About Us
Our mission is to partner with community-based organizations across Connecticut to empower individuals in need to improve their lives.
By leveraging the potential of direct cash assistance and strategic collaborations, we efficiently address immediate crises and systemic injustices.
4-CT designs, implements and provides operational and administrative support for direct cash assistance programs. We also provide operational and administrative support for organizations that wish to design their own cash assistance initiatives.
We partner with community-based organizations that share our enthusiasm for no-strings-attached cash assistance that places trust and autonomy in the hands of the recipient. These organizations, deeply embedded and trusted in their communities, are able to thoughtfully identify individuals who could benefit from cash assistance
4-CT is an independent 501(c) organization
Our Objectives
1.
Give individuals the agency to make their own decisions and improve their own lives. No strings attached.
2.
Enhance the nonprofit sector’s ability to serve their communities when and how they need.
3.
Experimenting with direct cash aid programs to better support our most vulnerable populations.
4.
Leveraging the statewide network — including other organizations, health centers, philanthropists, and government officials — for collaboration, resource sharing, education, and advocacy.
Our Partners
Our history
In March 2020, during the height of the pandemic, 4-CT was born out of the emergent need to align philanthropic efforts and look for new ways to tackle the health and economic disparities of Connecticut’s most vulnerable populations. With the support of Governor Ned Lamont, our initial programs focused on addressing gaps in the state and federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During that time, 4-CT provided $14 million in grants to help frontline, nonprofit organizations meet the surge in demand, scale up successful strategies, or develop solutions when needed. Inspired by other COVID-19 relief efforts across the country, we also developed the 4-CT Card program. The 4-CT Card program, administered via prepaid Mastercards, provided over $4 million in unrestricted, no-strings-attached cash assistance to individuals in need.
As we emerged from the intensity of the first two years of the pandemic, we knew that many communities were not on the path to recovery. Our work continued, prioritizing direct cash assistance and building upon lessons learned in those early years.
“During this unprecedented public health crisis, we have seen incredible courage and acts of generosity by countless members of our community. 4-CT is a never-before-seen coordinated effort to link philanthropists, donors, and community foundations to the needs of our residents, as we all work together to get through this COVID-19 pandemic. We will get through this together, and 4-CT will act as a vital tool to help provide much needed outside investment to keep our programs and services stable during this tenuous time.”
— Ned Lamont, Connecticut State Governor
