Our mission
To empower a diverse Latine community in the Greater New Haven region through education, leadership, culture and philanthropy.
PLF carries out its mission and creates positive change through:
- Forums on matters of importance to Latines featuring prominent national and local speakers.
- Celebrations of Connecticut Latines who lead from where they are.
- Charitable grants to programs and services that advance Latines.
- A focus on the youth and young leaders.
Celebrating 20 Years!
For two decades, The Fund has inspired Latine* philanthropy in our community, fostering gifts of talent, time, and financial resources. The Fund has brought people together to promote and support the Latine culture, celebrate Connecticut Latine leaders, advance education through scholarships and training, and provide charitable grants to programs and services for and with the Latine community.
In recognition of this anniversary, the Progreso Latino Fund will award $100,000 in grants in 2023-24 to nonprofits working on urgent issues facing Latines in our community.
EVENT RECAP: IN-PERSON FORUM
Building Trust, Creating Impact: The Latine Philanthropy Forum
On September 26, 2024, the Progreso Latino Fund held an in-person discussion entitled Building Trust, Creating Impact: The Latine Philanthropy Forum. This empowering dialog on Latine representation in philanthropy explored the latest trends, focusing on changing the narrative from seeing Latines as being on the receiving end of philanthropy to being the philanthropists, and how to grow your Latine philanthropic voice.
Thank you for celebrating with us!
20th Anniversary Celebration
On Nov. 10, 2023, we celebrated two decades of inspiring philanthropy in our community. More than 200 people gathered for a festive evening of recognizing and amplifying Latine achievement and generosity. The event honored the Progreso Latino Fund founders and featured guest, U.S. Dept. of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
Two ways to express your generosity.
Support the Latine Community
Give to The Fund
Thank you to all the donors who helped us raise a total of $40,000 for our endowment in 2023. But our work continues! Please help Progreso Latino Fund expand its impact in the community with your support.
Open a Fund and Receive a $2,000 Contribution
20th Anniversary Fund Challenge
The Progreso Latino Fund is working to increase the number of Latine funds at The Community Foundation and invites you to create a personally named fund for directing your philanthropic dollars to support causes that you care about. During 2023-2024, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven will contribute $2,000 to your new fund! Individuals, families and businesses can take up to four years to build their funds with a commitment to annual contributions.
Meet our new fund founders! Twenty local Latine individuals and families created new charitable funds at The Community Foundation in 2023. Click here and get inspired by their stories.
Webinar Series
Cultural Mental Health Services Through the Lifespan
Please join us as we work to break down the barriers to mental health supports for our Latine community through a three-part webinar series. Our conversations with leading local mental health experts explores affordability, access, cultural appropriateness and education on benefits of seeking treatment. Each webinar focusses on the distinct needs at each stage of life — youth, adulthood and old age.
Educational and economic wellbeing
Our Impact
As part of our 20th Anniversary, the Progreso Latino Fund has committed to making $100,000 in grants to our community over the two–year period 2023–2024.
2023 Grantmaking Total: $57,500
Mental Health Service Grants
- Gateway Community College
- Cornell Scott–Hill Health Center
- Spanish Community of Wallingford
Scholarships
- Gwyneth Perez–Perez
- Alvin Diaz
Sponsorships
- ARTE Inc.
- Latino and Iberian Film Festival at Yale
- Convocation for New Haven Public Schools
- Superintendent of Schools Madeline Negrón
- Puerto Ricans United – Gala and Puerto Rican Day Festival
Progreso Latino Fund eNewsletter
- Progreso en Acción | October 2024
- Progreso en Acción | August 2024
- Progreso en Acción | June 2024
- Progreso en Acción | April 2024
- Progreso en Acción | February 2024
- Progreso en Acción | December 2023
- Progreso en Acción | September 2023
- Progreso en Acción | July 2023
- Progreso en Acción | May 2023
- Progreso en Acción | March 2023
- Progreso Latino Fund eNews | January 2023
Stay connected with PLF.
Stepping Up in a Time of Need
Disaster Response
In 2017, following Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the massive earthquake in Mexico, PLF joined a Latine-led global fundraising campaign to support disaster relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico and Mexico and assist evacuees who came to Greater New Haven.
PLF Advisory Committee (2024)
- Tara Davila (Co-Chair)
- Yari Ijeh (Co-Chair)
- Jose DeJesus
- Ana Garcia
- Gypsy Garcia
- Brian Ibarra
- Noah Moore
- Anaika Ocasio
- Carolina Parrott
- Atty. Erandi Reiland
- Anna Rivera-Alfaro
- Raquel Santiago-Martinez
- Denise Santisteban
- Michelle Wachsmann
- Fernando Muñiz. Board Liaison
Use your talents to expand opportunity for Latines in Greater New Haven. Join the PLF Advisory Committee today!
Our History
The Progreso Latino Fund was established in 2003 a small group of community-minded Puerto Ricans as their way to give back to the New Haven community which they called home. Their vision was to create a fund that would “promote the educational and socio-economic well-being of Latinos in the City of New Haven and the region . . . with particular attention to the needs of our children.”
Since then, more than 660 contributors have have built a permanent endowment of more than $440,000 that is used to fund grant making, policy forums, leadership-building activities and community events
The Progreso Latino Fund is permanently endowed, which means it will last forever and never stop doing good. An independent advisory committee picked exclusively from within the Latine community guides the actions of the PLF.
