WESTFIELD — On May 15, 2026, The Westfield Foundation welcomed nonprofit partners from across the community to its inaugural Coffee, Connection, & Collaboration event at The Rialto in Westfield. The gathering brought together representatives from organizations spanning education, the arts, community development, and health and social services with the goal of fostering relationships, idea-sharing, and future collaboration.
The event reflected a key theme that emerged throughout The Westfield Foundation’s recent 50th anniversary year and strategic planning process: meaningful community impact is built through partnership, trust, and collaboration.
“Meaningful community impact does not happen in isolation,” said Katie Curran Darcy, Executive Director of The Westfield Foundation, in opening remarks. “It happens through partnerships, deliberate collaboration, shared ideas, and personal relationships.”
Darcy noted that feedback from nonprofit partners during the Foundation’s strategic planning process consistently emphasized that The Westfield Foundation is viewed not simply as a grantmaker, but as a collaborative community partner invested in the long-term success of local organizations and initiatives.
The informal networking event was intentionally designed to create space for nonprofit leaders to connect, exchange ideas, discuss shared challenges, and explore opportunities for partnership that may not otherwise occur in traditional grantmaking settings.
“As a Foundation, we recognize our responsibility extends beyond grantmaking alone,” Darcy shared. “We have the opportunity—and obligation— to convene, connect, and listen to the organizations doing this important work on the ground.”
