State Budget Woes Impacting Nonprofits, Grantmakers

The impact of the state’s ongoing fiscal crisis is reverberating through the state’s nonprofit community.  The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (CCP), in a recent survey, found that about 25 percent of nonprofits answering the survey are currently responding to the state’s fiscal crisis. The vast majority of these grantmakers, responding with increased grant support to non-profit organizations. Some grantmakers, about 33 percent, are supporting conversations about non-profit mergers. And a smaller number, about 20 percent each, are offering learning programs and/or advocating. The survey results were shared in the CCP’s latest newsletter by president Karla Fortunato.

In analyzing the survey responses, CCP reports that many more foundations, about 44 percent of respondents, report that they plan to respond to the state's fiscal crisis. Again, the majority, about 50 percent, are planning to increase their grant support to non-profits. Even more, 57 percent, report they will support conversations about non-profit mergers, and still others, 42 percent, will offer learning programs to non-profits. A smaller number, 21 percent, plan to advocate or lobby.

“We think that the time is now to bring the philanthropic community together - to deepen our collective understanding of the current fiscal crisis, projections for out-years, and what roles philanthropy can play to mitigate short-term pain, to support evolution in the state's non-profit landscape, and to start developing longer-term strategies,” Fortunato said.

Most respondents reported that they are hearing from their grantees and that many of them are adjusting their work based on the state budget.  Among the actions being taken:  cutting programs and services, requesting bridge loans or gap funding, reducing or laying off staff, dipping into reserves, and reducing staff.  Concerns are also being raised about potential tax law changes that would impact nonprofits and concerns about meeting current needs, or possible reversal of past gains in providing services.  Grantees also report hearing from organizations seeking support that had not requested support previously, being driven by state cutbacks or anticipated cutbacks.

While many respondents noted that they are having conversations internally at their organizations or with their colleagues, most acknowledged that more information is needed and more conversations need to be had. They noted that discussions among foundations, and in collaboration with nonprofits or other partners, are critical. Fortunato reported that suggestions for CCP leadership highlighted three areas of focus, described as advocacy, inform and convene.

Advocacy includes helping to organize a unified response; advocating for a responsible, equitable budget; and making sure legislators understand that philanthropy cannot fill government's gaps. CCP members also look to the organization to keep them up-to-date on budget matters and other policies impacting nonprofits, sharing what others are doing, and exploring and sharing possible solutions.  They also look to CCP to convene forums to deepen understanding; bring nonprofits together to learn together what funders can consider doing; and help nonprofits understand what is needed immediately to mitigate short-term harm and assist in the development of a long-term strategy.

Fortunato joined CCP in May as the organization's president, after 13 years at the Health and Environmental Funders Network (HEFN), a national alliance of 60 philanthropic organizations based in Rockville, Md.  At her departure from HEFN, the organization commended her "professionalism, pragmatism, and persistence" in advancing and extending the organization's mission and objectives.

Award-Winning Accelerator Prepares for Next Cohort of Start-up Businesses

reSET, a Hartford-based non-profit organization supporting entrepreneurs, has opened applications for its highly regarded business accelerator program for 2018. Tailored for impact-driven businesses but available to early-stage ventures across all industries, reSET’s Impact Accelerator was a winner of the U.S. Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Competition, and was the only Connecticut accelerator to receive the award, in 2015. Running from next January through May, the five-year old program will provide entrepreneurs with access to the knowledge and resources they need to grow their businesses and impact. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis; the final deadline is December 8, 2017.  Applicants are not limited to the Hartford area or Connecticut; in previous cohorts, participants have been from other states and nations.

reSET is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector. Its strategic goals are threefold: to be the “go-to” place for impact entrepreneurs, to make Hartford known as Impact City, and Connecticut the Social Enterprise state. reSET meets entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and aims to help them take their businesses to the next level.

The accelerator program has graduated 80 businesses to date. Recent participants have experienced success in advancing their businesses, including competitor acquisition, venture capital investment, and nationwide sales and recognition. 

