conversations - march 2015

News from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

M A R C H 2 0 1 5

What’s Inside

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PHOTO: VISUAL APPEAL STUDIOS

“We are trying to expand the understandingof the word 'philanthropy' through

this project ...”

See story on page 4

2 Building Our Foundation

4 Words to Give By

6 Launching a Life of Philanthropy

8 Over the Years

9 New Funds & Planned Gifts

10 Snapshots

11 Inside Hartford Foundation

Our first 90 YearsMessage from Linda J. Kelly, President

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the HartfordFoundation for Public Giving.

To kick off the year-long celebration, this issue of Conversationssteps back in time to 1925 to recall the formation and early days ofthe Hartford Foundation.

It was the decade historians call“The Roaring Twenties,” an age ofdramatic social and economic change.Prohibition was in full force. Radio wasthe technological wonder of the day. You could buy a Model T from Henry Ford for under $300. The nation's wealth more thandoubled that decade.

2 “Conversations” — March 2015

Headlines in the Dec. 10, 1925 issue of theHartford Courant told readers that the weatherwas going to be cold, that the League of Nationswas debating arms control in Geneva, and thatPresident Calvin Coolidge had just submitted anew budget to Congress.

There was also an interesting headline tuckedin a corner of Page 16:

Two Trust CompaniesForm FoundationFor Public Giving

The seven-paragraph story was, in effect, the public announcement of the birth of theHartford Foundation for Public Giving.

From that modest start, the HartfordFoundation in 2015 has planned eventsthroughout the year to mark nine decades ofphilanthropy that has contributed to improvingthe quality of life in Hartford and 28 surroundingcommunities.

The establishment of the HartfordFoundation closely followed the birth of thepublic foundation concept in the United States.The idea was developed in Cleveland in 1914 bybanker and lawyer Frederick H. Goff.

Goff's vision was to pool the charitableresources of philanthropists into a single,permanent endowment for the betterment of the city. Community leaders would then foreverdistribute the interest generated by the trust tofund charitable purposes. It wasn't long before the idea was duplicated in Chicago, Boston,Minneapolis and New York.

In Hartford, the idea captured theimagination of two bankers, Maynard T. Hazen of

the United States Security Trust Company, and Clark T. Durant of the Hartford-Connecticut TrustCompany. They persuaded the 1925 ConnecticutGeneral Assembly to include, among theapproximately 700 laws it passed that year,legislation authorizing a community foundation.

The Dec. 10, 1925 news story was publishedonly days after the two Hartford trust companiesadopted an agreement outlining in detail the“administrative machinery establishing for whatthey have entitled...The Hartford Foundation forPublic Giving.” Within weeks, each of the other 11bank and trust companies then in Hartfordadopted the same resolution.

The rest, as the saying goes, is history.But it did take time for Hartford's new

Building Our FoundationF

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The Foundation's first grant was awarded toWatkinson Library in 1936.

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3Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

foundation to begin to have an impact. It wasn't until 1934 that enough bequestshad been made to begin to produce income. The first gift, of $1,000, wasreceived in 1930 from the estate of J. Warren Harper, a local dentist and worldtraveler. The second, $6,128, arrived in 1933 from the estate of department storemerchant John F. Baker.

Finally, in 1936, the first grant was awarded—$982.52, all that was available—to the Watkinson Library, a financially-strapped research library that still exists aspart of Trinity College.

The second grant—$828, again, all that was then available—was awarded tothe Community Council of the Capitol Region to study population shifts followingthe great flood of 1936 that put large portions of Hartford under more than eightfeet of water. Seven social service agencies used the study to determine wherehelp was most needed.

The second grant also established a key precedent: the Foundation wouldmake grants that enabled agencies to improve the delivery of important servicesto people in need, but the Foundation would not deliver the services itself.

Now, 90 years later, after thousands of grants totaling more than $600million have been awarded, the Hartford Foundation remains committed, as theDec. 10, 1925 Hartford Courant story announced, “to the effective managementof funds devoted to public charitable purposes...for education, scientific research,care of children and invalids, recreation and betterment of living conditions.”

