MARCH 24, 2025 BOARD MEETING #2

MARCH 24, 2025 BOARD MEETING #2

Annual Review of Administration/Operations for Awarding Season

Canton Community Center, Room E: Password: Collinsville2015; 6:30pm-8:30pm

Present: Sylvia Cancela, Deirdre Lloyd, Kristin Oswald, Linda Smith, Sandy Trionfini

NOTE: Janot Bente, Ken Hiscoe & Diane Sodaro & Sylvia met on March 18^th to review the Awarding process. Ann Gorjanc will be meeting with Sylvia on April 1^st to do the same.

GOOD EVENING. IT’S 6:30PM ON MONDAY MARCH 24, 2025 & WE HAVE A QUORUM, SO THE BOARD MEETING OF THE CANTON COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND IS OPEN.

 

• OPENING STATEMENT

Tonight, we’re going to do a review of our Awarding Processes to be sure we move forward with the same understanding & underlying framework, we began in 2023 to provide a more objective, process, with more data, based on the objective merits & potential partnerships that will strengthen the strategic brand which allows us to better serve the community.

 

• TREASURERS REPORT (Kristin)
  • 2025 Proposed BUDGET
  • Taxes: 2024 Form 990 Competed & $222 Taxes paid. Thank you Kristin.

 

SANDY MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE TRESURES REPORT & 2025 PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET AS PRESENTED. DEIRDRE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

1. Review: Mission/Values/Vision

 

Mission Statement:

• Contributing to the Health, Safety & Well-Being of the Canton Community

Statement of Values:

• Generosity (IRS), Integrity, Respect, Service, Empathy, Support. Listening.
• Accountability to community especially with regards to the money donated to us.
• Due Diligence: being aware of what the community needs & how that’s evolving.
• Compliance with operations/administration to ensure our reputation as a credible granting nonprofit Foundation.

Vision:

• Making the evolving lives of our community better. Empowering, Creating Value, Offering Accessible Funding. Being Entrepreneurial. Partnering with community leaders who want our success as much as we want theirs.
• Paying attention & being involved with what the community needs.

Strategic Brand:

GRANTS: Looking to Partner with a diverse network of Community leaders in the best position to serve Canton residents, including organizations working out of church basements to those with brick/motor campuses they run like professional businesses.  This is our 360-degree holistic view of the Health & Public Safety of our Community. No one is doing that better than us!

-CCHF’s Distinctive Competency: Our diverse & significant relationships in the community.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS: Looking for Canton residents building careers that will inspire others to Pay It Forward through their work in healthcare or public Safety/Service.

 

1. Review Accounting Requirements/Recommendations 2023Q&A

• Minimum Awarding Value/ Reserve for 2025

Per our accountant the 5% minimum funding for 2025 Awarding Season is $45,000.

• Review of 2023 Accountant Memo

The Board reviewed the 2023 Accounting Q/A the clarified the processes required by the IRS. The Q/A was designed to have a common knowledge on how to fund our applicants & requirements.

 

• Review, Assessment Awarding Processes

 

COMMUNITY PARTNER GRANTS

 

Key Measurements & Tools: 

• No One Is Guaranteed a Grant
• Maximum Grant $6,000 – NO MAXIMUM TOTAL
• Review Applications
  • Determine any Follow up Questions
  • Review Impact Report if Available & Past Community Partner Experience
  • Other Credible Data? (BOS Meetings etc.)
• Considerations: Healing Meals, Farah & Summit Adaptive Sports have 12-month programming serving Canton, that begins prior to approval of a CCHF grant in May.
• Board comments/discussion not in Minutes
• Review SUMMARY Pro/Concerns with Community Partner Meeting: Constructive Info.

 

Process:

• EACH APPLICANT GETS THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL HEARING
• OPEN DISCUSSION:
  • PROS & CONCERNS
• VOTE #1: STRAIGHT MAJORITY VOTE (Hands up: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ABTENTIONS?)

• APPROVAL

-THE HEARING ON APPLIATION ____ IS APPROVED for $_____ & IS CLOSED.

 

• DENIED

-IS THERE AN ALTERNATE PROPOSAL FOR THE APPLICANT?

• VOTE #2: STRAIGHT MAJORITY VOTE (Hands up: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ABTENTIONS?)
• APPROVED

THE HEARING ON APPLICATION   ______ FOR AN ALTERNATE INVESTMENT OF $____ IS CLOSED.

 

OR

• DENIED

VOTE #2 IS AGAIN DENIED, SO THE FIRST VOTE FOR DENIAL OF APPLIATION BY ______ FOR $____ STANDS & THIS HEARING IS CLOSED.

 

 

PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP (Deidre)

 

Key Measurements & Tools:

• No One is guaranteed a scholarship
• BLIND Applications
• Begin at $1,000 with flexibility of additional funding depending on the quality of the individual candidate– NO MAXIMUM TOTAL
• Review Applications (FRIDAY UPDATE)
  • Determine any Follow up Questions
  • Other Credible Data? Basic Google Search
• Comments Discussion not in Minutes

 

KEY MEASUREMENTS: 

• ARE YOU IN CANTON? ARE YOU CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY? ARE YOU IN HEALTHCARE OR PUBLIC SAFETY/SERVICE? NEED OF FUNDING SUPPPORT?

 

PROCESS:

• EACH APPLICANT WILL GET THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL HEARING

• OPEN DISCUSSION:
  • PROS & CONCERNS
• RECOMMENDED SCHOLARSHIP: BEGINNING AT $1,000
• VOTE #1: STRAIGHT MAJORITY VOTE ON AGREED UPON SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT (Hands up: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? ABSENTIONS?)