Among the businesses are Almasuite, CareerPathMobile, Phood, Pelletric, Eureeka, Save America, and Genius Box. Kate Pipa, co-founder of Genius Box, which develops and sends science kits to elementary and middle-school age children, credits the Impact Accelerator with helping her business gain traction.

“reSET’s Impact Accelerator was a great stepping stone for getting introduced to and more involved in Connecticut’s startup scene.  Just being in reSET’s community allowed for access to workshops, mentors and service providers to answers questions and provide advice on different challenges that can come up when starting your business.”

Over the course of four weekend summits during the accelerator program, participants selected for the 2018 cohort will be connected to customers and industry-specific mentors. Up to 20 entrepreneurial teams will have access to:

• 20+ optional workshops covering a range of topics in business and social enterprise
• Numerous structured and unstructured opportunities to engage with investors and advisors
• 1-year reSET membership (includes access to co-working, programming and the on-site Entrepreneur-in-Residence)
• Exclusive discounts on business software packages and other resources

The accelerator will be free for accepted entrepreneurs and no equity will be taken from their operations. Graduates will also have an opportunity to compete for $20,000 in unrestricted funding at a culminating Venture Showcase in Spring 2018.

“As an entrepreneur myself, I have experienced the ups and downs of launching a new business,” said Jeremy Szechenyi, reSET’s Programs Manager. “Between reSET’s physical office and programs, we give entrepreneurs the resources and network that is critical to surviving and bringing their work to the next level.”

An information sessions will be held at reSET  (1429 Park Street, Hartford) on October 26 from 12:30-1:30pm, and November 15 from 5:30-6:30pm.  The sessions will be informal and meant to address prospective candidates questions.

reSET serves all entrepreneurs, but specializes in social enterprise ― impact driven business with a double or triple bottom line. In addition to providing co-working space, accelerator and mentoring programs, reSET aims to inspire innovation and community collaboration, and to support entrepreneurs in creating market-based solutions to community challenges.

Philanthropic Giving Levels in Connecticut Among Nation’s Lowest As Percentage of Income

Connecticut ranked 47th among the 50 states in philanthropic giving as a percentage of income, with a “giving ratio” of 2.4 percent, 25 percent lower than the national average, according to a new analysis by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The giving ratio is the total of a locality’s charitable contributions as a share of its total adjusted gross income. Among the states in the region, Vermont ranked 45th, Massachusetts was 46th, and Rhode Island was 50th.

Nationally, the Chronicle report “How America Gives” highlighted the growing influence of the affluent in charitable giving across the country.  Although charitable donations rose for the third straight year in 2016, reaching $390.1 billion, according to "Giving USA," the Chronicle study indicates the sources of those donations are changing.

Donations from households earning $200,000 or more now total 52 percent of all itemized contributions. In the early 2000s, that number was consistently in the 30s, the Chronicle reported.  The report raises questions about the traditional habit of charitable donations among middle and low income individuals lessening, perhaps as a lingering after-effect of the recession.

Connecticut ranked 20^th in total giving, despite having the 29^th largest population among the states, with average giving per itemizer of $5,229, which placed the state squarely in the middle, ranking 25^th.

The Chronicle provides an analysis of the giving patterns of Americans who earn $50,000 or more annually and who itemize charitable deductions on their income-tax returns. The itemized giving of these taxpayers, in 2015, represents nearly 80 percent of all individual charitable contributions and offers the best possible view into giving at local and regional levels, the Chronicle explains.

Nationally, only 24 percent of taxpayers reported a charitable gift, according to the Chronicle analysis of Internal Revenue Service data. That’s down from 2000 to 2006, years when that figure routinely reached 30 or 31 percent.  The Chronicle’s conclusion: “The number of households making room in their budgets for charitable giving is shrinking.”

In all but six states – including Connecticut – the percentage of those in the $200,000 plus bracket increased in 2015, the most recent year in which data was available. Only in Connecticut, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Rhode Island was the percentage of those giving in that earnings bracket less that year, compared with 2012.

