Best Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits in Colorado

The Comis Foundation Grant aims to provide equitable opportunities for children to thrive through education and community engagement. It supports innovative programs that enhance educational outcomes, focusing on areas such as capacity building and pilot projects. With funding ranging from $5,000 to $75,000, the foundation prioritizes nonprofit organizations that foster inclusive environments. By emphasizing trust and collaboration, Comis Foundation strives to create lasting impacts in the communities it serves.

The Community Possible Grant Program by U.S. Bank aims to foster economic and workforce advancement, as well as safe and affordable housing. By partnering with 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, the program seeks to drive lasting change within communities through collaborative grantmaking. Priority is given to organizations that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and that address multiple pillars of work, home, and play. This initiative reflects U.S. Bank's commitment to creating a more equitable society.

The Costco Wholesale Charitable Contributions program prioritizes support for children, education, and health services within local communities. Nonprofit organizations seeking assistance must be 501(c)(3) certified and focus on monetary requests. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, factoring in community needs and collaboration. However, Costco limits grants to 10% of the program budget and typically restricts organizations to one request per fiscal year. They do not fund individuals or direct aid for various specific purposes.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation provides grants to organizations focused on improving the lives of children in urban poverty in the U.S., India, and South Africa. They prioritize projects in education, health, and family economic stability. Grants typically do not exceed 25% of a project's budget or 10% of an organization's annual expenses. The foundation seeks to partner with organizations already making an impact, ensuring funding supports impactful social enterprises.

Roche Corporate Donations and Philanthropy (CDP) focuses on impactful projects that foster sustainable development, engage employees, and leverage Roche's expertise. Their philanthropic efforts prioritize humanitarian, educational, environmental, and cultural initiatives, aiming to build stronger communities and support innovative projects. Eligibility is limited to local organizations, while ineligible projects include those with political or religious ties. The foundation strives to create a positive societal impact through collaboration and strategic partnerships.

The Social Impact Theatre Grant Program supports innovative theatrical productions that address pressing social issues, fostering dialogue and community engagement. With a focus on sustainability, the program offers production-specific and change capital grants to eligible nonprofit organizations in select states. Grantees are encouraged to explore new models, deepen community connections, and support emerging leaders in theatre. Applications for the next cycle will open in Spring 2025, following the completion of the current funding round.

The Community-Initiated Solutions Grant by The Colorado Health Foundation aims to empower communities to address their own health challenges by funding projects led by community members. This initiative prioritizes health equity, particularly for communities of color, and encourages collaborative solutions that leverage local resources and strengths. The Foundation seeks proposals that clearly define health issues and demonstrate community-driven decision-making, ensuring that the solutions are actionable and sustainable.

The Lake Fork Community Foundation supports the citizens of Hinsdale County through grants focused on educational assistance, care for the needy, and community beautification. Established in 1994, this private foundation encourages collaboration among organizations and seeks to maximize community impact. Eligible applicants must be IRS-recognized tax-exempt entities, ensuring funds reach those who can best serve the community's needs. Grants prioritize innovative projects that leverage additional resources and promote local engagement.

The Colorado Respite Coalition is offering a State Respite Grant aimed at enhancing access to respite care for family caregivers across Colorado. This funding supports both non-profit and for-profit organizations that provide essential respite services, ensuring that caregivers receive necessary breaks. Grants range from $10,000 to $30,000, with applications requiring a letter of intent for the 2025-2026 cycle. This initiative reinforces the Coalition's commitment to family welfare and caregiver support.

The Anschutz Family Foundation Grant supports programs that enhance self-sufficiency and community development for economically disadvantaged individuals in Colorado. With a focus on helping families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities, the foundation provides grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charities or government entities. The foundation encourages alignment with its mission and requires demonstrated financial need and a solid track record of success.

The Changing Aging (CA) Grant supports innovative projects aimed at enhancing economic opportunities for older adults and combating ageism. Priorities include advancing digital equity and promoting aging in place for marginalized communities. Funded by Next50, the grant encourages collaboration among nonprofits and requires an equity-focused approach to project design. Organizations may apply for up to three years of funding, with no maximum request limit, although a pre-application call is necessary for larger requests.

