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01/12/2024 10:39 AMBy Press Release, Branford Community Foundation
In a significant community milestone, the Branford Community Foundation (BCF) and the Town of Branford announced on Jan. 10 the allocation of $395,000 in federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support 25 local nonprofits in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Branford First Selectman James Cosgrove commented, “The ARPA funding will fortify nonprofits focused on delivering critical resources to our Branford residents who were negatively impacted by COVID-19. We thank the Branford Community Foundation for their trusted leadership and the ARPA Review Committee for bringing experience and rigor to the process.”
In February 2023, the Town of Branford asked BCF to develop recommendations for distribution of $395,000 of ARPA funding to charitable organizations serving the Branford community.
When applying for funding, organizations needed to demonstrate negative economic impact created or exacerbated by Covid-19, and they needed to meet the criteria of one of the areas of funding priority: basic needs, including food insecurity, shelter, emergency financial assistance, and childcare; populations disparately impacted that may not have been supported by BCF in the past; mental health services, including prevention, intervention, and substance misuse; programs that create joy in the Branford community; child and youth development services; and organizations that strive for high impact in the Branford community.
The ARPA Review Committee, comprised of BCF board members, community representatives, and an experienced Connecticut-based ARPA resource, established a process, reviewed the applications, and created recommendations to the Town for the available funds. The Committee represented skills and experience areas including community service, business, education, legal, and health.
It was a thorough and competitive review process, with 27 area nonprofits submitting applications and requesting a total of $579,369 (range $2,000 to $75,000). The ARPA Review Committee’s recommendation for 25 grants totaling $395,000 with awards ranging from $2,000 - $50,000 was approved, with 16 grants recommended for full funding, seven for partial funding, one referred back to the town for funding through a different process, and one not recommended for funding.
“The $395,000 allocation is an investment in the well-being and prosperity of our town. The Branford Community Foundation is honored to work with the Town of Branford to address the impact of the pandemic on our charitable organizations and the people they serve,” said BCF executive director Liza Janssen Petra.
ARPA award recipients include BH Care, Branford Historical Society, Branford Land Trust, Branford Microfund, Carrie P. Chandler Housing Development Corporation, Child Development Center, Community Dining Room, Fair Haven Community Health Care, Friends of James Blackstone Memorial Library, Legacy Theatre, Move to Heal CT, Orchard House Medical Adult Day Center, Read To Grow, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Heritage Foundation, Shoreline Arts Alliance, Shoreline Eldercare Alliance, Shoreline Village CT, Soundview Family YMCA (℅ Central Connecticut Coast YMCA), Special Olympics Connecticut, Stony Creek Museum Inc., The Branford Chorale, The Branford Electric Railway Association, The Connecticut Hospice, The Cove Center for Grieving Children, and Woman & Family Life Center.
Members of the ARPA review committee include committee chair Amy Etzel; BCF board chair Stephanie Donegan Dietz; ARPA expert George Krivda: Kathleen Fox, Heather Hackley, Chuck Tiernan, Rita Berkson, Peter Cimino, Gretchen Dale, David Etzel, Margot Hardenbergh and Rachel Sexton.