In Connecticut, individuals earning more than $200,000 gave 66.4 percent of all Connecticut giving, down 1.7 percent from 2012, according to the Chronicle analysis.  The portion of all givers in this income bracket in Connecticut down 0.2 percent while the giving per itemizer is down 20.6 percent.  In looking at the state’s major metropolitan areas, greater Bridgeport, Hartford, and New Haven, the analysis round that giving rates for taxpayers at four income levels fell below the average for the size group in each of the metropolitan areas.

The Chronicle reports that “Charity leaders say government funding has dwindled as corporate support has grown finicky. At the same time, America’s wealth has become more concentrated among the wealthy.”  The publication noted that “groups traditionally fueled by small gifts are also jumping into big-gift fundraising,” adding that “Middle-class woes and the country’s widening income disparity are undoubtedly partly to blame. But some fear that organizations are contributing to the problem by courting the well-heeled and slighting the small donor.”

The giving percentage varied across the state:  the Fairfield County giving ratio was 2.8%, New Haven County and Litchfield counties 2.1%, Hartford County 1.9%, New London County 1.8%, Middlesex and Tolland Counties 1.7%, and Windham County 1.6%.

Hartford Region Ranks 49th Among 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas in Charitable Giving

The average percentage of income given to charity by residents of the Hartford metropolitan region ranked 49^th among the top 50 largest metropolitan regions, according to a new survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.  Only residents of the metropolitan Providence, Rhode Island region donated less. Greater Hartford residents, on average, donated 1.9 percent of their income to charity according to the analysis.  The average amount given, among those itemizing gifts, was $2,994.  The total in Itemized contributions among the region’s 1.2 million people was $600 million.

In Providence, $600 million was donated with an average gift of $2,748, or 1.8 percent of individual income.  The Providence region includes 1.6 million people.

Both cities are among the 60 of America's 100 largest metropolitan areas that give less than the national average of 3.1 percent.

The Chronicle used 2015 Internal Revenue Service data on individuals who earn $50,000 or more annually and who itemize charitable deductions on their income-tax returns to create a snapshot of giving in every county and metropolitan area in the country. Only donations of taxpayers who took a deduction are included, the publication noted. The key measure, according to the Chronicle, is the giving ratio: the total of a locality’s charitable contributions as a share of its total adjusted gross income.

The metropolitan regions with the largest average percentage of income to charity:  Memphis (5.6%), Salt Lake City (5.5%), Birmingham (5.4%), Atlanta (4.6%), San Jose (4.6%), Jacksonville (4.2%), Nashville (4.0%), and Oklahoma City (4.0%).

Five years previously, in 2012, Hartford ranked last among the 50 largest metropolitan regions.  The giving rate that year was also 1.9 percent, reflecting an 89.9 percent decline in giving rate since 2006.  Providence was 49^th that year.

Overall in 2015, only 24 percent of taxpayers reported on their tax returns that they made a charitable gift according to the new analysis of Internal Revenue Service data. A decade earlier that figure routinely reached 30 or 31 percent, the Chronicle pointed out. Study authors suspect the numbers come from economic fears in the wake of the Great Recession, and a higher cost of living.

“Museum Day Live” Event to Include 18 Connecticut Museums

Eighteen Connecticut museums in twelve communities will be participating in Museum Day Live! On September 23, offering free admission in a national initiative led by Smithsonian magazine and supported by Microsoft, to increase awareness of the assets that museums have to offer residents throughout the country. Museum Day Live! is described as “an annual celebration of boundless curiosity.” Participating museums and cultural institutions across the country provide entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket. Individuals can get tickets on-line to any of the participating museums, simply by indicating the museum they intend to visit.  A ticket specific to that museum is then downloaded, and recipients can either print the ticket or show it on their smart phones in many of the museums.

To get free admission, guests must present an official Museum Day Live! Ticket, which provides general admission for the ticketholder plus one guest.  It is not valid for special exhibits, parking, IMAX film screening or any other offer.

Across the country, there are nearly 1200 participating museums, including 457 museums in the Northeast, 188 across the South, 402 in the Mid-West and 136 in the Western U.S.

