The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven has announced a $35 million bequest from the estate of James D. English—who died in 2021—in support of four area nonprofits with long ties to the family.

The largest gift in the history of the foundation establishes the James D. English Fund, a permanent endowment that will provide annual support to the Clifford Beers Community Care Center (10 percent distribution), the Neighborhood Music School (10 percent), the New Haven Museum (40 percent), and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (40 percent), funding programs to advance racial equity in the New Haven community. With this new bequest, the English family has established six funds with the foundation totaling approximately $70.8 million that have distributed grants totaling more than $11.4 million over the past 76 years.

“Clifford Beers Community Care Center looks forward to using these funds to further our mission of helping our children, families, and community flourish by providing equitable, accessible, integrated trauma-informed mental health care,” said Rochelle Cummings, the center’s board president.

“So much of Jim English’s life was devoted to the arts and ensuring access so others may participate,” said New Haven Museum executive director Margaret Anne Tockarshewsky. “I know he would be pleased that his gift will be used to eliminate barriers to participation and learning—whether you live across the street or across the globe—and to open dialogues with more community residents that will result in greater collaboration and co-creation.”

(Photo credit: New Haven Museum collection)