People's United Community Foundation

In 2007, People’s United Bank established a $60 million charitable foundation, the People’s United Community Foundation, to help improve the quality of life for residents in the neighborhoods served by People’s United Bank.

IMPORTANT: MERGER UPDATE AS OF 10/20/21

As communicated over the past several months, People’s United Bank is merging with M&T Bank.

As a result, we understand that you may have questions about how this will impact our two Foundations and what that could mean for your organization.

While we await regulatory approvals and for the transaction to close, People’s United Community Foundation (PUCF) has decided to postpone its November grant application period and will not be accepting new grant requests at this time.

Although we are postponing our November open application period, we are committed to ensuring that the temporary suspension of accepting applications does not impact the timing of future funding decisions, which we know our past grant recipients have come to rely on.

As previously communicated, the People’s United Bank Foundations will continue to operate according to their respective grant cycle timelines, for those cycles that are scheduled to be paid out in 2021. For PUCF, applications that were submitted during our July cycle will be decided on in late October and communicated by early November. For PUCF of Eastern MA, applications that were received by our October 1st deadline will be announced in late November. These will be our last grant cycles to be paid out this year.

Both People’s United and M&T are continuing to closely consider the future Northeast community giving strategy and remain committed to supporting the communities we serve. We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to combine our organizations and we are confident that our shared community banking philosophies will provide significant long-term value to the communities in which we operate.

We will be sure to keep you informed of key developments along the way and any other changes that may result. Please check back next month when we will provide another update. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Focus areas

People’s United Community Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that align with our primary areas of focus and giving priorities of economic stability, employment, education, and housing:

Aerial view of development construction converting former brick mill factory complex into community residential housing

Affordable Housing Development

People’s United Community Foundation supports programs that create affordable housing opportunities and the development and sustaining of safe, clean and desirable neighborhoods:

  • Nonprofit organizations that directly develop affordable housing or assist developers which create affordable housing, through rehabilitation, new construction and/or neighborhood revitalization efforts.
  • Community loan funds
  • State and national programs, operating within our footprint, that serve as developers of affordable housing
  • Supportive and transitional housing for homeless, low-income and those with disabilities or special needs
  • Closing costs and down-payment assistance programs
  • First-time homebuyer education
  • Homeownership counseling and foreclosure prevention programs

Community Development

People's United Community Foundation supports programs and services that address basic needs and encourage financial independence and self-sufficiency for low- to moderate-income residents; as well as activities which promote economic development in low-income neighborhoods. Funding priorities include:

  • Basic needs services
  • Initiatives that transition people from assistance to independence
  • Financial literacy Programs
  • Education, including ESL, certification and degree programs
  • Programs that promote economic stability and self-sufficiency
  • Small business development and entrepreneurial programs
  • Workforce development, job skills training and job placement programs

Young girl in pink shirt with black collar sitting in red chair at a school desk writing with yellow pencil

Youth Development

People’s United Community Foundation supports programs and services that address the need for educational improvement and academic advancement of children and youth, especially within low- to moderate- income communities and school districts.Funding priorities include:

  • Academic improvement and advancement programs
  • Accredited early childhood development, school readiness, and Headstart programs
  • College and SAT preparation programs
  • Career exploration and internship programs
  • ESL and literacy programs
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs

Eligibility guidelines

To be considered for a grant from People's United Community Foundation, organizations must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:

  • Organization must be operating as a recognized 501(c)3 public charity for a minimum of 2 years.
  • Program/service for which funding is being requested must be operating for a minimum of 12 months and have demonstrated outcomes.
  • Must operate or serve individuals within the cities/towns where People's United Bank branches are located.
  • Grant request must fit within our three areas of focus and align with our giving priorities of economic stability, employment, education, and housing.


Ineligible List
For a list of programs, services, and organizations that do not meet our eligibility requirements, please review our Ineligible list.

United Way

People's United Community Foundation supports local United Ways across our footprint through the People's United Bank Employee Match Campaign. Due to this annual giving campaign, grant requests from United Way chapters are not accepted. We are proud of our support to our local United Way chapters, and our long-standing partnerships that have spanned more than 80 years.

Application guidelines

Organizations must also adhere to the following guidelines when submitting a grant application to People’s United Community Foundation:

  • Applications are only accepted during three open grant application periods. See Grant Cycles chart below.
  • Funding requests should be for a program or service. General operating support is limited and only accepted with prior approval.
  • Minimum request amount is $2,500. Our average grant is $5,000.
  • Only one grant application will be accepted by an organization during a 12-month period. 
  • Returning grantees should apply during the same grant cycle as previously applied or later, according to our grant application periods.
  • Only one grant will be awarded to an organization per year.

Required Documentation

  • Most recent Audited Financial Statement, if applicable. (Subject to state laws and federal requirements)
  • Project and Organization Budget Summary (for funding request)
  • Previous year budget vs. actuals
  • Signed W-9 form
  • Form 990
  • Funding Sources Form

Prepare ahead of time.

