American Savings Foundation – Community Grants (2026)

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Up to $5,000 for Education, Human Services, and Arts & Culture Programs in 64 Connecticut Towns

American Savings Foundation’s Community Grants program provides up to $5,000 for eligible nonprofits and public libraries serving communities across its 64-town Connecticut service area. The program supports direct-service work in education, human services, and arts and culture, with one review cycle each year. The 2026 application deadline is September 30, 2026, with decisions expected in November.

Organization: American Savings Foundation
Support Type: Community grants
Geographic Focus: 64 Connecticut towns in the foundation’s service area, with specific rules for New Britain and Waterbury

About the Funder

American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment that supports nonprofit organizations and scholarship programs in Connecticut. Its grantmaking is broad-based, with a special emphasis on improving quality of life for children, youth, and families through education, human services, and arts & culture.

What This Program Supports

The Community Grants program funds direct-service programs in:

Education
Human services
Arts & culture

Grants are primarily intended for program expenses that directly benefit the community. Program requests cannot include computers or other capital purchases, although limited stand-alone capital equipment requests may be considered with prior foundation guidance.

Eligible Support Types

Program expenses for direct community services
Limited stand-alone requests for essential capital equipment, with advance guidance from the foundation

Eligibility & Preferences

This program is intended for:

Agencies of any size serving the foundation’s 64-town service area, outside of New Britain and Waterbury
Small nonprofits serving New Britain or Waterbury; organizations with an agency budget greater than $250,000 must instead use the Program Grant application for programs taking place in or primarily serving those two cities
Organizations that are tax-exempt under IRS section 501(c)(3)
Public libraries

Additional guidance includes:

The requested amount should represent a meaningful percentage of the specific program budget
Organizations may reapply for up to three consecutive years, but renewals are never automatic
After receiving Community Grants in three consecutive years, there is a one-year waiting period before reapplying
Only one Community Grant may be awarded per agency in a calendar year
Agencies awarded a Program Grant in the past 12 months are not eligible for a Community Grant

Ineligible Requests

American Savings Foundation does not fund:

Private foundations
Political advocacy and lobbying
General operating support or unrestricted grants
Most schools, colleges, and universities
Funding to replace municipal, state, or federal funding
Municipalities and municipal services
Grantmaking organizations
Annual campaigns
Endowment funds
Animal welfare organizations
Disease-specific or scientific research
Environmental conservation, land trusts, or related causes
Religious institutions except for non-sectarian activities benefiting the broader community
Individuals
Travel, field trips, teacher training, sports teams, tournaments, and most event sponsorships
Scholarship programs

Funding Amounts

Grant Size: Up to $5,000 per request.

Timeline & Review

📅 Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
📅 Decision Timing: November 2026
📅 Review Cycle: One review period per year

Applications may be submitted at any time before the deadline, but all Community Grant applications are reviewed during a single annual cycle.

Application / Request Process

Applications are submitted through the American Savings Foundation grants portal. After submission, applicants receive a confirmation email. For questions, organizations may contact the Grants Team at grants@asfdn.org or call 860-357-2652.

Apply / Learn More:
➡️ https://www.asfdn.org/grants/community-grants

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a good fit for organizations that:

Need a smaller grant for a direct-service program
Work in education, human services, or arts & culture
Serve one or more of the foundation’s 64 Connecticut towns
Can present a focused request tied to a specific program budget

This program is especially relevant for nonprofits looking for modest program support rather than general operating funding.

New to corporate grant fundraising?
Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Review Type: Annual review
Typical Lead Time: Submit before September 30; prepare early since only one cycle is offered each year
Best Suited For: Connecticut nonprofits and public libraries seeking up to $5,000 for direct-service programs in education, human services, or arts & culture