The Robert C Vance Charitable Foundation concentrates substantial, unrestricted and project-specific support for civic and cultural institutions in New Britain, CT, particularly a longstanding commitment to the New Britain Museum of American Art. Its grants also fund community infrastructure and service coordination (via United Way) and building preservation/rehabilitation for historic or civic sites. The foundation favors large, targeted gifts that stabilize institutions and capital projects rather than many small program grants.
Robert C Vance Char Fdn’s largest recent grants show a clear pattern of institutional support in New Britain, CT: $500,000 to New Britain Museum of American Art for unrestricted general support in 2025 and $400,000 the prior year for remediation at the same museum. That emphasis on museums, civic buildings, and long-standing local institutions runs through the foundation’s recent record. The foundation also backed New Britain Institute with $200,000 for a conference and remodel project in 2024, alongside another $200,000 grant in 2023 for New Britain industrial-related work, suggesting support for both cultural programming and physical improvements tied to community identity. Beyond those anchor gifts, the foundation has made repeated grants to organizations serving civic, educational, and social-service needs in the same region, including Trinity on Main, United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct, and the Prudence Crandall Center. The overall pattern is concentrated, regional, and institution-focused, with grants often aimed at general support, remediation, building repair, or other targeted capital needs rather than broad program expansion.
Arts and cultural institutions appear central to the foundation’s giving. In 2024, it gave $200,000 to New Britain Museum of American Art for the purchase of art, building on prior support for the museum and related remediation work. It also supported New Britain Symphony Orchestra with $15,000 in 2024, $10,500 in 2023 for young people’s programming, and another $10,500 in 2025 for unrestricted general support. Civic and historical organizations also receive attention: New Britain Institute received $200,000 in 2024 for a remodel conference and event-related project and $8,250 in 2025 for unrestricted general support. The foundation has also backed community services, including $10,000 grants in both 2023 and 2024 to Friendship Center of New Britain for emergency needs programming.
Typical grants cluster at the larger end of the range: p25 is $5,000, median is $25,000, and p75 is $125,000. The recent record also shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including New Britain Museum of American Art, United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct, Salvation Army of New Britain, and Peck Memorial Library of Berlin. That repetition points to a multi-year relationship model rather than one-time awards. The foundation funds individuals and does not make program-related investments. Grants in the data appear to be discretionary foundation awards rather than an open application process.
$946K
$2.6M
$1.4M
$996K
Most grants fall between $5K and $125K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$125K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CT.
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Concentrated, relatively few but large grants with multiple repeat awards to the same New Britain-area grantees; emphasis on unrestricted/general operating support and capital/remediation rather than many small programmatic grants.
Notable grantees: New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain Institute, United Way of Central & Northeastern Connecticut, Trinity on Main
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly regional and stays in Connecticut: 33 recent grants, or 100%, went to U.S. recipients, and the top state by grant count is CT. New Britain is the main recipient city, with additional grants in Hartford and Berlin. Several awards went to Hartford-based United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct, while Berlin appeared through Peck Memorial Library of Berlin. The pattern is local, with the bulk of recent activity centered in New Britain and nearby Connecticut communities.
The foundation gives heavily to cultural and civic institutions, especially in New Britain, CT. Recent grants include major support for New Britain Museum of American Art and New Britain Institute, along with funding for Trinity on Main, United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct, and local service organizations such as the Prudence Crandall Center and Salvation Army of New Britain.
Typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $125,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent examples also include six-figure awards, such as $500,000 to New Britain Museum of American Art and $400,000 for remediation at the same museum.
Yes. Recent grants show repeated support to several organizations across 2023–2025, including New Britain Museum of American Art, United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct, Salvation Army of New Britain, Peck Memorial Library of Berlin, and New Britain Symphony Orchestra.
