First County Bank Foundation recently announced the release of $37,500 in grants to Norwalk-based nonprofits devoted to helping children and families cope with unemployment, housing and child safety.
“All of us at First County Bank are really proud to help support these important Norwalk organizations. They provide an important service to the people of this community and help make it a better place to live and work,” said First County Bank Foundation Vice President Katherine Harris. “This year marks the first time the foundation has donated money to Stepping Stones Museum for Children. Its ‘Get Into It! Free’ financial education night is an excellent initiative that deserved our funding.”
Established in 2001 in honor of the bank’s 150th anniversary, the First County Bank Foundation was created to distribute funds annually to nonprofit organizations that support community and economic development for children and families. As a mutual bank with no shareholders, First County Bank considers contributions made by the foundation a means of paying dividends back to the local communities it serves. Through 2009, the foundation has been able to award 343 grants totaling $3.5 million to various community organizations.
To be eligible, organizations must have nonprofit tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; be located in Stamford, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk or Westport; have community support; address community needs; have measurable outcomes; and demonstrate fiscal and administrative responsibility. Special consideration is given to those agencies or programs benefiting low to moderate income populations.
Although the deadline for applying for First County Bank Foundation grants has passed, a new short-form application, available April 1 until the end of the year, is available at http://www.firstcounty.com/Foundation_Application_r3.pdf. Short-form applications are defined as grants of $2,500 or less for those applicants who fit the regular grant criteria, and $1,000 or less for those applicants that do not fit the regular grant criteria.
