Norwich Sachem Fund will seek new applications for $93,000 in unspent grant funds

Norwich ― The Sachem Fund is back after a seven-year hiatus for at least one more round of grant applications to fund projects in the city.

The fund was created by former Mayor Benjaman Lathrop and leaders of the Mohegan tribe in 2007 to support economic development, historic and cultural activities and neighborhood revitalization. Both entities over the years reduced allocations and eventually stopped putting new money into the fund.

The committee comprising city and tribal representatives last distributed funds in 2017, with money going to an effort to create the Ellis Walter Ruley Park on the artist’s former homestead on Hammond Avenue and to the Norwich Historical Society to develop walking tours.

A request for city support for new efforts by several historical groups to plan celebrations of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 and related city milestones led to questions about the Sachem Fund.

Does it still exist? Is there any money left over?

On Thursday, the Sachem Fund Committee met for the first time since 2017. City Deputy Comptroller Orla McKiernan reported that the committee has $93,482, comprised of $21,746.85 that was never allocated and $71,735.12 that went unspent by past recipients.

The largest amount was $60,000, which McKiernan said was never turned over to the Community Economic Development Fund.

The remaining unspent funds were small amounts left over from various projects, including $5,966 of the $10,000 allocated to the now-defunct Downtown Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Committee for a waterfront art project and $4,940 from a community development program.

The committee on Thursday set a new schedule for requests for proposals from community groups for all or portions of the remaining funds. The group narrowed eligibility to categories such as entertainment or cultural events, historic or tourism attractions, museums and neighborhood improvements.

The committee nixed weightier categories such as attacking blight, urban renewal or building code upgrades.

The request for proposals will be advertised in July and the proposals will be due in early September so they can be reviewed at the committee’s Sept. 12 meeting. Qualifying groups will be interviewed Sept. 26 with allocation decisions to follow.

Alderwoman Shiela Hayes, a voting member of the committee, asked if the city and tribe want to keep the fund going afterward. Tribal representatives Mark Brown and William Quidgeon said they would ask the Mohegan Tribal Council if there is any interest in continuing the fund.

The city and the tribe last made contributions to the fund in the 2012-13 fiscal year, McKiernan said.

c.bessette@theday.com