The Colorado Organizational Resiliency (COR) Grant, offered by the Next50 Initiative, supports Colorado-based nonprofits that serve marginalized older adults. The grant aims to enhance resilience through infrastructure improvements, technology upgrades, and strategic planning. Eligible organizations must demonstrate innovation and a commitment to equity. This funding opportunity is aimed at addressing challenges faced by nonprofits while fostering economic opportunities for older adults and their communities, ensuring impactful long-term recovery from setbacks.

The Boettcher Fund Capital Grants support transformative capital projects for nonprofits in Weld County, Colorado. These grants aim to enhance community services and address essential needs. Eligible organizations must be financially healthy and capable of maintaining the project post-completion. The grant process requires building permits for construction or renovation, and funding is limited to one year. This initiative fosters impactful change by empowering local nonprofits to improve their facilities and services.

Intermountain Community Care Foundation

Our mission: Helping people live the healthiest lives possible.

Intermountain Health is the largest nonprofit health system in the Intermountain West. We’re dedicated to creating healthier communities and helping our patients thrive.

Intermountain Health was established in 1975, but our legacy of compassion and care extends well beyond that, going back to the late 1800s and the early 1900s in Colorado and Utah respectively. We have since become a 60,000+ person strong nonprofit health system, with operations in six states across the interior West with a shared vision to be a model health system that inspires the future of health.

Intermountain Healthcare, SCL Health, and HealthCare Partners Nevada have now come together to serve communities in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.

Grants

The Intermountain Community Care Foundation awards grants to organizations whose programs align with Intermountain Health’s mission, our national community health areas of focus, and priorities identified through our Community Health Needs Assessment. By supporting evidence-based programs and services that strengthen communities, the Foundation is dedicated to helping people live the healthiest lives possible.

What We Fund

We provide grants to organizations whose programs align with Intermountain Health’s mission, our national community health areas of focus, and priorities identified through our Community Health Needs Assessment.

• Healthcare Access Grants
• Social Drivers of Health Grants
• Child & Family Mental Well-Being Grants
• Utah Education Innovation Grants

Child & Family Mental Well-Being Grants

To qualify for Child and Family Mental Well-Being funding, your program or service must focus on families with children. Funding priority areas include:

• Mental well-being for children, including: reducing suicide deaths; reducing frequent mental distress, anxiety, and depression; decreasing substance misuse
• Advance prevention and early intervention addressing risk and protective factors
• Expand comprehensive, family-centered, mental well-being programs
• Build trauma-informed systems for young children including evidence-based prevention, behavioral health treatment, or related interventions or programs
• Strengthen community behavioral health capacity and collaborations through coalition-building

Requirements

• A full and complete financial audit conducted within the last two years. Submission must include the entire audit, including any findings and the auditor's letter
• A copy of the organization's 501(c)(3) designation letter or a comparable government designation
• A completed W9
• A completed Supplier Form (a blank copy will be provided in the application)

Additional information

• In Utah and Idaho, applicants can request a total grant award between $5,000 to $100,000 per year for 3 years (up to $300,000 total) for the entire project period. Projects can last between 12 and 36 months and must begin upon receipt of funding.
• In Colorado, Montana, and Nevada, applicants can request a total grant award between $5,000 to $50,000 per year for 2 years (up to $100,000 total) for the entire project period. Projects can last between 12 and 36 months and must begin upon receipt of funding.
• A funding request may not exceed 20 percent of an organization’s annual operating budget, e.g., to be eligible for a $50,000 grant, your organization’s annual operating budget must be at least $250,000.
• In general, small equipment and materials are eligible at no more than a total $5,000 cost, but large equipment, construction, and capital costs are not eligible. Consideration will be given if computer equipment is necessary and vital to the success of the project.

