$5.8 Million Awarded to Economic Development, Reentry and Youth Nonprofits
September 15, 2026 – The Community Foundation Mission Investments Company (TCFMIC) is distributing $5,812,500 in grant awards over the next three years to 29 non-profit organizations – 22 in Bridgeport and 7 in Meriden. Awards range from $105,000 to $300,000.
The grants are funded by the Social Equity Council, a Connecticut agency established in 2021 to provide catalytic investments to communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.
The Connecticut Social Equity Council’s Reimagine & Revitalize (R2) Program awarded the grants through a partnership with The Community Foundation Mission Investments Company (TCFMIC), the program’s grant manager for Bridgeport and Meriden. TCFMIC, a subsidiary of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, invests in businesses, entrepreneurs, and economic development infrastructure throughout Connecticut to promote opportunity and equity.
The three-year grants are part of a $36 million investment from the state to support communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. In total, there are 10 disproportionately impacted areas (DIAs) including Bridgeport and Meriden. Other DIAs include Danbury, Norwalk and Stamford; Hartford and East Hartford; New Britain; New Haven, East Haven and West Haven; New London, Norwich and Windham; and Waterbury. The funding supports initiatives aligned with the Council’s core priorities: economic development, reentry initiatives, and youth initiatives.
For Bridgeport and Meriden, TCFMIC conducted town-hall sessions to engage the community. Over the next three years, TCFMIC will administer and manage the grant application process, oversee funding distribution, and provide capital and technical assistance to awarded organizations.
“Meaningful progress happens when impacted communities have the agency, resources and support to shape their own futures,” said Joseph Williams Jr., Managing Director of TCFMIC. “Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in economic development, I understand these deep-seated structural inequities firsthand. Our partnership with the Social Equity Council and the State demonstrates a deep commitment to meaningful investment. We are committed to creating opportunities for Bridgeport and Meriden residents—and this is just the start.”
Bridgeport Grant Awards
Economic Development
| The WorkPlace Inc. | $300,000 | |
| The Bridgeport Rescue Mission | $300,000 | |
| University of Bridgeport | $202,500 | |
| CT Institute for Refugees and Immigrants | $202,500 | |
| Housing Collective Inc. | $105,000 | |
| Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation | $105,000 | |
| of Greater Bridgeport | ||
Reentry
| Optimus HealthCare | $300,000 | |
| Alliance for Community Empowerment Inc. | $300,000 | |
| Liberation Programs Inc. | $217,500 | |
| Career Resources Inc. | $217,500 | |
| 4-CT | $135,000 | |
| Kadiwaku Family Foundation | $135,000 | |
| Winning Ways | $135,000 | |
| HomeBridge Ventures | $135,000 | |
Youth Initiatives
| Color a Positive Thought | $217,500 | |
| LifeBridge Community Services | $217,500 | |
| Green Village Initiative Inc | $150,000 | |
| Wakeman Boys & Girls Club | $150,000 | |
| The Center for Family Justice, Inc. | $150,000 | |
| Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders | $150,000 | |
| The Child & Family Guidance Center | $150,000 | |
| Access Educational Services | $150,000 | |
Meriden Grant Awards
Economic Development
| Ready CT | $300,000 | |
| New Opportunities | $300,000 |
Youth Initiatives
| Girls Incorporated of Meriden | $217,500 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Meriden | $217,500 |
| Women and Families Center | $217,500 |
| Community Guidance Clinic for Central CT | $217,500 |
| Beat the Street Youth Development Program | $217,500 |
About The Community Foundation Mission Investments Company (TCFMIC)
TCFMIC is a subsidiary of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven that invests in people, ideas and businesses to create economic empowerment and mobility. TCFMIC collaborates with private and public funders to expand access to capital and business resources for emerging entrepreneurs and founders of all backgrounds and meet the needs of the local environment.
Media Contact:
Name: Sana Shaikh, Project Director, Social Equity Council, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Email Address: sshaikh@cfgnh.org
Phone: 203-777-7096
