The mission of the Community Foundation is to enable donors to give back to our community by establishing various types of charitable funds. We offer these services through a very small but efficient staff and a business plan that maximizes efficiencies while reducing costs.
DonateThe Community is where we work, where we play, where we raise our children, where we call home. It is our responsibility as citizens to exercise good stewardship within our communities. Live locally and give locally to preserve the quality of life in our towns through these challenging times. The economic climate has impacted nearly everyone in some way. As the financial security of local citizens wavers there is a rippling effect in the community. Nonprofit organizations and small local businesses alike suffer as cash flow fluctuates. We need to shop locally or the small businesses that are the fabric…
DonatePhilanthropy Matters. Philanthropy Works. Anyone can be a philanthropist at any time, in any amount. Established by the Board of Directors in 1997, the Middlesex Enhancement Fund is available to all donors to make gifts of any size. Over the years the Fund has grown substantially with memorial, anonymous and other gifts. Grant making is the most direct and effective way the Community Foundation works with donors to support the community in which we live, work and play. This Fund supports grants to meet current needs and improve conditions in the county. The Community Foundation is limited only by your…
DonateThe Leadership Circle is a committed group who supports our work in the community so that CFMC can continue its efforts to invest in the community through grants for our incredible nonprofits. In 2006, several Community Foundation supporters initiated a giving circle fund known as the President’s Society to support general operations. These generous donors make contributions of $1,000 or more annually to Operations in support of the work of the Community Foundation. A second Leadership level, the Chairman’s Circle was established with annual gifts to operations of $2,500 or more annually. Recently, in recognition of several long-time CFMC supporters,…
DonateThe Nonprofit Resource Center at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County The Nonprofit Resource Center helps build viable, efficient and successful nonprofit organizations by offering professional development through training, grant research tools, leadership development, and resources. The goal of the CFMC Nonprofit Center is to help strengthen nonprofits and build their capacity to serve their clients more efficiently. Participants include nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers and potential donors. Services include: Morning Musings, a series of one and a half hour free workshops on nonprofit management basic principles; Seminars and in-depth courses on nonprofit management for more experienced staff and organizations; Half-day…
DonatePhilanthropy Matters. Philanthropy Works. 1 dollar a day ~ 365 dollars a year. Invested in Middlesex County. What can a dollar a day do? Take $1 a day for 365 days, you have $365. Join with friends, neighbors, businesses, each bringing $365 to the table … a group of 10 creates $3,650; a group of 100 creates $36,500; and it grows and grows and grows. A dollar a day can accomplish a great deal. Why the 365 Fund? Because anyone can be a philanthropist. The 365 Fund allows you to leverage your dollars with others to support programs and causes…
DonateCoffee, Cats, and Conviction… Wrapped Up In Compassion and Brotherly Love We at the Community Foundation are always amazed (well, not really) by the many people we meet who, quite frankly, just CARE. At the Community Foundation of Middlesex County we only know good people who care about family, neighbors, and COMMUNITY. People who go out of their way to help others and to spread kindness, not only to their two-legged friends, but also to our purr-fect four-legged ones. Enter Mark Thiede, best known far and wide as the proprietor of the famous Two Wrasslin’ Cats Café. Not only is…
DonateClinton GO is an all-volunteer effort to help Clinton’s young adults (17-29) connect with peers, learn new skills, and cultivate their interests. As an initiative developed through the Clinton Community Conversations, Clinton GO is focused on mental wellness and suicide prevention. The team includes parents, educators, loss survivors, clinicians, young adults, and other community leaders. Since 2024, Clinton GO has hosted cooking and art classes, financial literacy, car care, financial planning and tax preparation, and real estate workshops, kayaking, hiking, and scavenger hunt events, and other opportunities to connect with peers. In 2026, a team of six “ambassadors” in their…
DonateEstablished by family and friends to celebrate the life and legacy of Kat Sirico, the Kathryn “Kat” Sirico Memorial Scholarship honors an Old Saybrook High School graduate who has dedicated a life to creativity, inclusion, mentorship, and community service. The award supports a graduating senior who demonstrates the same qualities Kat lived by: uplifting others, leading with kindness, and using creativity or service to strengthen community. Application information will be available annually at the Old Saybrook High School College and Career Readiness Office.
DonatePromoting and enhancing public education excellence at Essex Elementary School by supporting educational projects, enrichment programs, and other educational initiatives that are not funded through the school district’s annual budget.
DonateThe Shelter Pets Care & Comfort Fund was established by Middletown Animal Control to assist with the care, feeding, and veterinary needs of animals in their custody.
DonateImagine our local Chester Fair where nearly everything that would normally end up in a landfill is instead recycled or composted. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, community partners, and local businesses, that vision is becoming a reality. Since launching in 2022, the Chester Fair Zero Waste Project has transformed how waste is managed at one of our community’s most cherished traditions. In just four years, the project has achieved a remarkable 75% waste diversion rate, significantly reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills. In 2026, we are setting an ambitious new goal: diverting 90% of the fair’s waste….
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