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Investing

in the health, well-being, and equity of our community

As a steward of community resources, we work alongside people and organizations to serve our neighbors—especially those that have historically been under-resourced.

What We Fund

School-based health services remove barriers and improve access for students, which is why we have supported partners in establishing school-based health programs across our region.

Photo by Walter Hergt.

Partnering

with community to drive change

We operate under the principles of trust-based philanthropy and strive to develop deep relationships with our community’s non-profit sector.

Our Approach

Safe, affordable housing directly impacts health outcomes, which is why we partner with the Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity to address housing needs across our region.

Photo by Shana Sureck.

Focusing

where we’re needed most

We work to reduce barriers to health, to ensure that everyone regardless of their age, race, income level or zip code, has the opportunity to thrive.

Where We Work

Local healthcare preserves dignity and improves access, which is why we're proud to be part of Community Health and Wellness's story in establishing a new health center in our region.

Photo by Walter Hergt.

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 Grantmaking

Our 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 Community

Advocating 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

Grantmaking

Community Leadership

Advocacy

Our focus Areas

Strengthen organizations Improve community assets Support local decision-making

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

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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

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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

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Our 2025 Learning & Results Summary

Our 2025 Learning & Results Summary reflects a year of investing close to home — supporting 29 nonprofit partners through our Capacity Building Grant Program, expanding access to school-based health services across our region, and backing a regional food hub that’s growing access to fresh, local food. It also includes updated data on the health and well-being of the towns we serve, giving us — and our community — a clearer picture of where progress is being made and where work remains. Read on to see how we’re putting our resources, partnerships, and learning to work for our region.

Read the Summary

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!

What We Fund Contact Us
Map of different counties

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.

142

Grantee Partners

$24.5M

Total Granted

702

Grants Made

Our Communities

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 Briefs
Featured Issue Brief

Nov 2025

|

4 min read

Preserving Our Region’s Food Security Infrastructure

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
Rural Health Transformation Program

Oct 2025

|

4 min read

As federal policy changes threaten healthcare access across rural America, the Rural Health Transformation Program…

Read the story

We’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.

Our Latest Learnings

Stories

Photo by Shana Sureck.

February 17, 2026
Building Homes in Rural Connecticut
Rural communities face mounting housing shortages, yet traditional funding models often exclude small towns that cannot support large-scale developments. The Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity (LCCHO) is addressing this challenge by helping small, local housing groups in Litchfield County access critical resources through bundling projects across multiple towns.
Learn More

Photo by Anne Day.

February 26, 2025
Breaking Barriers to Dental Care
Brooker Memorial and Sun River Health operate school-based oral health programs in our region. These organizations are committed to providing high-quality, affordable, and accessible oral care to all children.
Learn More

Health&

Photo by Walter Hergt.

November 8, 2024
HEALTH & SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
How we grow our food directly impacts our health – from the quality of the air we breathe and water we drink, to the nutrients in our food and the economic vitality of our farming communities. Health and agriculture interact simultaneously and in both directions; health influences agriculture and agriculture influences health. Transforming our agricultural system is achievable, despite the hurdles in the way…
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Photo courtesy of Sarah Salem.

March 15, 2024
HEALTH & THE FOOD SYSTEM
The fact that our food system is largely dependent upon factory farms and monoculture to feed the masses comes at a huge cost to the planet and our collective well-being. The concentration of corporate power in the current food system has effectively spurred a contemporary health crisis…
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