• APPROVAL or DENIED

-THE HEARING ON APPLIATION FOR ____ IS APPROVED for $_____ or DENIED &  CLOSED.

 

Deirdre provided an update on the new Dr Diters/Canton Dollars for Scholars collaboration. Their process is very thorough & focused on student applicants both from CHS as well as those who attend high school outside of Town.

 

Board members requested copies of the Approval & Denial Letters sent to Community Partners, & the position description for CCHF’s Grant Coordinator.

 

 Issues

-FAILURE TO SUBMIT AN IMPACT REPORT

The Impact Report (previously called Outcome Report) was developed by CCHF over a decade ago, to increase accountability from the Board on how the ‘’Community’s’ Fund is distributed & to increase transparency on the measurable results of Award funding. Community Partners receive 3 notifications detailing the requirement to submit an Impact Report.

1. Focus on Canton is disqualified from funding for at least one year due to their failure to submit an Impact Report in addition to a number of other issues with regards to their mis-management of their 2024 funds, that have been detailed in previous MINUTES.

2. Substance Free Event is disqualified from funding for at least one year due to their failure to submit an Impact Report. The Board discussed the possibility of an Alternate Proposal to sponsor the Event in 2025, given that this Event doesn’t easily fit into CCHF’s Community Partner profile. Ultimately, the decision was made to deny their Application, to be fair & equitable to other 2024 & potential 2025 Community Partners, but to revisit how to support this long-time applicant (as sponsor or Community Partner) in the future as the Event provides a unique opportunity to promote a substance free environment.

Other

Canton Senior/Social Services-Focus on Canton-Canton Fuel Bank

The Board spent time assessing whether the assumed funding request from Canton Fuel Bank should be redirected to the presumed application request from CSS. 100% of the funds CCHF provides to the Fuel Bank is provided to CSS. It’s an extra administration step for CSS to request funding from CFB. CFB is a very long time Partner, has a positive relationship with CSS & supports CCHF’s 360-holistic brand view of how we serve the community.

 

1. Requests

 

• Meal Requests
  • Little Oak Café will be our caterer this year for the Awarding meeting
• Print Requests
  • Ken, Janot, Sylvia, Sandy requested printed copies of all Applications

 

1. MARKETING/SOCIAL MEDIA

–Valley Life: The story on Community Partner Canton Fire & EMS appeared in the Feb. edition. Because of their lead time, (deadline May 5^th) CCHF’s PR will not appear until the July edition.

 

-Service Mark Updates: The State of CT requested new ‘specimens’ of the 4 service mark requests we have applied for.

–April Stories

1. Sylvia, Diane & former Board member Shelley Millane are working on a story on CCHF Founding Mother Colette.
2. The Board Announcement of Ann Gorjanc’s joining will be posted in April

 

-Social Media: CCHF’s social media ‘puzzle’ masthead requires timely updating (48 hours after May Awarding Meeting). At this time only Doreen Cohn, a trusted colleague, knows how to update it. Linda will reach out to Doreen to take this update in-house vs asking Doreen again.

 

1. ADMINISTRATION/NEXT STEPS

 

• SECRETARY Candidates

The Board was asked to focus on finding a candidate. There are outstanding question on W2 vs 1099, gig vs consultant. Linda offered to draft a position description & Sylvia will ask a local contract attorney (pro bono) these & other considerations to ensure that the Board is protected & in compliance with regulations.

• MINUTES
  • January 27, 2025: Annual Meeting #1 & Strategy Workshop Meeting #2

 

KRISTIN MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING OF THE JAN 27, 2025 ANNUAL MEETING #1 & JANUARY STRATEGY WORKSHOP MEETING #2. DEIRDRE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

• ASSIGNMENTS

 

Key Dates

 

APRIL

-Tues. April 1^st: Deadline: Dr. Diters Scholarship Submissions to Canton Dollars for Scholars

-Friday. April 5: Sylvia begins Friday updates on new Applicants

-Wed. April 30^th: Deadline: Grant & (PIF) Scholarship Application Submissions to CCHF

 

MAY

-Fri-Fri. May 2-May 9: ALL Board Reviews Applications on Board Info & Submit Follow Up Questions to Sylvia

-Mon. May 12: Board Follow up Questions to Applicants

-Fri. May 16: Final day for Applicants to submit written response to Questions

–Mon. May 19^th: 2025 Awards Board Meeting – 5:30pm

–Tues. May 20: PR to Valley Life & Courant.net (Sylvia)

–Wed. May 21: Appeal/Denial Letters distributed thru email (Sylvia)

–Thurs. May 22: Social Media post with 2025 Community Partner PUZZLE (Doreen & Linda)

May: Sylvia & Deirdre meet with Laurie McKenna from DFS (w/CCHF Folder)

May/June: CHS Scholarship Ceremony (invite Mark Diters & get copies of Dr D Scholars Apps)

 

Sylvia will:

– Re-mail 4 new Service Mark ‘specimens’ as requested by ST/CT

-Arrange meals/delivery with Little Oak Café

-Ask local contract attorney to provide framework on hiring Secretary/Admin support

-Distribute Approval/Denial letters to Board

Diane will:

-Work with Sylvia & Shelley Millane to draft a story on Colette.

• MEETING ADJOURNED

 

THERE BEING NO ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO DISCUSS, LINDA MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MARCH 24, 2025 BOARD MEETING OF THE CANTON COMMUINTY HEALTH FUND AT 8:15pm. SANDY SECONDED THE MOTOIN & THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last modified: September 10, 2025