Community Reinvestment – Reimagine & Revitalize (R2) Program

The Social Equity Council’s Reimagine & Revitalize (R2) Community Reinvestment Program is a three-year, statewide investment strategy designed to ensure that communities disproportionately harmed by cannabis criminalization see real, measurable, and lasting opportunity.

Through approximately $12 million annually, the R2 Program will support community-driven initiatives rooted in:

• Economic Development (including infrastructure and workforce pathways
• Re-Entry Initiatives
• Youth Initiatives

All funding is directed to organizations serving or located within Connecticut’s Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIAs).
This model reflects the Council’s commitment to reinvestment that is structured, accountable, and aligned with long-term community transformation.

Approved Grant Managers

The Council has approved the following Grant Managers (GMs) to administer the R2 Program across the state:

• Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (Bridgeport, Meriden)
• United Way of Coastal and Western CT (Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford)
• United Way Central and Northeastern CT (Hartford/East Hartford)
• United Way of New Haven (New Haven, East and West Haven)
• Community Foundation for Greater New Britain (New Britain)
• United Way of Southeastern CT (New London, Norwich, Windham)
• United Way of Greater Waterbury (Waterbury)

Each Grant Manager will administer funding within its designated region and work in close collaboration with the Council to ensure consistency, transparency, and strong compliance controls.

How the R2 Program Works

Each Grant Manager will be responsible for:

• Administering a Council-designed Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
• Screening and scoring eligible applications using a standardized Council rubric
• Recommending awards for Council approval
• Overseeing approximately 18 Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) per region
• Issuing three-year awards ranging from $25,000 to $100,000

To ensure integrity and public trust:

• GMs may not apply for funding themselves
• GMs may not financially benefit from grant awards
• A 10% administrative cost cap applies
• Monthly financial and quarterly programmatic reporting is required
• Annual site visits must be conducted
• Corrective action plans must be enforced when necessary
• The Council retains the authority to remove any GM that fails to meet contractual obligations

Grant Manager proposals were evaluated using a rigorous scoring rubric focused on demonstrated grant administration experience, staffing capacity, audited financial statements, compliance infrastructure, and fiscal oversight systems.
This structure embeds transparency and consistency into every stage of the reinvestment process.

What’s Next

Now that Grant Managers have been approved:

1. Contracts will be finalized with each GM.
2. GMs will launch the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
3. Regional outreach and applicant trainings will begin.
4. Community-Based Organizations will apply for three-year awards.
5. The Council will approve recommended CBO awardees.
6. Full grant administration and reporting will commence.

The Council will continue to provide public updates as the NOFO launches and CBO selections move forward.

Our Commitment

The R2 Program represents a major step forward in building an equitable and accountable reinvestment framework. By partnering with experienced Grant Managers and embedding strong fiscal and programmatic oversight into the process, the Council is ensuring that reinvestment dollars are directed where they can make the most meaningful impact.
This is not simply grantmaking — it is system-building.
Through strategic funding, strong partnerships, and measurable outcomes, the Social Equity Council remains focused on transforming communities and expanding pathways to stability, opportunity, and economic mobility across Connecticut’s Disproportionately Impacted Areas.