midst), as well as a financial management grant,” said DiNunno.

The Children’s Museum, and its associated preschool, have been in their temporary location since 2022, a space that is considerably smaller than the former building on Trout Brook Drive. “While we continue to reimagine our on-site programming to better meet the needs of our members and guests, the challenges remain very real where earned revenue is concerned, particularly because we can no longer facilitate field trips. The generous donation from the HFPG will be used to offset general operating costs as we continue to forge our path forward here at Emanuel for the immediate future and continue to explore long term options to expand our programs and services,” DiNunno said.

Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society Executive Director Jeffrey Mainville said the HFPG has a long history of generously supporting arts and cultural organizations.

“Support from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has been transformational for the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society in recent years; we’ve benefitted from executive trainings, guidance for our Trustees, the ‘Social Enterprise’ program, and HFPG’s ‘Financial Management’ grant, which has propelled our business practices into the 21st century,” said Mainville.

“The ‘Appreciation Grant’ announcement was completely unexpected, but not surprising, given HFPG’s dedication to helping regional nonprofits succeed,” Mainville said.

“What will we do with the money? Our funding for economically-disadvantaged school districts has evaporated, and education should be accessible for all kids. Teachers that have counted on the Noah Webster House will still be able to visit us this year.”

In the announcement, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving noted that for the past century, it “has been honored to support this community — investing in and working alongside artists, cultural leaders, and organizations to ensure arts and culture experiences reach every resident of our region.”

The HFPG has a long history of supporting arts and culture offerings that represent all Greater Hartford residents, and considers building a supportive community of theaters, galleries, festivals, and other spaces where “everyone’s stories are represented, and everyone feels at home” is a fundamental part of its mission.

The decision to make the $6 million investment “builds on the wisdom shared by the Foundation’s Artists of Color Unite! Advisory Group,” the announcement stated.

“For a century, the Hartford Foundation has been committed to building and strengthening our region’s arts and culture ecosystem,” Foundation President and CEO Jay Williams said in a statement. “As a funder of arts and cultural organizations large and small, we seek to ensure that inclusion flows through every aspect of the arts and culture sector, from the people who create – to the programs that inspire – to the organizations that lead.”

The largest of the appreciation grants – $300,000 each – were given to Hartford Stage, the Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall Corporation, and the Wadsworth Museum of Art.

Real Art Ways, Charter Oak Cultural Temple Restoration Association, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Connecticut Science Center, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Mark Twain House and Museum, and Theaterworks each received $200,000.

Other Hartford-based nonprofits, as well as arts and cultural organizations in Avon, Bloomfield, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Manchester, Marlborough, Simsbury, Wethersfield, Windsor, and Windsor Locks also received a share of the $4 million in Appreciation Grants given to 48 organizations in 13 different towns in the region.

In addition, the Foundation’s overall investment includes, according to the announcement:

• “$1 million over two years to continue and deepen investment in the Artists of Color Accelerate program that supports a dual-benefit residency model to create and expand opportunities for local creatives by connecting them as fellows with host arts organizations.
• “$460,000 over two years to launch Greater Hartford Creatives Alliance, a professional development and grant program for independent creatives through a new partnership with Assets for Artists (A4A).
• “$400,000 over one year to launch new partnership with CT Humanities to offer a grant and capacity building program for smaller cultural nonprofits and historical societies throughout Greater Hartford.”

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