The Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity announced that it has awarded $800,000 in grants since launching in 2020 to nonprofits working to advance equitable learning opportunities across Fairfield County.
To date, the Collaborative has helped support more than 4,600 youth and 50 schools in the Greater Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk and Stamford regions.
The Collaborative, a partner of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation (FCCF), brings together local businesses committed to reducing and eliminating educational disparities among the County’s most vulnerable pre-K through 12+ students, their parents and guardians, as well as teachers and staff.
Their equity-centered investments are especially critical in Fairfield County, which has one of the highest income gaps in the nation — a disparity directly tied to education.
“We are working to ensure that every child, regardless of their race, zip code, background or family income has the opportunity for a quality education — one that will help them grow to their full potential,” said Marc Lautenbach, president and CEO of Pitney Bowes, a founding partner of the Collaborative.
“We have been thrilled that joining the Collaborative has only strengthened Ashforth’s overall philanthropic efforts by expanding our reach and impact. I commend the group on all the work it has accomplished in just a few short years. We have seen the strength in working together and the promise that this partnership can accomplish in building resiliency and opportunity for all,” said Darrell Harvey, Executive Chair of The Ashforth Company.
During the pandemic, the Collaborative also leveraged individual gifts — matched with contributions from its fund — to support 450 classroom projects and more than 30,000 student experiences. This provided schools with flexible funding to respond to urgent and evolving needs, ranging from hand sanitizer and nutritious snacks to equipment for improved remote learning.
The latest round of grantees includes Bridgeport Prospers (fiscally sponsored by United Way of Coastal Fairfield County), Norwalk ACTS, Stamford Cradle to Career and United Way Family Childcare Network (both fiscally sponsored by United Way of Western CT), Future 5, Horizons at New Canaan Country School, Carver Foundation of Norwalk, Stamford Youth Mental Health Alliance, Foundation for Excellence Bridgeport Public Schools and Norwalk Community College Foundation.
One of the Collaborative’s newest initiatives is a research project with McKinsey & Company and Philliber Research that investigates students’ and young adults’ educational and career development needs. The research will inform nonprofits and businesses on how to better prepare youth for successful careers.
The Collaborative recently held a virtual briefing to update the community on their collective impact and vision for the future. Attendees included current and prospective members and were welcomed by Mendi Blue Paca, president and CEO of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.
“To create sustainable change, we must dismantle the systems that continue to perpetuate inequities that limit our children’s futures,” said Blue Paca. “A first step in this journey is understanding exactly what these core issues are. This is essential if we want to strengthen our impact.”
Collaborative members Karen Kelly, Senior Vice President & Chief Digital Banking Officer, First County Bank; and Bill Tommins, President, Bank of America – Southern CT, also spoke about the group’s impact, approach and future plans.
They were also joined by the Collaborative’s eleven current partners: The Ashforth Company, Bank of America, First County Bank, Gallatin Point Capital, Henkel Corporation, Lapine Associates, Littlejohn, Pitney Bowes, Synchrony, The Tudor Foundation, Inc. and Xerox.
Read more about the Collaborative at www.fccfoundation.org/fcbcee.
