Leading with trust
We approach grantee relationships from a place of trust and practice a form of philanthropy grounded in the collective wisdom of our community.
Our Approach to GrantmakingOur community-first approach
We collaborate with other foundations and government. We work together with local healthcare and social service providers. We participate in coalitions and workgroups. We engage partners and bring together stakeholders to solve problems.
How We Work Alongside CommunityAdvocating for rural health
We advocate for policy changes that improve health in our rural community. This means creating actionable information around public health issues affecting our rural community and supporting participatory processes that include those most impacted by the problem.
How We Use Our Voice
Our focus Areas
We believe that the strength and resiliency of the nonprofits that serve our region is key to improving the health for the over 52,000 people who call our region home.
Our Strategies
- Build resiliency and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations
- Support nonprofit organizational health
- Create opportunities for leadership development
- Seed pilot initiatives of bidirectional collaborative efforts
We actively invest in existing assets of our community, like schools and other community anchors, so more parts of our rural region can act as health access points.
Our Strategies
- Leverage existing community assets, such as schools and libraries, to advance health access and well-being
- Invest in local infrastructure needs related to broadband, food, and housing
- Support school-based oral health and rural transportation operational resiliency and effectiveness
We believe that when decision-makers have the tools and resources to make more inclusive and equitable decisions then they will.
Our Strategies
- Strengthen engagement between decision-makers and those most impacted by policy decisions
- Make community health needs information accessible and actionable for local decision-makers
- Support planning, pilot, and demonstration projects of our municipalities that are participatory and consider the social determinants of health
2025 Year in Review: Stretching to Meet the Moment
As we reflect on 2025, it was a year of testing new approaches and finding creative ways to support our region’s health and well-being. Beyond $1.1M in grants to 36 partners, we made our second place-based investment—a $1M loan supporting a collective of farms establishing a regional food hub—and provided 156 hours of hands-on support to strengthen the work of our nonprofit partners. The road ahead is uncertain, but we’re committed to using what we have—resources, flexibility, and time—in service of the communities we serve.
Seeking a Grant?
Our approach to grantmaking is built on trust, partnership and shared dedication to our community. Learn more about what we fund or reach out to start a conversation. We look forward to hearing from you!
Who we serve
Foundation for Community Health serves the 17-town region where northwest Connecticut meets New York’s Greater Harlem Valley. Learn more about our region and see where our grantee partners are making an impact.
137
Grantee Partners
$23.5M
Total Granted
674
Grants Made
From Here: Local Insights for Better Policy
Our “From Here” series examines how state and federal policies affect our rural communities through local stories and data. Each brief documents the real-world impacts of policy decisions on health access, housing, and community organizations in our 17-town region.
Explore All Issues BriefsNov 2025
|4 min read
After decades of building regional food security infrastructure that connects local farms with families in need, federal cuts threaten to dismantle the systems…
Read the story
Oct 2025
|4 min read
As federal policy changes threaten healthcare access across rural America, the Rural Health Transformation Program…
Read the storyWe’re always
learning
We know that meaningful, lasting change takes time and isn’t always easy to measure. That’s why we approach our work with openness and flexibility; we’re always testing ideas and looking for ways to better serve our community.
Stories
Photo by Anne Day.
Photo courtesy of Steph Burr.
Health&
Photo by Walter Hergt.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Salem.