Attributed to: Liz Hoagland, Senior Director, Education and Workforce Development, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
About Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Liz Hoagland, Senior Director, Education and Workforce Development, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation works closely with local organizations, nonprofits, businesses, government, and philanthropists to address challenges and identify opportunities to create a stronger, more vibrant region. Informed by three decades of partnering with and serving our community, we have awarded more than $400 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. The Community Foundation’s work is centered on creating impact in Fairfield County, CT and focused on four key results areas:
- All Fairfield County students graduate with a high school degree and are prepared for post-secondary education and/or employment.
- All Fairfield County residents have equitable access to entrepreneurship and employment skill-building opportunities to achieve financial self-sufficiency and build assets
- All Fairfield County residents have equitable access to high-quality, culturally-competent physical and mental health services.
All Fairfield County residents have safe, stable, and affordable housing in communities of opportunity.
Why does Fairfield County’s Community Foundation support Workforce Matters?
FCCF has been a member of Workforce Matters off and on since 2014 and we’ve found great value in being part of this key coalition of thought partners focused on Workforce Development funding – one of FCCF’s main focus areas. Our participation helps us to stay connected to innovative ideas, emerging trends, and a community of workforce funding colleagues.
What is something Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is excited about in 2025-2026?
In 2025, FCCF released The Upside – Growth, Potential and the Future of Fairfield County, a research report in partnership with the Urban Institute exploring the how closing longstanding gaps in income, homeownership, housing values and educational attainment could boost the region’s GDP and help create a more competitive, connected, and prosperous Fairfield County for all. That boost? Almost $15.6 billion in new economic growth.
This research provides another lens on the work with our partners across sectors – business, government, community, nonprofits and philanthropy. It shines a light on what’s possible – not just what is ‘right’ –and how the entire community can benefit.
As we look to the rest of 2025 and beyond, we are excited to bring this new perspective to all our initiatives and the fundraising we need to unlock the potential of and for Fairfield County.
What’s something in Fairfield County’s Community Foundation's workforce grantmaking you’d like others to know about?
Right now, like many, we are focusing on striking a sustainable balance between our commitment to broader systems-change and long term impact of our signature, multi-year investments like our Career Pathways initiative and being responsive to the rapid shifts and acute needs the external environment is having on our local nonprofit partners.