Participating museums in Connecticut include:

BRISTOL

• American Clock & Watch Museum
• Imagine Nation, A Museum Early Learning Center
• The New England Carousel Museum

DANBURY

Danbury Museum and Historical Society Authority

FAIRFIELD

Fairfield University Art Museum 

GREENWICH

Bruce Museum

HARTFORD

• Connecticut Historical Society 
• Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

MASHANTUCKET

Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center 

NEW HAVEN

• New Haven Museum
• Yale Center for British Art 

NEW LONDONCustom House Maritime Museum

• Lyman Allyn Art Museum

RIDGEFIELD

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

TOLLAND

• Old Tolland County Court House Museum 
• Old Tolland County Jail and Museum

WEST HARTFORD

Art Museum, University of Saint Joseph 

WOODBURY

Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden

Promise Scholar Day Kicks Off School Year for Many in Hartford

When Hartford Promise holds its second annual Promise Scholar Day, a full day of programming and college prep for local Promise Scholars, it will be plainly evident that participating Hartford students are doing precisely what the program aimed to accomplish – they’re going to (and excelling in) college. The day-long program will be held on August 15 at Central Connecticut State University. In just two years, Hartford Promise has 257 Promise Scholars attending more than 50 colleges around the country.

Harford Promise President Richard Sugarman recently told FOX61 that the program can be life changing for these students.  “This is a way to really change the trajectory not only for the kids and families, but for the city of Hartford,” said Sugarman.

The Hartford Promise Scholarship is a "last dollar" scholarship that helps pay expenses not funded by other grants and financial aid packages, allowing students to consider colleges/universities they otherwise would not be able to afford, expanding their options and their worlds, according to officials, who note that financial aid from a college/university does not always cover a student’s costs.

The first class of Promise Scholars just completed their freshman year of college. The second class of Promise Scholars graduated high school in June, having attended Hartford Public Schools throughout the city. The 113 scholarship recipients come from all 18 Hartford high schools, and represent 14 percent of the HPS graduating seniors who live in Hartford. Each will receive up to $20,000 in college scholarships.

Among the colleges that Hartford Promise Scholars are currently attending:

• Bowdoin College
• Central Connecticut State University
• Clark University
• Eastern Connecticut State University
• Franklin & Marshall College
• Georgia State University
• Howard University
• Marist College
• Morgan State University
• Mount Holyoke College
• Olin College of Engineering
• Smith College
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• University of Connecticut
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of St. Joseph
• Yale University

To qualify for a Promise Scholarship, students must

• Attend a Hartford Public High School continuously since 9th grade
• Be a Hartford resident throughout high school
• Have a 93 % or better cumulative attendance record during high school
• Have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better on a 4.0 scale in high school

Students attending any accredited, not-for-profit 4-year college or university will receive up to $5,000 per year if attending full time.  Students attending any accredited, not-for-profit 2-year college will receive up to $2,500 per year if attending full time. Between the class of 2016 and class of 2017, Hartford Promise has helped 257 scholars attend more than 50 colleges around the country totaling approximately $3.2 million in scholarship funds, according to published reports.

Leaders Inspiring Hope to be Honored in Greater Hartford

Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) will be “celebrating leaders who inspire hope,” at the organization’s annual fundraising gala this fall, personified by honorees selected to receive the prestigious Polaris Awards.  Although their individual stories differ substantially, the common thread is one of commitment to community and taking on tough challenges to provide opportunities for individuals encumbered by obstacles.  Their impact has been unmistakable, making a difference not only in individual lives, but across the community.  Being honored for their work, as described by LGH:

• Ronit Shoham is the driving force behind many remarkable projects for young people and others in need. She is a whirlwind of activity who has helped catalyze such initiatives as the creation of the Miracle League of Connecticut (which enables children with physical and mental challenges to enjoy playing baseball), Jonathan’s Dream Re-Imagined (rebuilding one of America’s first inclusive, accessible play spaces) and The Underground (a safe and secure location for teenagers to congregate, communicate and grow together).
• Cheryl and Jamie “Bear” McDonald are not only owners of one of the fastest growing restaurant businesses in the state, they personify dedication to both quality and the community. Starting with Bear’s Smokehouse in Windsor, South Windsor and Hartford, they have opened three other restaurants this year. And their community focus includes a commitment to hire ex-offenders, raising their minimum wage to $15 an hour for “non-tip” employees and significant support of many local charities.
• Iran Nazario is a high school dropout and former gang member who overcame many hardships, including jail time, to become an inspirational nonprofit leader in Hartford. Today he is president of the Peace Center of Connecticut and was most recently with COMPASS Youth Collaborative Inc., positions that have allowed him to work with young people to prevent gangs, reduce violence and find peaceful paths forward.