Governing AuthorityA “unique provision of the resolution” establishingthe Hartford Foundation, reported the Dec. 10,1925 Hartford Courant, was the establishment of aboard of prominent citizens for “the importantduty of directing the distribution of the incomefrom all gifts held in the foundation, so that thewishes of the donor may be accomplished withoutlimitation as to time and in spite of unforeseenchanges in circumstances and conditions.”

Today, appointments to the nine-member board ofdirectors include recommendations from theHartford Consortium for Higher Education, theChair of the MetroHartford Alliance, the Chair ofthe United Way of Central and NortheasternConnecticut, the Chief Justice of the ConnecticutSupreme Court, the Judge of Probate Court forthe District of Hartford, and the Trustee Banks.

Also in1925...

The first motelopens in San LuisObispo, California.

Calvin Coolidgebecomes the first

president of the UnitedStates to have his

inauguration broadcaston radio.

Nellie Tayloe Rosstakes office in Wyomingas the first femalegovernor elected in the United States.

Astronomer EdwinHubble announces thediscovery of galaxiesoutside the Milky Way.

The nationwideroad numberingsystem is adopted.

Current members of the Foundation's board of directors


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As part of our 90th anniversary celebration, we arecollaborating with WNPR on an innovative project tocollect stories of giving and receiving from the GreaterHartford region.

“We are trying to expand the understanding ofthe word 'philanthropy' through this project so

individuals recognize better thatwe are all philanthropists andrecipients of philanthropy—which, really, just means 'love ofhumankind',” said Linda Kelly,Hartford Foundation president.“The project seems a fitting wayto mark 90 years of theHartford Foundation's work

bringing together donors, nonprofit agencies,professional advisors and community and businessleaders to improve the quality of life in the region.”

Anyone who has a story—of giving or receiving—is encouraged to visit WordsToGiveBy.org to sign upto tell it. Now through April 2, participants will sharetheir stories in mobile recording studios in sitesthroughout Greater Hartford.

Twenty-nine stories will air on WNPR from April through December, 50 will be featured onWordsToGiveBy.org, and all of the stories will bearchived for listening on the Hartford Foundation'swebsite. They all will also be archived for listening inlibraries throughout the Foundation’s 29-town service area.

Words to Give By

Linda Kelly and Jerry Franklin, president andCEO of the Connecticut Public Broadcasting

Network, were proud to launch Words toGive By, a community storytelling project.

Nakisha (right) tells how generous acts helped her overcome homelessness.

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Hartford resident Maria (far left) and her three children were happy to share their acts ofeveryday generosity.

Share Your Story!Anyone with a story to shareis invited to sign up to beinterviewed at one of ourGreater Hartford arealocations. VisitWordstoGiveBy.org or call 860-275-7550 to sign up.

Upcoming Words to GiveBy recording sessions:

Suffield / Windsor LocksSaturday, March 28Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association

East Windsor / South WindsorTuesday, March 31South Windsor Public Library

Glastonbury /MarlboroughThursday, April 2Welles Turner Memorial Library

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In this innovative collaboration, “Words to Give By” will offerstories that would otherwise go unnoticed but that illuminate thecompassion and kindness that surround us—everyday generosity. To learn more about this project, visit WordsToGiveBy.org.


Launching a Life of PhilanthropyThe Peter Jung Scholarship Fund was established at the Hartford Foundation in 2014.

What motivated you to become involved inphilanthropy? The motivation was a gift from my father, whochallenged me to explore the world of charitablegiving. When I learned I would have money tophilanthropically invest, I knew that I wanted to investin Hartford. As part of the process of embracing mynew home for the next few years, I wanted to establisha connection to the local community.

Why did you start a college scholarship fund?Education is very important to me. I have been blessedwith many first-rate educational experiences. I willconcede that college is not for everyone but for manypeople it can open doors, expand horizons, and forgelasting relationships. Unfortunately, due to financialand academic pressures, it is also harder for people toget into college than ever before. I believe we will seea massive overhaul of the American collegiate systemin the next decade that will further democratize theprocess. Until then however, I want to do my part toensure that a sizable population of young men andwomen are not overlooked.

