HARTFORD – The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving will replace some of the funding the state has cut for dozens of nonprofit organizations now struggling under Connecticut’s new state budget.
In light of these budget cuts, the Hartford Foundation recently announced that they will offer $1 million in grants to assist qualifying, area nonprofits affected by the sudden loss of state support. The funds are coming from the foundation’s existing general grant-making budget, and are being allocated to the crisis, said Judy Rozie-Battle, the Foundation’s senior vice president for community investments.
On Monday, the foundation completed a four-day survey of its 330 active nonprofit grantees in relation to the recent budget cuts. Of the 23 percent that responded, the vast majority reported losing about $50,000 to $200,000 in funding per agency due to the state budget cuts, though there may still be more to come, Rozie-Battle said.
About 74 percent of the agencies said they would be either reducing services or closing programs, and 83 percent are seeking other funding, such as non-public funding, Rozie-Battle said.
“There is a new economic reality that people are beginning to realize,” she said. “When you hear that several agencies are thinking about a merger or collaboration, it is probably a very wise thing to do. These are very hard times for everyone, but every time you have a hard time, it makes you step back and look about how we can do it better.”
The Foundation is allocating funds on a case-by-case basis, Rozie-Battle said, and will prioritize critical needs like food and shelter before looking at mental health, education, the arts and economic development.
After hearing about the state budget cuts, residents of Willimantic’s Perception House, who are recovering from substance abuse, became confused, said Kristie Scott, CEO of nonprofit Perception Programs, Inc.
Many residents speculated that their recovery program would be the next to be eliminated after the state’s massive cuts to the nonprofit sector, Scott said. Perception Programs, which aids those with substance use and mental health problems, had to lay off more than 10 employees after the cuts, including multiple clinicians, she said.
“There were several weeks where the House was really in flux because people were really nervous,” Scott said.
Perception House is one of hundreds of nonprofit agencies across the state who are figuring out ways to survive after state funds were slashed — and may continue to be slashed.
Bridgeport’s Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership also saw major cuts, and had to lay off multiple staff members, Executive Director Robert Francis said. One of the largest programs that saw cuts, and some eliminations, were Bridgeport’s second chance or re-entry programs, which offer support to newly released prisoners, he said.
The nonprofit has always been able to count on state funding, Francis said, but now they are being forced to find alternative sources.
“The Hartford Foundation are being bombarded with extra applications to make up for the difference and they are not gaining resources,” he said. “One million dollars, compared to something like $650 million in reductions, it’s a drop in the bucket.”
