By SCOTT WHIPPLE
Staff writer

NEW BRITAIN — The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain has awarded $201,960 in second-round grants. The foundation serves a four-town area: Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington.

The foundation, established in 1941 and awards grants on a three-time basis, annually distributes $1 million or more to nonprofit agencies.

Funding traditionally supports a variety of programs and initiatives in arts and humanities, community and economic development, early childhood development, education and health and human services.

About $115,000 is for the foundation’s First Year’s First initiative, a $1 million, five- to-seven-year commitment in early childhood development.

“There was a concern about the affordability of child care, the quality, teacher pay and lack of standardized curriculum,” said Foundation President Jim Williamson. Research shows the first five years of a child’s life are critical in placing children on the path to success.

“We’re continuing our support of this program,” Williamson said. “We’re joined this year by the Southington Board of Education. They have a $20,000 grant of their own. That’s going to allow the Family Resource Center to double in size. The center has been wildly successful. Last year, 16 play groups came together. Those play groups were literally sold out in the first couple of months. Play groups expose children to school at a pre-school age and connect the family to the school earlier than they normally would.”

Individuals, families, organizations and business groups can establish a variety of funds at the Community Fundation depending on their philanthropic interests and goals. Funds are administered at the discretion of the foundation’s board of directors to meet the changing needs of the communities. Designated funds support a specific organization or a field of interest of a donor.

Bristol Community Organization is another group benefiting from foundation grants.

A private, non-profit community action agency, BCO’s mission is to help eliminate or alleviate causes and effects of poverty in the Greater Bristol area including Burlington, Farmington, Plainville and Plymouth.

Executive Director Tom Morrow said his organization will also receive $10,000 from the state Department of Transportation and $10,000 from the Main Street Community Foundation of Bristol. Funds will be used for a needs assessment.

“This study will be an inventory of what currently exists in the area in terms of transportation,” Morrow said, “and what the current needs of people in the area are in terms of transportation. For example, it will look at volunteer services that might be available to take people to doctors, also the feasibility of rail transportation. The study will make recommendations on how we can make more efficient use of available resources.”

The study is expected to begin Jan. 1, 2010 with completion scheduled for June 30, 2010.

The Community Foundation’s grants include:

n Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut, $50,000.

n Tunxis Community College, up to $45,000 for the Early Childhood Professional Educators’ Consortium.

n Connecticut Association for Human Services, $20,000 over two years to improve access to work supports by low-wage residents.

n Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra (New Britain), $12,000, to implement marketing strategies aimed at increasing revenue and expanding its audience.

n Greater New Britain Arts Alliance, $13,000, for operating support achievement of organizational goals for the coming year.

n New Britain Symphony Orchestra, $10,000, for strategic marketing.

n Neighborhood Housing Services of New Britain, $7,500, to increase NHS’ capacity to meet the growing demand for default counseling and loss mitigation assistance needed by homeowners.

n Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington, $20,000 to support the second year of the Family Resource Center in Southington.

n Greater New Britain Teen Pregnancy, Inc., $4,840, for the Pathways/Senderos Center.

n American Red Cross-Charter Oak Chapter (Farmington), $1,000 for Disaster Preparedness Education for schoolchildren.

n Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington, $1,000 for the Family Resource Center of Southington.