M&T Announces New Round of Local Nonprofit Grants

The M&T Charitable Foundation announced $8.2 million in donations to 68 nonprofit organizations in New England and Metro New York, including more than 30 in Connecticut.

The grants are the second round of M&T Bank’s Amplify Fund, a $25 million investment program to address racial equity and social justice issues. 

The fund provides grants to organizations dedicated to improving access to affordable housing, childcare, healthcare, and job training in low- and moderate- income communities and underrepresented populations.

“Addressing the institutionalized and systemic issues preventing disadvantaged communities from accessing opportunities and achieving long-term success is key to our mission as a community-focused bank,” said M&T Charitable Foundation executive director Dominique Goss.

Advancing Equity

For phase II of the Amplify Fund, M&T awarded funding for up to three years to nonprofit collaboratives that work to help advance equity in the following key areas of focus:

• Family Stability: Affordable housing, food security, and access to quality and affordable childcare.
• Income & Wealth Equity: Employment, small business development, homeownership, and financial empowerment initiatives.
• Workforce Development: Education and training opportunities focused on upskilling and career pathways in high-growth sectors leading to economic prosperity.
• Health Equity: Access to quality and affordable healthcare, with a priority on youth mental health and women and infant health.

Thirty-one Connecticut organizations received grants in this round of funding. 

Local Partnerships

Connecticut Main Street Center is using its Amplify Fund grant to partner with the Black Business Alliance to create Diversity on Main. 

“Their investment signals the impact of thriving downtowns on increasing equity and cultivating a supportive ecosystem for small business, especially for black and minority-owned businesses,” said CMSC executive director Michelle McCabe.

McCabe says the initiative, with a pilot site in New London, will “provide a blueprint for other communities looking to similarly support entrepreneurs and fill storefront vacancies.”

Family Centers Inc. in Greenwich is using its grant money to partner with the Stamford Youth Mental Health Alliance on its Screening Stamford’s Youth Initiative. 

The initiative’s goal is to identify mental health issues and intervene before they reach a crisis point, and to connect families with the services they need. 

 “We are grateful for this grant through the M&T Charitable Foundation, as it allows us to address an immediate need facing so many children and families in Stamford,” said Leslie Sexer, chief program officer for Family Centers. 

‘Difference-Making’

The Amplify Fund was first announced in May 2022 as part of the merger between People’s United Bank and M&T Bank. 

The first round of funding totaled more than $11.8 million to 105 nonprofit organizations and focused on equity and environmental initiatives, mission-driven and capacity-building work, community and tenant organizing, and financial empowerment and education for individuals and small businesses.

“We are proud to provide the Amplify Fund as a difference-making resource in the communities we serve and look forward to continuing our work to increase racial and economic equity throughout our footprint,” said Goss. 

M&T regional representatives will meet with local leaders to inform the strategic direction for the fund’s third and final round.

The Connecticut organizations receiving grants are below and the full list of grantees can be found here.

• Advancing Connecticut Together, Inc.
• Alliance for Community Empowerment
• Boys and Girls Club of Stamford
• Catholic Charities, Inc. – Archdiocese of Hartford
• Connecticut Children’s Foundation, Inc.
• Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies
• Connecticut Main Street Center
• Connecticut Voices for Children
• Cornell Scott Hill Health Foundation
• Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Inc.
• Family Centers Inc.
• Governor’s Partnership to Protect Connecticut’s Workforce, Inc.
• Greater Bridgeport Community Enterprises, Inc.
• Hall Neighborhood House, Inc.
• Housatonic Community College Foundation, Inc.
• Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership, Inc.
• LifeBridge Community Services, Inc.
• New Haven HomeOwnership Center, Inc.
• New Haven Promise
• Norwalk ACTS, Inc.
• nOURish BRIDGEPORT, Inc.
• Our Piece of the Pie, Inc.
• Project Access of New Haven, Inc.
• The Housing Collective
• The Stamford Partnership
• The Thomas Merton Center
• United Way of Central and Northeastern CT
• United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut
• United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc.
• Wakeman Memorial Association
• Waterbury Bridge to Success Community Partnership