Grant funders / Connecticut / Higher Education
Higher Education Grant Funders in Connecticut
971 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to Connecticut nonprofits in recent years, together directing $668.2M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 971 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
971
Higher education funders
$668.2M
Given to Connecticut nonprofits
11,203
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active higher education funders in Connecticut
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Connecticut giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Connecticut Foundation Inc | Connecticut | $257.1M | 6 | 2025 |
| 2 | Richard U Light Foundation | Michigan | $78.2M | 5 | 2023 |
| 3 | The Workplace Inc | Connecticut | $25.2M | 22 | 2025 |
| 4 | The Gruber Foundation | Connecticut | $22.9M | 6 | 2023 |
| 5 | New Haven Promise Inc | Connecticut | $16.8M | 59 | 2025 |
| 6 | Southern Connecticut State University | Connecticut | $14.6M | 5 | 2025 |
| 7 | Yale University | Connecticut | $13.6M | 4 | 2022 |
| 8 | The Starr Foundation | New York | $10.4M | 8 | 2024 |
| 9 | Elisabeth C Deluca Foundation Inc | Florida | $10.2M | 4 | 2024 |
| 10 | Connecticut Student Loan Foundation | Connecticut | $9.3M | 5 | 2025 |
| 11 | Manchester Community College | Connecticut | $6.6M | 7 | 2025 |
| 12 | Hartford Foundation for Public Giving | Connecticut | $6.5M | 142 | 2023 |
| 13 | Western Connecticut State University | Connecticut | $5.3M | 6 | 2025 |
| 14 | Ecsu Foundation Inc | Connecticut | $4.3M | 7 | 2025 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in Connecticut — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 971 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Higher Education funders in other states
Other causes funded in Connecticut
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented higher education focus and that have funded Connecticut nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to Connecticut recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.