Since the Grant Application is accessible only during our open application periods, it helps to be prepared with answers to these sample questions.

Select outcome measures.

As part of the grant application you will be required to select a minimum of 3 outcome measures. To assist you in identifying the appropriate outcomes for your program, please refer to the Outcome Measurement Reference Guide.

Grantee Requirements

Grant recipients will be required to provide progress updates and a final report that demonstrates measurable outcomes. Progress updates will be required every six months until your program's end date, and a final report will be due upon grant expending and program completion.

Please review the Grantee Requirements below for more information on the grant acceptance and reporting procedures.


Grant Agreements

Organizations that are granted funding will be required to accept the terms and conditions of the grant, which will indicate the purpose of the grant and use of the funding. We kindly ask that you please confirm your acceptance, by logging into your account at portal.blackbaudoutcomes.com and accepting the terms within 2 weeks of receipt of your grant award notification email.

To accept terms and conditions:

  1. Login to the account used to submit the grant application at portal.blackbaudoutcomes.com
  2. Click on the Requirements tab
  3. Open the PUCF Grant Agreement Form
  4. Click the "I agree" box and submit.
  5. Be sure to thoroughly review the grant agreement letter, as it may be a variation from the requested use of funding described in your application.


Grant Reporting Requirements

Outcomes Progress Updates:

As a grant recipient you will be required to report on the progress of the outcome measures you selected in your grant application. The Outcome reports will be due every six months, until your project end date; which is based on the dates you selected in your grant application as your project start and end date. (For example, if your project start date was 6/1/2018 and your project end date is 6/1/2019, you will be expected to provide the first outcomes update by 12/1/2018, and the second/final update will be due by 6/1/2019). 

As your progress updates are due, they will be listed on the home page of your Blackbaud account. To access your account, login to https://portal.blackbaudoutcomes.com

An email reminder will be sent to the account owner from the following email  address: outcomes@blackbaud.com. Please be sure to add this email address to your Whitelist to ensure receipt of notifications.

Please note that the Outcomes Progress Updates allow PUCF, as the funder, to aggregate the data and analyze the collective impact of our grant giving programs. A final report will also need to be submitted upon reapplying for a grant.

Final Report:

In addition to the progress updates, the Foundation requires timely and informative reports on the use of the grant funds, and the progress made toward achieving the goals set forth in the application.

The final report should be in compliance with the terms and purposes for which the grant was made, and demonstrate the impact on the funded program.

Please submit a narrative final report by using the PUCF Final Report Template and adding it to your new grant application on the "attachments" tab.

How to submit an application

All People’s United Community Foundation applications must be submitted online through our grant system. Paper applications are not accepted.

New and Returning Users:

First-time users are required to create an account. An account allows you to access your saved and submitted applications at any time. It also allows us to send you email confirmations and notifications regarding the status of your application and grantee requirements.

Applications are not being accepted at this time, please see update at the top of this page for more information.

RETURNING USERS

Access your account

  1. To access saved and completed applications, and to submit grantee requirements, log into your account below
  2. If you are looking to start a new application, click on the Apply Now button.

LOG IN

FIRST TIME APPLICANTS
Create an account

  1. If you are a new user, you must first create an account.
  2. After your account is created, navigate back to this page.
  3. Click Apply Now to start an Application.
CREATE ACCOUNT

Download our guide for creating an account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please thoroughly review the Application Guidelines, Eligibility Requirements and Ineligible List to evaluate organizational eligibility and grant request alignment with People’s United Community Foundation’s funding priorities. If you still have questions, please contact a Foundation representative.

All applications must be submitted via the People’s United Community Foundation Online Application portal. We do not accept applications or materials through the mail. Please follow the procedures for first-time applicants and returning users .

People’s United Community Foundation only accepts applications during our three open grant application periods:  March 1-31, July 1-31, and November 1-30.

All communication will be done via phone or email.

Notifications regarding grant decisions will be directed to the primary contact/organization head listed on the application, and will be communicated the month following the grant decision month. See the Grant Cycle timeline.

Questions or requests for more information may be directed to the organization head and/or project contact listed on the application.

Once in the application portal click “Save & Finish Later” which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Be sure to save your work often to ensure information is not lost.

An email will be sent from our grants management service provider from the email address: mail@grantapplication.com with a link to access and resume your application, along with a copy of the contents of your application.

You can also access your saved application by logging in to your account at www.portal.blackbaudoutcomes.com.

You will need to reset your password. Click here to log into your account. You will be directed to the sign-in page, where you can request a new password.

Contact us

People's United Community Foundation

Red and blue telephone. Call this phone number for help, to speak with an expert or for more information

203-338-6111

Send an email. Red and blue closed envelope.

Foundation@peoples.com

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