CCSU Students Learn Non Profit Grant Development – Succeed in Winning $10,000 for New Britain Nonprofits
The Prudance Crandall Center and the Klingberg Family Centers are each receiving $5,000 grants from the American Savings Foundation based on applications prepared by Central Connecticut State University students, as part of their “The Psychology of Giving and Introduction to Philanthropy” class.
The class, CCSU says,
taught the students about the world of non-profits and charitable giving. As their culminating project, the students worked in teams to learn about a specific need in the New Britain community and about a nonprofit organization that is working to address that need. The students spent time engaging with local nonprofits and learning about the people they serve. They then worked on behalf of the agency they selected to develop a grant application to the American Savings Foundation.
The students presented their applications to a Foundation review panel, CCSU says, consisting of, “José Feliciano, director of grant programs for Chamber Music America and a consultant; Dr. Angela Geddis, a pediatrician and philanthropist; and Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims, an education specialist, researcher, and consultant. All three said they were very impressed with the students’ work.”
“All three said they were very impressed with the students’ work,” CCSU said.
The grant to Prudance Crandall Center, said CCSU, is, “to purchase furniture, mattresses, and bedding for residents of the agency’s shelter and transitional housing programs. The students noted that the updated furniture will make a meaningful difference in providing trauma-informed care for survivors of domestic abuse.”
For the Klingberg Family Pantry at Klingberg Family Centers, CCSU says, “The students explained that through Klingberg’s partnership with CT Foodshare, the agency will be able to leverage the grant to provide four to nine months’ worth of food for the pantry, which serves both Klingberg clients and neighbors in the broader community.”
Dr Beth Merenstein, associate vice president for Community Engagement and Experiential Learning and executive director of the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research, leads the Psychology of Giving and Introduction to Philanthropy, which was originated by Dr Richard Judd.
The course, CCSU says, teaches students about, “the roles and responsibilities of the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors,” adding,
They spent the semester learning about fiscal responsibility, grant writing, understanding community needs, and how the nonprofit sector addresses those needs. Representatives from philanthropic, civic, and community organizations also presented to the class to share their expertise.
The American Savings Foundation says it,
is dedicated to strengthening the community by supporting education, human services, and the arts, with a special emphasis on the needs of children, youth and families, through grants to community organizations and college scholarships.
CCSU says, “Since 2019, American Savings Foundation has awarded $50,000 to local non-profits as a result of student presentations during The Psychology of Giving and Introduction to Philanthropy course.”
Editor’s note: The cover photo is courtesy of CCSU.