Why did you choose the Hartford Foundation?When it comes to Hartford, the men and women at the HartfordFoundation for Public Giving aresimply the best at what they do.They have great pride in the beautyand rich history of the Hartford areaand exhibit a deep understanding ofthe great challenges the city and theregion faces. In the arena of publicgiving it is often difficult todetermine who to trust and who willuse your money most effectively and honestly. Withthe Hartford Foundation I know I am in sure hands.

How will you proceed with your philanthropy?I would like to base my charitable work on twoprecepts: optimization and personal growth.Optimization means I will focus on organizations andcauses with a narrow scope where I can make thegreatest impact. Personal growth means that I want tobe involved in the causes that I sponsor. Rather thansimply writing a check, I hope to meet and learn fromthe people who will benefit from my donations.

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RY Peter Jung is a 20-year-old sophomore at Trinity College in Hartford. He is a native of Bellevue, Washington,

where he attended a public magnet high school and earned an International Baccalaureate diploma and wasan Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. At Trinity, he is on track for a biology/computer sciencedouble major. In his free time, he enjoys reading, traveling and cycling around the Pacific Northwest. He hasalso cycled in Ireland, Spain and Japan.


Why would you encourage otheryoung people to be philanthropic?

Philanthropy canendow a personwith knowledgeand skills that arenot limited to theworld ofcharitable giving.You learn aboutwhat challengesexist in the worldand what peopleare trying to do toconfront them. Ata time where thewealth gap isgreater than it wasin the Gilded Age

of Rockefeller and Carnegie, there is alsoan unfortunate lack of people who areinformed about the issues we face as anation and as citizens of the world. Itseems that there is always a lot of noisebut rarely any real action. It is a shame butit is also not too late. With the technologyand methods of global communicationavailable to my generation, we have thecapacity to better the world faster andsmarter than ever before. Only time willtell if we are able to rise to the challenge.

Through the generosity of donorslike Peter Jung, last year, the HartfordFoundation awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships to residents of our community attending two-year and four-year colleges anduniversities.

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With the technology and methods

of global communication available

to my generation, we have the

capacity to better the world faster

and smarter than ever before.


Hartford Foundation:Over the Years

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1936Inaugural grantmaking year —$982.82 awarded to 1 grantee

The Foundationat 30 (1955):

Grantmaking: $287,789Endowment: $7,556,043


Grantmaking: $6,577,634 Endowment: $89,810,723


Grantmaking*: $33,009,897Endowment*: $934,212,141

*As of Dec. 31, 2014 (unaudited)

In 1942, the firstscholarship fund wasestablished at theFoundation. There arecurrently 133 scholarshipfunds at the Foundation,which annually awards over$1 million in scholarships.

In 1980, the Foundationofficially expanded its servicearea. The Foundationcurrently serves 29 towns inGreater Hartford.

To date, theFoundation has awarded $634.2 million to 2,046 grantees.

1925 1955 1985 2015

New Funds and Planned Gifts JULY 1 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2014


Mary Gay Creedon Fund, an unrestricted fundestablished through the estate of Mrs. Mary GayCreedon to provide broad support to the GreaterHartford community.

John David Creedon Fund, a field of interestfund established through the estate of Mr. JohnDavid Creedon to support basic human needs.

The Walter S. Kapala Scholarship Trust, a scholarship fund established through the estateof Walter S. Kapala to support students who havegraduated from high schools in West Hartfordand Hartford.

Beverly Beach Eaton and Edward C. Eaton, IIIFund, an unrestricted fund established from acharitable trust to support the existing needs ofthe Greater Hartford community.

Janice and Kerry Foster, Sr. Scholarship Fund,a scholarship fund established to supportstudents who have graduated from a high schoolin the Greater Hartford region who are pursuingan undergraduate degree on a full-time basis.

Frederick L. Mitchell Fund, an unrestrictedfund established to provide general support andaddress the immediate needs of the GreaterHartford community.

Mary A. Huber Fund, an unrestricted fundestablished through the estate of Mary A. Huberfor the benefit of the Greater Hartford region.

June Miller Rosenblatt Community CollegeScholarship Fund, a scholarship fund establishedto support the Community College ScholarshipEndowment Program.