The Polaris Awards gala, to be held on October 18 at The Bushnell, is Leadership Greater Hartford’s annual signature fundraising event that recognizes “guiding lights” in the local community. Each fall hundreds of diverse leaders from every sector in the Greater Hartford area come together to network, to celebrate and to be inspired by the unsung heroes who strengthen community leadership connections in our region, officials explain.

Founded in 1977, Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) is “one of the largest, most diverse, and effective community leadership organizations in the country,” the LGH website points out. The organization’s mission is to “develop, connect, and inspire diverse leaders to build strong and vibrant communities.”  Event proceeds directly support Leadership Greater Hartford’s important work to strengthen the local community by training and connecting aspiring and established leaders.

Photo: (L to R) Ronit Shoham, Cheryl and Jamie “Bear” McDonald, Iran Nazario

Changing Leadership At Helm of Local Nonprofit Organizations

When Jay Williams takes over the leadership of The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving next week, he will be part of a significant changing of the guard in leading community nonprofit and business organizations. Williams succeeds Linda J. Kelly, who served the Foundation as its President for over 11 years. He recently served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development where he led the federal economic development agenda for the United States as head of the U.S. Economic Development Administration. He brings experience and knowledge in capacity building, workforce readiness, economic security and urban revitalization.

“He is the right person, at the right time and the right place,” said JoAnn H. Price, Board Chair of the Hartford Foundation.  “Jay has a track record of strong leadership, innovation, community and economic development and public/private partnerships. He brings a long list of accomplishments and sound skills that will help move the Foundation’s new vision and strategic focus forward.

Foodshare announced this week that Jason Jakubowski has been named president and CEO of the regional non-profit anti-hunger organization, which is headquartered in Bloomfield, and will assume his new role on July 31.  Jakubowski, currently the vice president of External Relations at the Hospital for Special Care (HSC), was chosen after a national search by Foodshare’s Board and Transition Committee.

“Jason is a recognized leader and builder of community partnerships with a lifelong dedication to tackling the issues of hunger, poverty, literacy, personal health, and job retention,” Foodshare Board Chair Tom Buckingham said in a statement. “He is well-prepared to execute Foodshare’s mission of leading an informed, coordinated response to hunger in our community.”

The Connecticut Main Street Center announced that its national search led to the selection of Patrick McMahon as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective August 21, 2017. McMahon will succeed CMSC's founding CEO John Simone, who is retiring after leading the organization for the past 17 years. 

McMahon currently serves as the Director of Economic Development for the Town of Suffield, and has previously worked in economic development in the towns of Windsor and Windsor Locks.  He is the Immediate Past President of the  Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS), and a member of the Northeast Economic Development Association (NEDA).  CMSC's mission is to be the catalyst that ignites Connecticut's Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities.

Judith Meyers, who for nearly two decades has been a leader improving children’s health and well-being in Connecticut, announced plans to step down as President and CEO of the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (CHDI) as of September 30, 2017. At its June meeting, CHDI’s Board selected Jeffrey Vanderploeg, CHDI’s Vice President for Mental Health Initiatives to become the next President and CEO. Meyers has led CHDI since it began operations as a non-profit dedicated to improving children’s health and well-being in 1999. She became President and CEO of both CHDI and the Children’s Fund of Connecticut in 2002.

