2018 Connecticut Project Innovation Winners

NBC Connecticut/WVIT, Telemundo Connecticut and the NBCUniversal Foundation Tuesday announced that six local non-profit organizations will receive a total of $225,000 in grants as part of the first annual Project Innovation grant challenge.

The winning organizations were selected by the stations for their outstanding programs that leverage technology to solve everyday problems in the areas of civic engagement, skills for the digital economy and STEM/STEAM youth programming.

“NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut are proud to be a conduit for innovative thinking as it relates to our communities,” said Susan Tully, General Manager and President, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut. “The community’s gain is a gain for all of us. When a program empowers, engages and supports someone who needs help, we all win.”

Project Innovation is presented by the NBCUniversal Foundation and NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal. NBC and Telemundo owned stations located in 11 markets, including Connecticut, launched the new grant challenge in January 2018 to identify local organizations that embrace technology and innovation to develop real-life solutions for their communities.

The stations located in each of the participating regions created community panels to review the grant applications and select final grant recipients. This year, more than $2.4 million will be awarded to not-for-profit organizations all across the country that are doing their part to transform their communities by providing solutions to real-life problems through tech-based approaches.

Local Project Innovation 2018 grant recipients include:

Children’s Museum, West Hartford – $75,000

Early STEAM After School Program delivers STEAM education to children, with an emphasis on low-income children.

CT Public Broadcasting, Hartford – $25,000

Veterans Vocational Training Program utilizes advanced digital and technology skills training and workforce development.

EdAdvance, Litchfield – $50,000

Enhancing Youth STEM through Digital Media Arts engages at-risk middle schoolers in a STEM after-school program.

Leadership Education and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP), New Haven – $35,000

Learning to Code Program provides hands-on technology focused STEM opportunities for underserved youth.

New Britain Youth Theater, New Britain – $30,000

Technical Theater Education Program will introduce new technologies and equipment training to teenagers.

West Haven Child Development Center, West Haven – $10,000

Leveraging Technology in Early Education through in-class online training for early childcare providers.

Winners were selected in the following three categories: Igniting Civic Engagement, Skills for the Digital Economy, STEM/STEAM Youth Programming.

To see the list of all Project Innovation 2018 winners, click here.

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