American Savings Foundation – Program Grants (July 23, 2026 Deadline)

Direct-Service Grants for Children, Youth, and Families in New Britain, Waterbury, and the Foundation’s Connecticut Service Area

American Savings Foundation’s Program Grants support direct-service programs in education, human services, and arts & culture, with a primary focus on New Britain and Waterbury. The foundation funds both established programs with measurable impact and new, innovative efforts that address unmet community needs. The next 2026 Program Grant deadline is July 23, 2026.

Organization: American Savings Foundation
Support Type: Program grants
Geographic Focus: Primary focus on New Britain and Waterbury, with broader eligibility across the foundation’s 64-town Connecticut service area

About the Funder

American Savings Foundation is a broad-based Connecticut funder with a special emphasis on the needs of children, youth, and families. Its Program Grants are intended to support direct services where funding can make a measurable difference, especially for those with the greatest need.

What This Program Supports

Program Grants support:

• Direct-service programs in education
• Direct-service programs in human services
• Direct-service programs in arts & culture
• Established programs with demonstrated community impact
• New and innovative programs that fill unmet needs
• Collaborative programs
• Matching support to help leverage additional funding

The foundation looks for evidence of broad local support and is not typically able to be the sole funder of a program grant request.

Eligible Support Types

• Programmatic support for direct services
• Support for collaborative programs
• Matching funds tied to broader fundraising efforts

Eligibility & Preferences

To apply, organizations must:

• Be tax exempt under IRS section 501(c)(3)
• Be requesting support for an eligible direct-service program
• Demonstrate that the proposed work can make a measurable impact

Before applying, organizations should confirm this is the correct grant pathway:

Community Grants should be used instead for:

• Agencies of any size serving the 64-town service area outside of New Britain and Waterbury
• Small nonprofits with an agency budget under $250,000 serving any part of the service area, including New Britain and/or Waterbury

After School Application should be used only for:

• New Britain after-school programs for middle school youth that meet consistently throughout the school year

Capital Grants must be used for:

• Any capital request, including equipment, computers, or technology

Program grant requests cannot include technology or equipment as line items.

Ineligible Requests

American Savings Foundation does not fund:

• Private foundations
• Political advocacy and lobbying
• General operating support or unrestricted grants
• Primary or secondary schools, colleges, and universities, except for very limited invitation-only exceptions
• Funding to replace municipal, state, or federal funding
• Municipalities and municipal services
• Grantmaking organizations
• Annual campaigns
• Endowment funds
• Animal welfare organizations
• Disease-specific or other scientific research
• Environmental conservation, land trust, or related causes
• Religious institutions, except for non-sectarian activities benefiting the broader community
• Individuals
• Travel
• Field trips
• Sports teams or tournaments
• Event sponsorships such as single-day events, golf outings, or galas
• Scholarship programs

Funding Amounts

American Savings Foundation does not publish a standard award amount for Program Grants.

Timeline & Review

📅 Next Deadline: July 23, 2026
📅 Other 2026 Deadline: January 29, 2026
📅 School-Year Programs Deadline: April 23, 2026
📅 Review Structure: Applications for Program Grants are accepted during two application periods per year

Program grants are awarded on a year-to-year basis only. Multi-year commitments are not made. A specific program may only be funded once in a 12-month period, and renewals are never automatic. Typically, the foundation funds only one program per agency in a given year.

Application / Request Process

Applications are submitted through the American Savings Foundation Grants Portal. Program Grant applicants must also use the foundation’s required budget template and be prepared to show both the full program budget and the specific amount requested, along with secured and expected funding from other sources.

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

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:

• Operate direct-service programs in education, human services, or arts & culture
• Serve children, youth, and families
• Work in New Britain or Waterbury, or have a compelling fit within the broader service area
• Can show measurable impact and evidence of other community support
• Are seeking 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: Semiannual review
Typical Lead Time: Prepare well ahead of the July 23 deadline
Best Suited For: Connecticut nonprofits seeking program support for direct-service work benefiting children, youth, and families