Community Foundation for Greater New Haven Looks Ahead to 2026

Hunkered down amidst the largest snowfall in at least five years, it is a perfect time to look back at recent milestones in the region and what they might mean for what’s ahead.

Recently, Karen DuBois-Walton marked her first anniversary as President & CEO, leading the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.  In the organization’s quarterly newsletter, she reflected on the current state-of-affairs, locally and beyond, noting that “our community, our nation, and our democracy face profound challenges. Yet, as I look back on this first year, what rises to the top is gratitude: gratitude for this community, for its resilience, for the generations of leaders and neighbors who built the deep legacy I was fortunate to inherit, and for the privilege of doing this work alongside so many dedicated partners.”

Among the year’s accomplishments, the recent awarding of “425.000 to 44 local nonprofits serving residents who need “basic daily food essentials to survive.”  The grants are part of $44 million in total grant funding from The Foundation for basic needs in 2025.

“We have worked to meet the needs of those most vulnerable, and to support the nonprofits who stretch — often beyond capacity — to serve them,” DuBois-Walton explained.

In addition, the Foundation’s annual Pathways to Economic Security for Women grants program awarded $130,000 to 12 “trailblazing organizations serving women and girls in Greater New Haven”.  The organization She Leads Justice, celebrating 30 years, was awarded a two year $100,000 grant to support systems change for the social and economic advancement of women and girls in the region.

DuBois-Walton also pointed to work during the past year that “refined and affirmed a new strategic framework that reflects who we are and what this moment demands. Our work centers on healing together, learning together and acting together — because community is not something we simply describe; it is something we build, renew and protect.”

She outlined what are described as “clear priorities”:

·         Investing in economic mobility that generates wealth through ownership and non-extractive models, ensuring prosperity is shared—not concentrated.

·         Strengthening the nonprofit ecosystem so organizations have the stability and resources they need to respond to community needs effectively and sustainably.

·         Protecting the most vulnerable, with attention immigrants, neighbors in need, maternal and child health, behavioral health and social connectedness.

·         Defending and advancing our multiracial democracy, through civic learning, voter engagement, narrative change and community-led leadership development.

·         Investing in the next generation of community leadership to provide a strong foundation for the future of our community.

·         Nurturing a culture of generosity that expands who participates in philanthropy and how we resource long-term change.

“This vision is not just aspirational—it is actionable. And we have already begun the work,” DuBois-Walton pointed out. “Greater New Haven refuses to be passive in the face of challenge. That refusal is a powerful form of hope.”