Background Overly

Live Here, Give Here.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Mission of The Guilford Foundation is to enrich the quality of life in our community by connecting people who care with causes that matter, now and for generations to come.

Background Overly

Building Strong Communities Through Philanthropy

VALUE STATEMENT

The Guilford Foundation values integrity and equity as we actively seek to be a responsive, collaborative, and trusted leader that makes a positive difference in our community.

OUR GOALS

Empowering Easy and Effective Philanthropy

Our goal is to make philanthropy easy and effective. We accomplish this by enabling donors to contribute to the projects and efforts in our community that they care about the most. We are the hub of philanthropy in Guilford. Forever dedicated to meeting the diverse and ever-changing needs of our community.

OUR WORK

What We Do

We are a trusted nonprofit foundation focused on improving life in Guilford. Grants, sponsorship awards, scholarships, and leadership initiatives are the ways we invest in our community to support critical needs and priorities.

We are grateful for the community’s support for our work. This trust and generosity allow us to partner with service providers to have a lasting positive impact on the people who live, work and play in Guilford.

— LIZA JANSSEN PETRA

Meet Our Team

Deborah Abildsoe

Jock Akin

Sharon Barrett

Jeffrey Beatty

Jonathan Bishop

Maryann Bracken

John Crawford

John Dillon

Frank DePino

Kyle Eagleson

Andrew Eder

Pamela Ellman

Christine Fappiano

Tony Fappiano

Daniel Fisher

Charles Frey

Timothy Geelan

John D. Gillespie

Norma S. Ginz

Joe Goldberg

Robert Hartmann

Peter Hawes

Richard Hersh

William “Bo” Huhn

Allen Jacobs

Roger Joyce

Annie Kaplan

Mary Jo Kestner

Kate Lee

Lawrence Leete

Delaney Lundberg

Richard Madonna

James Mancini

Rick Mayer

Robert McCoole

Michael McNiff

Michael Mikolay

Chris Moore

Laura Page

Stephen Page

Tom Pinchbeck

Helen Rizzo

Sandy Ruoff

Meghan Scanlon

Irving Schloss

Ralph Schoemann

Edward Seibert

Joan Shrewsbury

Brendan Smith

Pam Stoddard

Katie Tuttle

Jan Walzer

Katherine Wiltshire

Kathleen White

Linda Weber

LEGACY CIRCLE

Plan A Gift

For The Future

We’re grateful for those enlightened donors who want to secure a strong future for our community through thoughtful philanthropy.  By creating The Guilford Foundation’s Legacy Circle, we can recognize members’ generosity now with the hope of encouraging others to plan a gift for the future.

Legacy Circle Members

  • Lawrence Appleton 
  • Charles “Gene” & Jane Bishop
  • Anthony & Christine Fappiano
  • Joe & Cindy Goldberg
  • Gwendolyn Gunn
  • Richard Hersh & Judith Meyers
  • John & Merri Hyman
  • Allen Jacobs
  • Roger & Connie Joyce
  • Bill & Kate Lee
  • Michelle Martin
  • Joseph Nugent
  • Mary Stevens & Jock Akin
Learn More

HISTORY

A Storied Start To The Guilford Foundation

In 1975, Betty Stevens, Hugh Jones, Stanley Page, John Leffingwell, and Lawrence Appleton planted the seed that became The Guilford Foundation.

1

HISTORY

2000 – 2010

  • Received a $310,000 donation with the Effie Good Fund, TGF’s largest bequest to date (2006)
  • Contracted with Greater New Haven Community Foundation to manage TGF’s financial assets (2007)
  • Provided seed funding for Guilford Fund for Education (2007)
  • Funded a TEAM Guilford community event focused on youth substance abuse programs which generated a $625,000 federal grant and resulted in the formation of Shoreline Developmental Assets for Youth (Guilford DAY) (2007)
  • Provided seed funding for Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (2008)

 

2

HISTORY

2010 – 2015

  • Hired the first professional staff, a part-time Executive Director (2011)
  • Formed the Youth Advisory Group in partnership with the GHS Interact Club, cultivating the next generation of philanthropists (2011)
  • Added an Acorn Fund option that provides donors with five years to reach the fund minimum of $10,000 (2012)
  • Used a match challenge to launch Foundations Fuel Families, a private initiative to raise funds for fuel assistance through Guilford Social Services (2012)
  • TGF awarded a $10,000 grant to Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA) to build a boardwalk and overlook platform at Chittenden Park, the termination point of the 215-mile-long New England Trail (2013)
  • Garnered Organization of the Year award from the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce (2014)
  • Focused on affordable housing after learning it surfaced as a critical community need in a commissioned study by the Yale School of Management (2014)
3

HISTORY

2015 – 2020

  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed to start collaboration between the Branford and Guilford community foundations. (2015)
  • Provided professional development and support to area nonprofits in a collaborative initiative with the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and Branford Community Foundation (2016)
  • The Guilford Institute Trust moved to TGF to support exceptional Guilford High School (GHS) programs and projects. (2016)
  • Supported Eagle Scout project to restore the iconic Grass Island Shack and then established a permanent fund to ensure it remains resourced (2017)
  • Provided seed funding for the Guilford Performing Arts Festival, now GreenStage Guilford (2017)
  • Convened “Community of Compassion” in response to racist graffiti spray painted on a local home (2017)
  • Provided seed funding for Guilford Witness Stones (2018)
  • Initiated Shoreline Nonprofit Conference in partnership with Shoreline Chamber of Commerce (2018)
  • Friends of Education Award from Guilford Public Schools (2018)
4

HISTORY

2020 – Present

  • Set a COVID Response Fund campaign with a $20,000 goal, raised and distributed over $138,000 (2020)
  • Susan & Lou Weady left a nearly $1 million bequest, the largest in TGF’s history (2021)
  • Entered a partnership with GSB to distribute $25,000 in annual sponsorship funds (2022)
  • Formed the Legacy Circle to recognize those who plan future giving through their estate (2022)
  • Appointed by the Town of Guilford to manage the distribution of $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act federal funding to community-serving organizations (2023)
  • The Guilford Fund For Education became a donor-advised fund, allowing GFFE to retain its autonomy in funding decisions while leveraging TGF’s administrative resources and operational expertise (2024).
5

Our Communities Matter

If you’re ready to make a difference in our communities, make a donation today.

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