June Miller Rosenblatt Scholarship Fund, a scholarship fund established to support theGeneral Scholarship Endowment Fund Programwith a preference to students who express ordemonstrate an interest in pursuing a career inteaching or education.

Henrietta T. Shaw Fund, an unrestricted fundestablished through the estate of Henrietta T.Shaw that will help address the most pressingneeds in the Greater Hartford region.

Anthony S. and Evelyn L. Hulme CharitableFund, a donor-advised fund established under thetrust of Joan S. Matthews.

Bartlett Family Scholarship Fund, a scholarshipfund established to support students who havegraduated from a high school in the GreaterHartford region and have been or are currentparticipants in a Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

Fechtor Family Foundation Fund, a donor-advised fund established upon the termination ofthe Fechtor Family Foundation.

Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher ScholarshipFund, a scholarship fund established upon thetermination of the Fisher Foundation, Inc. tosupport students in the General ScholarshipEndowment Fund Program.

Stanley D. Fisher Scholarship Fund, a scholarship fund established upon thetermination of the Fisher Foundation, Inc. tosupport graduating seniors from the William H.Hall High School.

Stanley D. and Hinda N. Fisher Fund, a donor-advised fund established upon the termination ofthe Fisher Foundation, Inc.

Reba and Arthur Nassau Fund, a build-up fundestablished to provide unrestricted broad supportto the Greater Hartford community.

Tom and Margah Lips Fund, a donor-advisedfund created by Tom and Margah Lips to providesupport to the Greater Hartford community.

Fannie Estelle Hairston Fund, a field of interestfund established by Thomasina Clemens to honorher mother Fannie Estelle Hairston. The fund willsupport programs and projects in the GreaterHartford region that support the advancement ofwomen and prevention of domestic violence.

South Windsor Historical SocietyEndowment Fund, an organizational endowmentfund established by Mary B. Shepard to be usedto further the Historical Society’s mission ofpreserving the history of the Town of SouthWindsor.

Westley V. Thompson and Rosemarie E.Thompson Fund, a donor-advised fundestablished through a Charitable Lead AnnuityTrust to support the Greater Hartford community.

Planned GiftsAn anonymous couple established twoindividual charitable gift annuities, which willprovide a fixed source of income during theirlives. Thereafter, 85 percent will be added to afund to provide support for the visually impaired,and 15 percent will be added to the HartfordFoundation’s unrestricted endowment.

Blair Childs established a charitable gift annuity,which will provide a source of guaranteed incomeand create a legacy for the community. At the endof the annuity, 85 percent will be added to theCarol Childs Memorial Fund, an unrestricted fundthat provides broad support to the GreaterHartford community with a preference foreducational needs in the Hartford School systemand charitable projects in the Town of Suffield,and 15 percent will be used to establish the CarolAlcorn Fund, a fund that provides broad supportto the Greater Hartford community.

Richard “Dick” and Jane Thompsonestablished a charitable gift annuity, which willprovide a source of guaranteed income andcreate a legacy for the community. At the end ofthe annuity, 85 percent will be used to establishthe Richard E. and Jane B. Thompson Fund, adesignated fund to provide support to theManchester Area Conference of Churches, and 15 percent will be added to the HartfordFoundation’s unrestricted endowment.


Area superintendents discussed their work to promote educational equity at the Foundation’sCelebration of Giving. Pictured are (left to right): Linda Kelly; Nathan Quesnel, East Hartford Public Schools superintendent; Susan Bell, Windsor Locks Public Schools superintendent; James Thompson, Bloomfield Public Schools superintendent; Yvette Meléndez, HartfordFoundation board chair; and Sara Sneed, Hartford Foundation director of education investments.

Richard Sussman, director of early childhood investments, offeredtestimony before the Connecticut General Assembly’s Human ServicesCommittee in favor of legislation intended to provide parents with betteraccess to affordable, high-quality job training; adult education; childcareand other supports to allow them to better care for their children.

Hartford Foundation board member TheaMontañez (right) poses with Eileen Kaplan.Eileen attended a recording session atHartford Public Library to share her story ofeveryday generosity for Words to Give By.

