Contamination of the Quinnipiac River was once so great that it prompted the first pollution control measure in Connecticut and the eventual creation of the first sewage treatment plant in the State. It was also the subject of a lawsuit against the Upjohn Company concerning wastewater discharges from Upjohn's plant in North Haven. The lawsuit resulted in a settlement in 1990 that created the Quinnipiac River Fund at The Community Foundation, making the River what is believed to be the first in the nation to have an endowment that generates income to protect it and its surrounding environment. Grants are made each year from the fund for grant proposals that:
- Research what pollutants are in the Quinnipiac River
- Research methods of reducing pollution, or otherwise improving the Quinnipiac River's environmental health
- Address means of reducing both non-point and point sources of pollution to the River
- Research the permitting process and look at the permits themselves
- Entail environmental advocacy, except litigation
- Study the ecology of the Quinnipiac River and the New Haven Harbor
- Provide public education about the Quinnipiac River and its watershed
- Purchase land on the Quinnipiac River for conservation purposes, or to reduce pollution and improve public access to the River.
A grant in 2010 to Catalyst Studios launched a photo-based awareness campaign about the consequences of poor stewardship of the River. The pictorial exhibit started at New Haven’s City Hall and traveled to towns that abut the lower part of the River, including North Haven, Wallingford, and Meriden. It ended in 2010 at the Capitol in Hartford, CT. For more information and to view photos from the exhibit, please visit www.considerthequinnipiac.com.
2011 Quinnipiac River Grants
2010 Quinnipiac River Grants
The deadline to submit an application for the 2012 grants cycle has passed. For more information about applying for a grant from the Quinnipiac River Fund, contact Denise Canning at
dcanning@cfgnh.org or 203-777-7076.