The MetroHartford Alliance also recently announced that Oz Griebel, the President and CEO of the Alliance since its inception in 2001, has informed the organization of his decision to leave his position at the end of the calendar year to pursue other leadership opportunities. Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Travelers Companies and newly elected Board Chair, said:  “Since the Alliance’s beginning in 2001, Oz has provided invaluable leadership driving numerous economic development initiatives.  The Alliance’s marketing of the Region’s assets to national site selectors and to our local entities and residents and the creation of HYPE are just two examples of how the Alliance effectively uses investor resources to strengthen and promote the Region.”

Photos:  Jay Williams, Jason Jakubowski, Patrick McMahon

New Initiative Aims to Provide Vision Impaired Patients Access to Print News

The Connecticut Radio Information System (CRIS) continues to innovate and expand in Connecticut.  Connecticut’s only radio-reading service, which provides audio access to news and information for people who are blind or unable to read due to a print disability or medical condition, has announced a ground-breaking new service in partnership with Hartford’s Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center that will bring patients audio of the latest news, in English and Spanish. Saint Francis will be the first acute care hospital in the nation to provide an alternative to printed Spanish-language magazines and newspapers through an in-house system streamed to each patient TV with audio recordings for patients unable to read or turn pages of a magazine due to their medical condition or treatment.

It will also be the first acute care hospital in Connecticut to offer an alternative to more than 50 English-language magazines and newspapers streamed to each patient room.

Patients will be able to listen to human-narrated audio versions of newspaper and magazine articles featuring human narration – in both English and Spanish – through the hospital’s in-house television system.

CRIS is a 39-year-old nonprofit providing audio access to news and information for people who are blind or unable to read due to a print disability or medical condition / treatment, including those with physical, learning, intellectual or emotional disabilities.

 “The Connecticut Hospital Association applauds Saint Francis Hospital and CRIS Radio for its innovative collaboration, serving as another example of hospitals partnering with key service providers to enhance patient satisfaction and improve the quality of a patient’s experience while being treated at the hospital,” said Carl Schiessl, director of regulatory advocacy for the Connecticut Hospital Association.

CRIS operates with 300 volunteers at its main broadcast center in Windsor and satellite studios located in Danbury, Norwich, Trumbull and West Haven.  CRIS radio recently announced it will open its fifth regional studio in Norwalk next month, to be located inside the gatehouse at the Lockwood-Mathew’s Mansion Museum.  CRIS will share the gatehouse with the Fairfield County Cultural Alliance, which has been in that location for nearly four years.

“Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center is extremely grateful for the generosity of those who made this service possible for our patients,” said Dr. John F. Rodis, president of Saint Francis Hospital. “At Saint Francis we believe in caring for our patients in ways that help them on their journey to wellness. Whether it’s through surgical innovations or enhancements to their healing environment like the CRIS service, we are committed to providing the best patient experience possible.

Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has been an anchor institution in north central Connecticut since 1897. In 2015, Saint Francis became part of Trinity Health of New England, an integrated health care delivery system that is a member of Trinity Health, Livonia, MI, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation.

“Streaming audio versions of newspapers and magazines to each patient room at Saint Francis Hospital is an important milestone for CRIS Radio,” said Paul A. Young, chairman of the CRIS Radio Board of Directors. “It enables our nonprofit to expand access to print information for people unable to read due to their medical treatment or other print disabilities.”

Young also said he is very thankful for the generous funding that brought this project to life. Key funders of CRIS Radio’s hospital streaming project include the John G. Martin Foundation and Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation. The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving supports the nonprofit radio station’s Spanish-language programming, CRIS en Español.

In addition to broadcasting newspaper and magazine articles, CRIS also records classroom materials for teachers, and the CRISKids Audio Library offers more than 800 classroom titles, including 17 children’s magazines, also recorded by CRIS volunteers.  CRIS also streams audio versions of children’s magazines to patient rooms at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Other CRIS programs include CRIS en Español and CRISAccess, featuring Spanish-language newspapers and magazines and audible tours for museums, respectively. An initiative with the Mystic Aquarium, providing audio information about museum exhibits, was launched two years ago. Earlier this year, CRIS Radio's Voice's of World War I project was announced, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into the war.

