County Nonprofits Receive $400,000 in Grants Aimed at Eliminating Educational Disparities

The Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity Proudly Announces Its Second Round of Funding

(Norwalk, CT) (Oct. 25, 2022) — Ten Fairfield County nonprofits will soon have access to $400,000 in new funding from the Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity.

The Collaborative is a coalition of businesses that have committed to reducing and eliminating educational disparities among Fairfield County’s most vulnerable pre-K through 12+ students, their parents and guardians, as well as teachers and staff. Today’s announcement marks the Collaborative’s second round of grants and will help amplify the work of leading education nonprofits across Fairfield County.

“All children deserve equitable access to education, no matter what zip code they were born in, or their family’s financial circumstances,”’ said Marc Lautenbach, President and CEO of Pitney Bowes, a founding partner of the Collaborative. “This investment by the Fairfield County business community provides critical support to the nonprofit partners who work diligently every day to serve our community’s youth. This is not only an investment in our youth today, but an opportunity to invest in our county’s economic future.”

The latest round of grantees includes Bridgeport Prospers (fiscally sponsored by United Way of Coastal Fairfield County), Norwalk ACTS, Stamford Cradle to Career and United Way Family Childcare Network (both fiscally sponsored by United Way of Western CT), Future 5, Horizons at New Canaan Country School, Carver Foundation of Norwalk, Stamford Youth Mental Health Alliance, Foundation for Excellence Bridgeport Public Schools and Norwalk Community College Foundation.

Established in 2020 in partnership with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to serve the Greater Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk and Stamford regions, the Collaborative has awarded $800,000 in grants to date.

Investments aim to support innovation and scaling of systems change solutions reaching children and families across the cradle-to-career continuum. Specific focus areas include:

• Parent engagement and youth voice
• Affordable access to quality early childhood education
• College and career readiness

“Thank you for selecting United Way of Coastal Fairfield County and its initiative, the Greater Bridgeport STEM Learning Ecosystem (GBSLE), as a grant recipient,” said Gwendolyn Brantley, Lead of GBSLE. “This award will help build pathways to promising careers for underserved youth by providing access to STEM-enriched learning, college financing options, and employment and internship opportunities with local businesses.”

The Collaborative also aims to provide both grantees and select applicants with non-financial support services, such as student mentorship and guidance on career pathways.

“This is a true partnership where the Foundation and the business community are able to align our initiatives, and in turn, provide robust support for the nonprofit organizations who are on the front lines of closing the educational opportunity gap in Fairfield County,” said Mendi Blue Paca, FCCF’s CEO and president. “We are committed to elevating our community’s children, as well as our future workforce, and we invite any business – of any size – in Fairfield County to join us in our mission.”

The Collaborative’s members include seven founding partners: Bank of America, First County Bank, Lapine Associates, Pitney Bowes, Synchrony, The Tudor Foundation, Inc. and Xerox. This summer, three new business partners joined the Collaborative: Gallatin Point Capital, The Ashforth Company, and Henkel Corporation.

Please visit our website here to learn more about the Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity and how to become a member. Local businesses of all sizes that are interested in joining are encouraged to contact Rebecca Mandell, Donor Engagement Officer, Partnerships and Learning at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.

About Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is partnering with our community to create a county where every person has an equitable opportunity to thrive. We work closely with community organizations, nonprofits, businesses and philanthropists to address challenges and identify opportunities to create a stronger, more vibrant community. Informed by three decades of partnering with and serving our community, we have awarded more than $365 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond.

About the Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity
The Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity, formed in 2020, is a multi-year local impact and funding partnership to help reduce and eliminate educational disparities among Fairfield County’s most vulnerable pre-K through 12+ students, their parents and guardians, as well as teachers and staff. The Business Collaborative, in partnership with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation capitalizes on the combined impact of our region’s philanthropic corporate sector to support local nonprofit organizations and initiatives with financial contributions, employee volunteerism and expertise, mentorship and internship opportunities, and other resources to support scalable and evidenced-based initiatives in the Greater Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford regions. Members include: Bank of America, First County Bank, Gallatin Point Capital, Henkel Corporation, Lapine Associates, Pitney Bowes, Synchrony, The Ashforth Company, Tudor Foundation, and Xerox. www.fccfoundation.org/fcbcee