About Us

History

The Knox Foundation was established in 1966 to carry out the vision of Betty Knox, a Hartford philanthropist and member of the Court of Common Council. She left the bulk of her estate to improve the City of Hartford through beautification efforts.

For over a decade, The Knox Foundation focused on two major areas – horticulture/the “greening of Hartford” and rejuvenation/civic renewal. When commercial development in downtown Hartford was unprofitable in the early 1970’s, the board formally allocated one-half of its assets to help stimulate downtown.

In 1977, those two distinct areas of interest resulted in the formation of two separate organizations with the foundation’s assets divided between them. The greening committee became the Knox Parks Foundation. The downtown rejuvenation effort, initially called The Knox Downtown Foundation, is known today as The Knox Foundation.

The carousel in Bushnell Park was a Knox-funded civic renewal project.

In 2008, a series of strategic planning sessions helped Knox review its 30-year history and clarify its mission. Our new mission statement describes the broad range of work Knox has funded and provides a lens through which to review grant proposals. Through its Small Grants Program, Knox makes awards year-round. We support community non-profit organizations in the areas of education, youth development, arts and culture, health and human services, recreation and civics.

Some view Knox as Hartford’s best kept secret, yet in 2009 alone we funded more than forty organizations. We supported field trips, after-school programs and summer camps for Hartford kids. We provided resources for early child development centers and literacy projects. We helped service organizations respond to at-risk youth and their families. We awarded grants to groups that make food and shelter available to Hartford’s poorest residents. We invested in college and career exploration for underprivileged students. We celebrated Hartford’s cultural vibrancy through concerts and local park activities.

The Knox Foundation is committed to the City of Hartford and to our unique position as a small, nimble force within Hartford’s grant-making community. We are making a difference, one small grant at a time.