Danbury, CT — The United Way Coastal and Western Connecticut (UWCWC), in partnership with Connecticut’s Social Equity Council (the Council), is pleased to announce the more than three dozen organizations selected to receive funding through the Reimagine and Revitalize (R2) Community Reinvestment Program in Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford.
Funded by the Council, R2 is a three-year, statewide investment in communities disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs and cannabis criminalization. The program supports initiatives in three priority areas: economic development, reentry, and youth. Selected organizations will receive three-year awards of $75,000 to $300,000 to advance work that responds to community needs, creates pathways to opportunity, and helps residents build stronger futures for themselves and their communities.
UWCWC is the Council-approved grant manager for Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford. It coordinates the application, review, award, and oversight process in close partnership with the Council. The selection process was highly competitive and drew a large pool of strong applicants. Each application was screened and scored using a standardized rubric developed by the Council in conjunction with the grant managers, and award recommendations were submitted to the Council for approval. This approach was designed to keep the process consistent, transparent, and accountable across all R2 regions.
“Our partnership with the Social Equity Council has been invaluable,” said Isabel Almeida, President & CEO, United Way Coastal and Western Connecticut. “The Council shares our commitment to putting resources directly into communities that have been disproportionately harmed. Its clear framework and standardized rubric made the selection process fair, transparent, and accountable. We are proud to work alongside the Council on this three-year investment and look forward to building on this partnership to create more opportunities for capacity building, training, and funding for organizations across our region.”
"Through the R2 Program, our vision goes beyond funding organizations. Our goal for this initiative is to see lasting impact by supporting community-led initiatives financially but also by providing capacity building courses for long-term sustainability," said Mariedy Collazo Cruz, Chief Program Officer and General Counsel for the Connecticut Social Equity Council.
“Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford are home to organizations doing tremendous work, often with limited resources,” said Ashley Gaudiano, Chief Operating Officer, United Way Coastal and Western Connecticut. “The number and strength of the applications we received speaks to both the depth of need in our communities and the range of organizations rising to meet it. These nonprofits know their neighborhoods, have earned residents’ trust, and are building pathways to opportunity. We are excited to support them as they expand and deepen their impact.”
For more information about the R2 program, visit portal.ct.gov/socialequitycouncil/community-reinvestment or view the full list of R2 program recipients here.