Its giving is regional and concentrated in Connecticut. Recent grants went to recipients in New Britain, Hartford, and Berlin, and 100% of the grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients. The top state by grant count is CT.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, and it also makes institutional grants to museums, churches, libraries, universities, and community-service organizations in Connecticut.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $500,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TRINITY ON MAIN | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $199,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTS BUILDING REPAIRS |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL & NORTHEASTERN CT | HARTFORD, CT | $125,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE PRUDENCE CRANDALL CENTER | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $48,300 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SALVATION ARMY OF NEW BRITAIN | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PASTOR & STANDING COMMITTEE SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $17,690 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $10,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW BRITAIN INSTITUTE | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $8,250 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY OF BERLIN | BERLIN, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE MUSIC SERIES AT SOUTH CHURCH | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $3,500 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023 |
| CONNECTICUT CHORAL ARTISTS | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $3,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW BRITAIN MUS OF AMERICAN ART | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $400,000 | 2024 | REMEDIATION OF |
| NEW BRITAIN INSTITUTE | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $200,000 | 2024 | REMODEL CONFERENCE AND |
| NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $200,000 | 2024 | PURCHASE OF ART |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL & NORTHEASTERN CT | HARTFORD, CT | $125,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $50,000 | 2024 | VANCE PROFESSORSHIP FUNDING |
| SALVATION ARMY OF NEW BRITAIN | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORTS YOUNG PEOPLE'S |
| FRIENDSHIP CENTER OF NEW BRITAIN (OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CTR) | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $10,000 | 2024 | EMERGENCY NEEDS PROGRAM |
| PECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY OF BERLIN | BERLIN, CT | $4,500 | 2024 | PURCHASE LARGE PRINT BOOKS, |
| CONNECTICUT CHORAL ARTISTS | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $3,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023 |
| THE MUSIC SERIES AT SOUTH CHURCH | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $3,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023 |
| NEW BRITAIN INSTITUTE | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $200,000 | 2023 | NEW BRITAIN INDUSTRIAL |
| NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $200,000 | 2023 | PURCHASE OF ART |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL & NORTHEASTERN CT | HARTFORD, CT | $125,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| YWCA OF NEW BRITIAN | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $66,000 | 2023 | COMPLETE RECONSTRUCTION OF |
| THE PRUDENCE CRANDALL CENTER | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $46,000 | 2023 | OVERHAUL CONFERENCE AND |
| SALVATION ARMY OF NEW BRITAIN | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $25,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $10,500 | 2023 | SUPPORTS YOUNG PEOPLE'S |
| FRIENDSHIP CENTER OF NEW BRITAIN (OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CTR) | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $10,000 | 2023 | EMERGENCY NEEDS PROGRAM |
| PECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY OF BERLIN | BERLIN, CT | $3,500 | 2023 | PURCHASE LARGE PRINT BOOKS, |
| THE MUSIC SERIES AT SOUTH CHURCH | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $3,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023 |
| CONNECTICUT CHORAL ARTISTS | NEW BRITAIN, CT | $3,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023 |
TRINITY ON MAIN
$199,000SUPPORTS BUILDING REPAIRS
SALVATION ARMY OF NEW BRITAIN
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
PASTOR & STANDING COMMITTEE SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$10,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW BRITAIN INSTITUTE
$8,250UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
PECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY OF BERLIN
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THE MUSIC SERIES AT SOUTH CHURCH
$3,500SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023
CONNECTICUT CHORAL ARTISTS
$3,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW BRITAIN INSTITUTE
$200,000REMODEL CONFERENCE AND
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$50,000VANCE PROFESSORSHIP FUNDING
SALVATION ARMY OF NEW BRITAIN
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$15,000SUPPORTS YOUNG PEOPLE'S
FRIENDSHIP CENTER OF NEW BRITAIN (OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CTR)
$10,000EMERGENCY NEEDS PROGRAM
PECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY OF BERLIN
$4,500PURCHASE LARGE PRINT BOOKS,
CONNECTICUT CHORAL ARTISTS
$3,500SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023
THE MUSIC SERIES AT SOUTH CHURCH
$3,500SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023
NEW BRITAIN INSTITUTE
$200,000NEW BRITAIN INDUSTRIAL
SALVATION ARMY OF NEW BRITAIN
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW BRITAIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$10,500SUPPORTS YOUNG PEOPLE'S
FRIENDSHIP CENTER OF NEW BRITAIN (OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION CTR)
$10,000EMERGENCY NEEDS PROGRAM
PECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY OF BERLIN
$3,500PURCHASE LARGE PRINT BOOKS,
THE MUSIC SERIES AT SOUTH CHURCH
$3,500SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023
CONNECTICUT CHORAL ARTISTS
$3,500SUPPORT FOR 2022-2023