Community Impact IT Partner Grant

Advance Your Connecticut
Non-Profit Mission with IT Strategy and Support

The period for applications for 2022/23 has closed.
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Grant Provides...

Grant Description

Your organization does good things for our Connecticut community. Now you can complement your operations with the IT strategy and support that you deserve.  

This grant covers 15 months of IT strategy, security, and support services, beginning January 2023. 

If selected, you will receive 

here's a technology grant to help your Connecticutnon-profit thrive

Who's Eligible to Apply

non-profit organizations benefit from managed it services

While we’d like to help everyone whose mission is to improve our Connecticut communities, there are a few requirements to qualify for the Now IT Works technology grant. 

Your organization must…

For more information about what this grant includes and does not include, please see the FAQs here

Meet Your Panel of Judges

Chris Meacham, CEO of Now IT Works, East Hampton, CT

Chris Meacham

CEO, Now IT Works

Chris Meacham founded Now IT Works over 20 years ago to help small businesses in Connecticut thrive. Chris believes that every business is a technology business. Further, technology should work for organizations, not the other way around. 

As one of the most creative business leaders, Chris has focused attention on innovation for small businesses, including cloud technology, convenient cybersecurity solutions, and tailored strategies for growth. 

Chris has had the honor of serving many non-profits over the years and is eager to help more succeed with better IT strategy and support. 

Chris lives in East Hampton with his wife, Amie, and two children. Scroll below to learn more about why Chris is offering this unique opportunity now. Watch the video here. 

Susan Linker, CEO, Our Companions Animal Rescue

Susan Biella-Linker

CEO, Our Companions Animal Rescue

Susan Biella-Linker founded Our Companions Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization, in 2002.

Our Companions’ central governing principle is to do the right thing for animals regardless of the challenge or the cost and operates its Valerie Friedman Program Center in Manchester and a 47 acre Animal Sanctuary in Ashford, CT.

Susan serves on the board of Connecticut Votes for Animals, a bipartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization with a mission to mobilize the public to support animals through their political choices, and the former President of the Animal Welfare Federation of Connecticut, a partnership of animal welfare organizations.

Prior to establishing Our Companions, Susan worked in various capacities in the field of animal welfare including an eight year career with the Connecticut Humane Society and its subsidiary, Fox Memorial Clinic.

Susan also spent some time outside the animal welfare field where she pursued financial development experience with the American Red Cross fundraising team. 

Susan lives with her husband Mitchell who serves as Our Companions’ Development Committee Chair, her dog Jason and four adorable cats.

Jeff Jylkka, Town of East Hampton Finance Director

Jeff Jylkka

Director of Finance, Town of East Hampton

Jeffery M. Jylkka, CPA, serves as Finance Director to the Town of East Hampton and East Hampton School District.  He has served in these positions since December of 1999.  Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Finance for the City of New London from 1996 to 1999.  From 1990 to 1996 Jeff worked in public accounting auditing municipalities throughout the state.

Mr. Jylkka is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association of Connecticut, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He has also served on the Connecticut Governmental Accounting and Auditing Committee. 

He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut in Storrs, class of 1990, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration majoring in accounting. 

John Korber, Nutmeg Financial

John Korber

Senior Vice President for Strategy and Innovation, Nutmeg Financial Credit Union

John leads efforts to optimize Nutmeg’s systems and processes in alignment with its strategic vision. A veteran leader in the financial services industry, John thrives at the intersection of people, business, and technology.

Before joining Nutmeg, John led the Customer Success team for a rapid growth company building cloud cybersecurity and compliance software. Previously, he ran the technology group for an investment management service provider to independent broker dealers and investment advisors.

John holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Tufts University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business and lives in Glastonbury, CT with his wife and four children.

About This Grant - Our Why

In 2017, Chris’s wife, Amie, founded a grassroots organization, “Kindness for Kids.” This group helps people in the community learn kindness and teach their children to perform kind acts.  For the past 5 years, she has successfully organized 48 events which benefited all our community’s diverse groups.

Having seen the good she achieved, Chris wanted to bring something similar to the business community.  Over the years, Now IT Works has noticed that the non-profit sector lacks good strategic technology advisors for a variety of reasons.  When Chris proposed the grant to the NIW team, they whole-heartedly supported the effort.

Ultimately, the Community Impact IT Partner Grant is Chris’s way of helping a sector that needs automation and streamlining of their efforts, while meeting compliance requirements.

Application Process and FAQs