We are the Progreso Latino Fund
The Progreso Latino Fund was created in 2003 to promote the educational and socio-economic wellbeing of Latinos in New Haven and the region.
PLF carries out its mission and creates positive change through:
- Forums on matters of importance to Latinos featuring prominent national and local speakers.
- Celebrations of Connecticut Latinos who lead from where they are.
- Charitable grants to programs and services that advance Latinos.
- A focus on the youth and young leaders.
OUR PRIORITIES: To amplify the voices of Latinos, to invest in the development of Latino leaders, and to bring attention to issues of importance to Latinos.
Donate During The Great Give May 4-5, 2021 for Your Money to be Matched!!
Special Announcement
PLF is returning as a sponsor of The Great Give, providing a matching pool of $10,000 to inspire giving to participating Latinx serving organizations with Latinx representation at the Executive Leadership level and with an annual budget of less than $500,000. Visit www.thegreatgive.org to see the organizations eligible for the match pool.
Raising awareness of Latino Matters
PLF Forums
PLF community forums are inspiring, can't miss events that bring people together for conversations about issues of importance to Latinos and feature prominent national and local leaders. Past guests include U.S. Education Sec. Miguel Cardona, Latino USA host, Maria Hinojosa, Actor Elizardi Castro and Former U.S. Rep. Luis Vicente Gutiérrez.
Bringing the Community Together
Community Events
Did you miss a past event? View the archive of past event summaries and photos.
Leading From Where You Are
Celebrating Latino Leaders
Latino Leaders serving Greater New Haven and Connecticut share their inspiring stories in this series of up-close and personal profiles.
Educational and economic wellbeing
Grantmaking Impact
- As of 2021, The PLF endowment is $446,500.
- Gifts made to the fund: 661.
- Since 2003, 38 grants made totaling $127,115.
- 2020 grants supported:
- Emergency food delivery for families impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic through Fair Haven Community Health Care.
- Saturday Art Academy at Arte Inc.
- Books for Citywide Youth Coalition.
- Capital needs for Junta for Progressive Action.
Supporting New Haven Scholars
Founders Scholarship
In honor if its Founding members, the PLF Advisory Committee awards an annual scholarship to a New Haven Latino student through the New Haven Scholarship Fund.
Stepping Up in a Time of Need
Disaster Response
In 2017, following Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the massive earthquake in Mexico, PLF joined a Latino-led global fundraising campaign to support disaster relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico and Mexico and assist evacuees who came to Greater New Haven.
PLF Advisory Committee
- Tara Davila (Co-chair)
- Yadira Ijeh (Co-Chair)
- Jorge Jimenez
- Anna Rivera-Alfaro
- Alexandra Sanchez
- Raquel Santiago-Martinez
- Maysa Akbar, PhD - Community Foundation Board Liaison
Use your talents to expand opportunity for Latinos in Greater New Haven. Join the PLF Advisory Committee today!
Our History
The Progreso Latino Fund was established in 2003 a small group of community-minded Puerto Ricans as their way to give back to the New Haven community which they called home. Their vision was to create a fund that would “promote the educational and socio-economic well-being of Latinos in the City of New Haven and the region . . . with particular attention to the needs of our children.”
Since then, more than 660 contributors have have built a permanent endowment of more than $440,000 that is used to fund grant making, policy forums, leadership-building activities and community events
The Progreso Latino Fund is permanently endowed, which means it will last forever and never stop doing good. An independent advisory committee picked exclusively from within the Latino community guides the actions of the PLF.
Get in touch for more information.
Christina Ciociola
Senior Vice President for Grantmaking and Strategy
Stay connected with PLF.