CRIS Radio broadcasts can be heard with a special CRIS radio distributed free of charge, toll-free through the CRIS Telephone Reader, online streaming live or on-demand at the CRIS Radio website, www.crisradio.org, or with a free mobile app on any mobile device, including tablets or smartphones.

Hartford Whalers (Logo) Headed to Connecticut (Vehicles)

Connecticut drivers may soon see another vanity license plate option if a bill approved by the state legislature is signed into law by Governor Malloy.  A license plate commemorating the Hartford Whalers hockey franchise, which departed the Capital city 20 years ago, gained legislative approval in the final days of the General Assembly session. It is the latest of an ever-growing list of license plates supporting a variety of charitable causes and local organizations that are authorized by the state and raise money for various causes.  The Whalers license plate is to be a fundraising vehicle for the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Stafford Springs State Rep. Kurt Vail, who introduced the bill, said in public hearing testimony earlier this year that “the popularity of the franchise has not gone away.”  He predicted that the license plate would be “a huge hit amongst our citizens.”  House Majority Leader Matt Ritter of Hartford said that “with memories of attending games with my grandfather still fresh…the Whalers continue to have a large and growing following in the city.”

Although the Whalers license plate was created by an act of the legislature, state law allows the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special background plates on behalf of non-profit organizations. The organization must be non-profit, must submit a copy of the organization’s charter or by-laws, provide a letter of good standing from the State of Connecticut Secretary of State’s Office (if required) and supply any Internal Revenue Service ruling on their non-profit tax exemption status.

The logo production and cost incurred will be the responsibility of the organization. The logo prototype design, preferred in PDF format, must be submitted to the DMV. The logo can be no larger than 2 inches wide and 3.5 inches high. DMV has final approval on all the plate and logo designs.

A liaison for the organization must be appointed. This individual will be responsible for all communications with the DMV as well as certifying and authenticating (by signature) each member’s application, submitting the logo design to DMV for approval, submitting 400 applications with the required fee prior to the manufacturing of the special background plates, and submitting a Special Interest Plate disclaimer.

Many organizations in Connecticut offer license plates to their members and the general public.  General categories include animals, colleges, environment, organizations, police and fire, cities and towns, and recreation.

Organization vanity plates include Amistad, Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks, IUOE Local 478, Grand Lodge of Connecticut, Knights of Columbus, Olympic Spirit, P.T. Barnum Foundation Inc., Preserving Our Past CT Trust for Historic Preservation, Red Sox Foundation, Lions Eye Research Foundation, Special Olympics, Federated Garden Clubs, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Keep Kids Safe, New England Air Museum and the U.S.S. Connecticut Commissioning Committee.

When individuals purchase a Keep Kids Safe plate, a portion of the fee goes to the Keep Kids Safe Fund, which “makes many worthy projects happen for youngsters.”  The fund awards grants to schools, hospitals, municipalities and other non-profit organizations working to make all Connecticut children safer from severe and preventable injuries, according to the DMV website.

In most cases, remake of a current plate is $70; a new vanity plate is $139, a new series plate is $50.  For others, including the UConn Huskies plate, the price tag is somewhat different.  Off-the-shelf license plates cost $55, remake of a current plate is $75, a new vanity plate costs $144, according to the DMV website.

The Support Our Troops plate sends a portion of the fee to provide funding for programs to assist Connecticut troops, their families and veterans. When you buy a Red Sox plate, a portion of the fees support and help fund academic scholarship programs in Connecticut.

Also included are 17 varieties of military specialty plates, including Disabled American Veteran, Gold Star Family, Iwo Jima Survivor, Korean War Veterans Association, Marine Corps League, Laos Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Pearl Harbor 1941, U.S. Submarine Veteran, National Guard Association of Connecticut, First Company Governor’s Foot Guard, First Company Governor’s Horse Guard,

Colleges with designated plates include Central Connecticut State University, Penn State Alumni, University of Hartford, University of Connecticut, and University of New Haven.  Cities with available plates include Meriden, Norwich, and Stafford.

Organizations interested in launching a new special plate, should contact the DMV Special Plate Unit at (860) 263-5154 for further information.