The mission of the New Canaan Community
Foundation is to promote community philanthropy
and help donors achieve their charitable goals.

NCCF Mission

The New Canaan Community Foundation was founded in 1977 by local residents to support community needs and the charitable interests of the residents in New Canaan. The Foundation implements our mission of promoting community philanthropy and helping donors achieve their charitable goals by carefully stewarding our donor's funds, making impactful grants and developing the resources to keep pace with the increasing needs of our community.

Like all of the other 700 community foundations nation-wide, the New Canaan Community Foundation is a tax-exempt, public charity serving local residents. Community Foundations administer and invest charitable funds that have been established by individuals, families, businesses and non-profit organizations in a specific geographic area. NCCF is a local vehicle for donors to establish philanthropic funds. Grants are made from these funds to non profit organizations, based on donor recommendations or to address current needs as identified by our Board of Directors.

The Foundation is committed to growing all Funds at NCCF in order to meet community needs. The largest endowed fund, the Community Impact Fund, was created by gifts and bequests from individuals, families and corporations who all have had a similar goal in common – to make a real and substantial difference in New Canaan and the quality of life for others now and in the future. Annual grants for capital and start up needs or operating expenses are made at the discretion of the Board of Directors from the Community Impact Fund, to a variety of non profit organizations serving our community.

NCCF is also committed to assisting the health and human services agencies that provide important services to our residents. Grants from the newly established Neighbors United program are made annually to assist non-profit health and human service organizations with their operating expenses. This program is a non endowed fund which means that money raised, less expenses, goes directly out into the community to non-profits in the form of grants. The Neighbors United program was established to carry on the legacy of the former United Way of New Canaan.