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SUMMER 2026 UPDATE:  The Term II 2026 Grant Application will be published the first week of August. The next application deadline is August 31, 2026, with a one week grace period

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The J. Walton Bissell Foundation is a private foundation providing funding to non-profit organizations that advance change for individuals and families, primarily in Hartford.  

We who are privileged to be servants of J. Walton Bissell’s mission are led by the humility which he exemplified, and the dedication to inclusion, to which he was committed.

We are determined to use the resources Mr. Bissell gave in ways that match his stand.

We are focused on the aspirations of others who have gone unseen and excluded. We are at others’ disposal.

We are incorporating what our partners are teaching. You will find new designs announced in the course of 2026, in advance of our Term II 2026 application and grantmaking.

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WE BUILT A NEW APPLICATION PORTAL IN JUNE OF 2025

NEW AND ADDITIONAL UPDATES ARE UNDERWAY

IN JULY AND AUGUST OF 2026. WATCH THIS SPACE!

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU:

I.        Your Prior Submissions

II.      Applying by August 31, 2026

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I.     Many of you have accessed, referenced, and pasted responses from prior applications submitted by your agency.  All of your agencies’ applications – from as far back as 2016 – remain in the former portal at this time.  In response to requests, the vendor extended the old portal's availability for agencies seeking to access historic submissions. The last full day of access is July 28, 2026. We have no control over this date. The shutdown is scheduled at 7:00 am EDT on July 29, 2026, the information will be .]

You may sign into the former “old” portal here in order to download your applications. Some find this institutional history meaningful to preserve. If previous applications you seek are not visible, it means your agency’s sign-in credentials were changed at some point. Send us word if you want previous applications transferred to your portal.

The portal is brand new, please watch the new 3-minute Video Tutorial.

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TWO [2] TERMS OF GRANTMAKING IN 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE 1 of 2:       ****TERM I 2026 CYCLE IS NOW COMPLETE****

February 28,  with a grace period through Monday, March 9 

                         Decision-making about applications will occur by May 31

**** APPLICATION LINK IS NOT PRESENTLY 'LIVE' ****

APPLICATION DEADLINE 2 of 2:

August 31,  with a grace period through Friday, September 4

                    Decision-making about applications will occur by December 10

WE URGE YOU TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE VIDEO TUTORIAL ON THIS WEBSITE BEFORE

BEGINNING YOUR GRANT APPLICATIONS. IT WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORM.