Valley Community Foundation Awards $350,000 in New Multi-Year Grants to Eight Area Nonprofits
The Valley Community Foundation (VCF) has awarded $350,000 in new 2026 multi-year grants to eight nonprofit organizations serving the Valley.
Combined with Past Multi-Year Grants, $600,000 Awarded in Total in 2026
The Valley Community Foundation (VCF) has awarded $350,000 in new 2026 multi-year grants to eight nonprofit organizations serving the Valley, reinforcing the foundation’s long-term investment in organizations addressing some of the region’s most pressing needs.
The three-year commitments are part of VCF’s newly renamed Multi-Year Grant Process, designed to provide nonprofits with greater financial stability and the confidence to plan for sustained impact. Of the $350,000 committed, $160,000 will be distributed this year, with the balance paid over the following two years.
VCF is also fulfilling 21 second- and third-year grant commitments approved in 2024 and 2025 totaling $440,000. Combined with the new grants, VCF’s 2026 multi-year grantmaking totals $600,000.
The grants support arts and culture, basic human needs, children and youth, economic success and health, with most funded organizations serving residents throughout Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton.
The Valley Council for Health and Human Services (VCHHS) received the largest award, reflecting its vital role as the Valley’s primary convener of health and human services partnerships. Its $120,000 grant over three years will help strengthen collaboration and connect residents with critical services and resources.
The eight organizations receiving new three-year grants are:
Connecticut Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps — $35,000
Housatonic Council, Boy Scouts of America — $30,000
Operation Fuel, Inc./Generation Power CT — $25,000
Partnership for Strong Communities — $30,000
Rape Crisis Center of Milford, Inc. — $30,000
Shelton Economic Development Corp. — $50,000
St. Vincent de Paul of the Valley — $30,000, and
Valley Council for Health & Human Services — $120,000.
Six grants provide Core Support to Valley-based organizations, while two support Civic Health initiatives. Four are partnership grants with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (TCF), reflecting organizations serving both Greater New Haven and the Valley.
This year’s applications also highlighted challenges facing Valley nonprofits and residents, including food insecurity, housing and energy costs, access to health services and the need for long-term organizational sustainability.
“Our nonprofit partners continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience while responding to increasingly complex community needs,” said Sharon Closius, VCF’s President and CEO. “These grants give organizations the ability to think beyond the next fiscal year, strengthen their capacity and focus on serving Valley residents.”
“When nonprofits have dependable support over multiple years, they can strengthen partnerships, pursue opportunities and focus on mission instead of uncertainty,” Closius added. “That ultimately benefits every community across the Valley.”
About the Valley Community Foundation: Established in 2004, VCF awards approximately $2 million annually in grants supporting local nonprofits and the people they serve. VCF works in partnership with TCF to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton.
