The Connecticut Ornithological Association is proud to continually support initiatives within the state the specific benefit avian wildlife and their habitats. The annual Mini-Grants are made possible by the support of our Members. For more information about the application period, please read our Mini-Grants Guidelines page.
Previous awardees are listed below. From directly affecting avian wildlife, to supporting the public observation and enjoyment of the natural resource within Connecticut, our awardees have a direct impact on birds and their habitats.
2025 Mini-Grant Recipients:
A Place Called Hope
APCH rescue boat outboard motor for over water avian rescue.
Avalonia Land Conservancy, Inc.
Replacement Purple Martin gourds at Knox Preserve.
Birding for Pleasure
Paying for professionals for the Bobolink Festival.
Friends of Sherwood Island
Dune restoration- East Beach of Sherwood Island SP.
Guilford Salt Meadow
Purple Martin color bands.
Horizon Wings
Food and medical care for injured raptors.
Meriden Conservation Committee
Bird habitat creation, city youth project
Roaring Brook Nature Center
Medicines for their quarantine facility.
The Connecticut Audubon Society
Purple Martin camera at Milford Point.
The Friends of Kycia Farm
Pollinator garden enhancements on property.
2024 Mini-Grant Recipients:
Avon Land Trust
Chimney Swift Box installed Land Trust property.
Connecticut Audubon Society’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
Bluebird boxes and bird baths on the Center’s property.
CPEN New Haven
Urban Birding Camp Project.
Earthplace
Planting Native Shrubs and deer fence for protection.
Essex Land Trust
Purple Martin Colony on property.
Freedom First Wildlife Rehab
Indoor clinic owl caging.
Gather New Haven Community Garden
Installation of bird boxes on garden property
Roaring Brook Nature Center
Purchase of an opthalmoscope for birds of prey recovery.
Southbury Land Trust
Community Garden on property.
2023 Mini-Grant Recipients:
Aaron Scott
To establish a bird friendly ecosystem around a pond that he has restored which had a broken dam and sluice system
Abington Cemetery Association
To install 6 Bluebird boxes in the historic cemetery
Avalonia Land Trust
To install Screech Owl boxes on trust property
Brown Charitable Trust
To increase the number of nesting boxes and feeders, replace older ones and purchase birdseed on property in Griswold, CT
Coalition for a Sustainable Cheshire
For the Cheshire pollinator pathway
Horizon Wings
To provide food and medical supplies for birds in rehabilitation
Litchfield Hills Audubon
To expand pollinator gardens at Wigwam Brook in Litchfield, CT
Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy
To expand the Litchfield Pollinator Pathway project within their 16-acre aviary
Roaring Brook Nature Center
For an avian ICU and oxygen concentrator
Simsbury Pollinator Pathway
Toward the long-term project making the Triangle Meadow in Simsbury into a protected grassland sanctuary
Woodcock Nature Center
To install 5 nest boxes on its 150-acre preserve
2022 Mini-Grant Recipients:
Canton Land Conservation Trust
Pollinator pathway garden in their Peace Pole Park
Freedom First Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc.
Barn Owl nest box project
Hart Magnet School
Urban school habitat revitalization
Meriden Natural Resources
Build a Chimney Swift tower using community youth
Nancy James
Educate about the hazards of fishing line
Pollinator Pathway Stamford
Plant songbird habitat at Chestnut Hill Park
Sam Merker
Bittern study under supervision of Chris Elphick and Min Huang
Simsbury Land Trust
Habitat improvement project
Southington Land Trust
Restore habitat with native plants
Sue Frisch
Project to restore a heron rookery
Wendy Kovar
Osprey platform and perch pole to be erected in Clinton
2021 Mini-Grant Recipients:
A Place Called Hope
Purchase a special scale so that they could weigh the eagles and large raptors, weight being an important indicator of health.
East Granby Land Trust
Replant an area of the property known as Griffin Marsh with native plants. This land has been cleared of invasives and is ready for planting.
Marvelwood School
Expand their established Purple Martin colony and for additional supplies to continue their existing banding operations.
Connecticut Audubon Society’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
24-gourd Purple Martin nesting station at their new facility on the Lieutenant River. This has matching funds.
Helmstead Farm
Eight Bluebird nest boxes.
Friends of Sherwood Island
Six Bluebird boxes.
The Environmental Learning Center
A project to map the abundance of Grasshopper Sparrows at Robert’s Field (The Hoppers) in Bristol where habitat of this state listed endangered species is being threatened by invasive plant species. The project will be conducted by DEEP scientists.
Nicholas Ponterella
24-gourd Purple Martin nesting station.
The Friends of Boulder Knoll
Kestrel nest box.
The Friends of Holcomb Farm
Native plants to be planted along their arboretum, The Holcomb Tree Trail.
The Friends of the Farm at Hilltop
Native plants to be planted along a wetlands boardwalk trail from which they have removed the invasive species.
As of January 2025, the COA Mini-Grants Committee has supported these community initiatives with more than $39,000.
