Having elevated Hartford-area nonprofits with its community-oriented fundraising for a hundred years, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is moving into its second century with a rebranding and a relocation.
Starting in 2026, the foundation will be known as Greater Harford Gives. President and CEO Jay Williams says the new name better communicates the group’s mission and regional impact.
“(It’s a name that) better reflects our position in the region,” says Williams. “We think it will help us attract more attention to the work that we are doing on behalf of the nonprofit communities and our donors.”
“Thinking of a name that would perhaps better reflect the breadth and reach, the work that we’re doing, our position in the community. It all seemed to come together.”
The rebranding includes a new logo and a promotional line: “A strong foundation for all.”
Williams cites several reasons behind the rebranding, which he says had been considered for many years. One factor was the common misperception that the foundation was associated with The Hartford Insurance Group (it’s not).
Another factor was confusion over the term “Public Giving” in the name. Williams says, “People were unsure whether that meant we gave directly to individuals in the public or whether we were a governmental agency, neither of which is the case.”
The organization also hopes to draw closer to one of the 29 communities it serves by building a new, two-story headquarters at the crossing of Albany Ave. and Main St. in Hartford.
“We couldn’t have found a better spot when we think about being a part of the gateway to the North End of Hartford,” says Williams, “which… has seen disinvestment and struggle for decades, but also has a group of residents and businesses and stakeholders who are committed.”
“It has been wonderful to have a view of the city and the region from our eighth floor in an office tower near downtown, but as a community foundation, we think that literally and figuratively grounding ourselves into the community reflects who we are, and that was an intentional choice.”
Backed by a $35 million investment from the foundation, the new Greater Hartford Gives headquarters are expected to open in early 2028.