Elizabeth M Pfriem Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Elizabeth M Pfriem Foundation
The Elizabeth M. Pfriem Foundation concentrates sizeable, local investments in Greater Bridgeport-area human services, prioritizing family support, health care, and basic needs. It funds a small number of repeat grantees with multi-grant commitments, backing both program operations (e.g., family violence services, food programs) and capital/clinical expansions (hospital specialty centers, facility campaigns). The foundation’s giving is community-focused and oriented toward strengthening safety-net organizations that serve vulnerable populations.
Focus Areas
Domestic violence and family support services in Bridgeport (e.g., PATHWAYS TO HOPE at Center for Family Justice)Hospital clinical capacity-building in neurovascular care (Bridgeport Hospital's Neurovascular Center)Residential and capital projects for vulnerable populations (Wakeman Memorial Association capital campaign)Food security and emergency food programs in Bridgeport (Nourish Bridgeport)
Who They Fund
children and families (including mothers and young children)K-12 students and school communities (e.g., Bridgeport schools)
About Elizabeth M Pfriem Foundation
The Elizabeth M Pfriem Foundation’s recent grantmaking is anchored by repeated six-figure support for Bridgeport institutions that expand core community services. A notable example is its two-year commitment of $400,000 grants to Bridgeport Hospital Foundation for the Neurovascular Center for Excellence in 2024 and again in 2025, alongside multi-year support for the Center for Family Justice. That pattern points to a funder that backs both high-cost clinical capacity and direct human services. The foundation also funds capital and facility work, such as the Madison Avenue Capital Campaign at Wakeman Memorial Association in Fairfield, and operating support for organizations serving families, children, and residents facing basic-needs challenges. Grants in the recent list also reach education and youth-serving nonprofits, including Housatonic Community College Foundation, Discovery Museum Inc, and Peak Academy Inc. The overall picture is of a regional foundation using substantial grants to strengthen a cluster of organizations in and around Greater Bridgeport, with an emphasis on programs and facilities that sustain local safety-net capacity.
What Elizabeth M Pfriem Foundation Funds
Health care is a clear theme in the foundation’s recent giving. It gave $400,000 to Bridgeport Hospital Foundation in 2025 for the Neurovascular Center for Excellence, repeating the same amount in 2024. Family support and domestic violence services are another recurring area: Center for Family Justice received $300,000 for general support in both 2023 and 2024, plus $300,000 in 2025 for PATHWAYS TO HOPE and $75,000 for new van and operating costs. Food security appears in Bridgeport through Park City Initiative Corp, which received $200,000 in 2024 and $185,000 in 2023 for food and feeding programs, followed by $150,000 in 2025. Education-related grants also show up, including $120,000 to Shepherds Inc for an education grant and $100,000 to Housatonic Community College Foundation for an equity project.
How Elizabeth M Pfriem Foundation Gives
Typical grant sizes cluster in the middle six figures: p25 is $20,000, median grant size is $50,000, and p75 is $80,000. The recent grant list shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Bridgeport Hospital Foundation, Center for Family Justice, Wakeman Memorial Association, Park City Initiative Corp, Peak Academy Inc, Discovery Museum Inc, and Leaps of Faith Water Ski Club. That suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-off awards. The foundation makes grants through a mix of general grantmaking, invitation-only funding, and letter-of-inquiry pathways. It also funds individuals, which is reflected in its profile data.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.5M
Total Assets
$37M
Total Revenue
$978K
Total Expenses
$3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $80K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$80K
Geographic Reach
Regional1 state funded
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CT.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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