New grant program will support projects that grow community

by Kelly Kandra Hughes

In Jan. 2020, Reverend Erick Olsen of the Church of Christ Congregational pitched an idea at a Norfolk NET (Networking Everyone Together) meeting:  a community contest with the goals of building new relationships, invigorating the town and, hopefully, encouraging more people to identify local projects they care about. A lively discussion ensued, with NET members considering questions such as who would provide the prize money and what kinds of projects might win. 

Almost two years and one pandemic later, the original contest idea has evolved into a new community grant program, “Pay It Forward, Norfolk! Acts of Kindness For Our Community.” With funding from the Norfolk Foundation and an anonymous donor, the purpose remains the same—to get people involved and invigorate the town. But instead of contest winners, the program will fund a variety of projects through $100 seed grants. 

Norfolk NET was inspired to make this change after speaking with Dr. Judy Palmer, superintendent of Northwestern Regional School District No. 7, at their Oct. 2021 meeting. Dr. Palmer had established a grant program at Regional 7 in 2016 where students could apply for funds to support acts of kindness benefiting one or more people. The program was nationally recognized that year with a Changemaker Award and it continues to be highly successful today. “You’ll see the ripple effects of these projects,” said Dr. Palmer during the meeting, adding that a great way to inspire ideas for grant projects is to ask the question, “What can my hands do to help?” 

The biggest difference between Regional 7’s “Kindness in Motion” program and “Pay It Forward, Norfolk!” is that anyone in Norfolk can apply. “This grant is for anybody and everybody,” says Rev. Olsen. “There’s no age designation. Any project that is helping someone else will be considered.” Or, as another Norfolk NET team member said during the meeting, “If it makes someone else smile, it’s a good idea.”

Examples of potential projects include: using the $100 to buy ingredients to make dinner for new neighbors; paying a dry cleaner to repair or freshen professional clothing to donate to the Church of Christ’s free Clothes Closet; or buying board games to host a community evening at Meadowbrook. 

To apply for a grant, all that is needed is an idea and an application (see insert in this issue of Norfolk Now or stop by the Norfolk Hub for one). Applications are due Jan. 17 and can be dropped off at the Norfolk Hub at 2 Station Place, emailed to dawnwhalen@norfolkfoundation.net or mailed to: Norfolk Foundation, P.O. Box 333, Norfolk, CT 06058. Grants will be awarded the first week of February, with the expectation that all funded projects will be completed by May 31, 2022. 

Norfolk NET is hoping for a high level of participation from the community. One of their concerns is making sure everyone in town knows about the opportunity to apply. In addition to social media and email newsletters, they are asking everyone to help spread the word about “Pay It Forward, Norfolk!” to family, friends and neighbors. 

Even better, Norfolk NET hopes that this grant program will get people working together. “My hope in the genesis of this idea,” says Rev. Olsen, “was to invite and involve people who are not normally engaged in town activities to speak up, stand up, express a hope, launch a project and get involved in some way in making this a better place to live.”  Dawn Whalen, executive director of the Norfolk Foundation, echoes these sentiments. “If you’ve ever thought ‘What can I do for our town?’ now’s your chance.”