Sarah Durham, president of communications firm Big Duck,addresses a crowd of local nonprofit staff and board members at“Brandraising: How Nonprofits Can Raise Visibility and Moneythrough Smart Communications.” The workshop was presentedby the Foundation’s Nonprofit Support Program.

S N A P S H O T S S N A P S H O T S S N A P S H O T S S N A P S H O T S

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Coming this Spring… MetroHartford Progress Points 2015!The Hartford Foundation is working with eight regional partners to develop the secondedition of Metro Hartford Progress Points, the community indicators report for GreaterHartford. The 10-page regional report providesa framework to reflect on the key challengesand opportunities for Greater Hartford.

Progress Points:

• Shares easily understandable objective datain one central report, on an annual basis.

• Fosters opportunities for civic engagement,collaborations and further analysis to effectchange and/or celebrate successes.

• Catalyzes community leaders andinstitutions—including the Progress Pointspartners—to focus resources where theycan accomplish the most good.

Partners:

• Capitol Region Council of Governments• Capital Workforce Partners• City of Hartford• Hartford Foundation for Public Giving• Hispanic Health Council• Metro Hartford Alliance• Trinity College Center for Urban and Global

Studies• United Way of Central and Northeastern

Connecticut• Urban League of Greater Hartford

Board UpdateThea Montañez has been appointed to the board of directorsby the members of the board. Thea is the founder andmanaging director of Montañez Consulting, LLC.

Yvette Meléndez has been re-elected chair of the board. Bonnie J. Malley was re-elected vice chair, and Robert B. Goldfarbwas re-elected treasurer.

INSIDE Hartford Foundation

www.twitter.com/hartfordfdnwww.facebook.com/hartfordfoundationyoutube.com/user/HartfordFoundation

Staff UpdateElizabeth “Liz” Delton has joined the Foundation as grantsdatabase specialist. Liz previously served as associate directorat YMCA Camp Mohawk, where she spent time on theopposite side of the grants table as financial developmentdirector, in conjunction with office management.

Virginia Li has been hired as strategy assistant. Virginiacomes to us most recentlyfrom People’s United Bank,where she was employed as a Senior Customer ServiceAssociate. She holds a B.A. in economics from theUniversity of Connecticut anda Master of Science in humanservices from Albertus Magnus College.

Erika Frank has been promoted to program manager.

Thea Montañez

Yvette Meléndez

Follow us on Twitter,Facebook andYouTube.

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is published by the Hartford Foundation for Public

Giving — the community foundation for Greater

Hartford. Putting philanthropy into action, the

Foundation provides grants and other support to a

broad range of nonprofit organizations, helps donors

make effective charitable giving decisions, and brings

people together to create lasting solutions that result

in vibrant communities.

10 Columbus Boulevard / Hartford, CT 06106860-548-1888 / www.hfpg.org

Address Service Requested

Non profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDHartford, CT

Permit No. 1017

E-ConversationsIf you prefer to receive “Conversations” electronically, please visit www.hfpg.org/conversations to sign up.

But, in contrast, the Hartford Foundation did not roar into existence. Nor did its wealth immediately double. In fine,conservative New England fashion, our steps were carefullyplanned. Our founders had the long term in mind. Eleven yearsafter our founding—during the Great Depression that wiped outmuch of the wealth of the 1920s—enough income was generated to awardour first grant. It was the 1940s before the endowment topped $100,000.

We have been able to serve this region over the past 90 years, duelargely to the passion, commitment and generosity of our donors. Whatmotivates our donors? The reasons are different for each donor. One ofthem, Peter Jung, a student at Trinity College, offers his story in this issue.

Every anniversary is a cause for celebration. Find out how you cancelebrate with us with Words to Give By.

Linda J. Kelly President

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Our first 90 Years (continued from page 1)

Yvette MeléndezBoard Chair

Linda J. KellyPresident

Managing EditorNancy BenbenVice President for

Communications and Marketing

[email protected]

EditorMichelle C. MaysCommunications

and Marketing [email protected]

Contributing WritersGeorge ChappellMichelle C. Mays

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conversations - march 2015

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