The Biophilia Foundation

Our Mission & Approach

The Biophilia Foundation is dedicated to advancing biodiversity conservation on private lands by fostering systemic change through people, their communities, and direct action. We approach our mission by offering grants to nonprofit organizations, administering in-house programs, and serving as a strategic partner and fiscal sponsor for organizations with which we collaborate.

Riverscape Restoration in the Western United States and Northern Mexico

The Biophilia Foundation is seeking proposals for projects to improve the resilience of watersheds in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Two types of grants are available:

• Grants of $50,000 to $100,000 are available for projects that implement low-tech, process-based, and/or beaver-based restoration of upland streams and rivers.
• Grants up to $25,000 are available for:
  • Capacity building:
    • Assistance with the development of watershed plans, place-based networks, or preparation of proposals for federal or state grants.
  • Engagement:
    • Outreach to landowners and land managers to improve the availability of information and make implementation achievable.

The Biophilia Foundation also welcomes enquiries regarding capacity building for riverscape restoration, research (primarily carbon sequestration, climate change adaptation, and other riparian ecosystem services), innovative finance, and improving the availability of information available to landowners and land managers.

Funding Categories

Grants provided through this initiative will include the categories described below. Eligible entities can apply for funding from one or more categories.

• Implementation Grants
  • Implementation grants of $50,000 to $100,000 are available for riparian restoration projects using low-tech, process-based restoration (LTPBR) techniques, such as RDS, BDA, PALS, grass plugs, etc., and supporting practices, such as tree planting and exclosures.
  • Implementation grants can also support restoration for the purpose of beaver translocation or beaver recolonization.
    • Grants for this purpose may include practices for nonlethal management of beaver conflicts (e.g., pond levelers).
  • Where financially beneficial, the Biophilia Foundation supports integration of carbon finance and/or other payments for ecosystem services into restoration projects.
  • Implementation grants will be evaluated based on ecological and social criteria, including appropriateness of LTPBR to the context, biodiversity and ecological value, project scale, partnerships, and financial viability.
  • Only projects in the target geography will be considered for implementation grants.
  • In general, funded projects may apply for funding for one or two years, depending on scale and scope.
• Capacity-Building and Engagement
  • Grants of up to $25,000 are available to assist with capacity-building and engagement.
  • Capacity-building includes the development of watershed plans, creation of place based networks, or preparation of proposals for federal or state grants.
    • Funds may also be used for projects to increase the capacity of the system, such as addressing training and workforce development.
  • Engagement grants fund efforts to reduce barriers to LTPBR implementation by landowners and land managers.
    • Examples include videos, websites, hosted workshops, or targeted outreach marketing to candidate landowners.
    • Topics could include guidance on practices, permitting, financing, benefits, and risk mitigation.
• Research and Finance
  • In addition to the grants currently available, the Biophilia Foundation welcomes enquiries regarding:
    • Research to address data gaps on the benefits and risks of riparian restoration.
    • Our primary interest areas are carbon sequestration, climate change adaptation, and other ecosystem services.
    • Innovative finance for riparian restoration, including carbon credits and other payments for ecosystem services.

The Joseph Henry Edmondson Foundation focuses on funding established nonprofit organizations in the Pikes Peak Region, primarily supporting youth organizations, animal welfare, arts, health services, community building, education, and environmental initiatives. Grants typically prioritize capacity building and operational support. First-time applicants are encouraged to contact the foundation beforehand, as the foundation emphasizes a history of funding relationships. Specific exclusions include individuals and organizations lacking 501(c)(3) status.

The Nonprofit Capacity Building Fund, established by The Denver Foundation in collaboration with the City and County of Denver, aims to empower 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving designated neighborhoods. Grants between $2,000 and $20,000 will be awarded to enhance organizational capacity and foster community engagement. Eligible organizations must demonstrate a commitment to collaboration and submit a consultant-prepared scope of work. This initiative reflects a century of philanthropic efforts to strengthen Metro Denver's nonprofit sector.

The CommonSpirit Health Equity & Advancement Fund aims to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations in Colorado, Kansas, and Utah. Launched in 2021, this initiative focuses on enhancing social justice through community engagement, addressing social determinants of health, and supporting innovative health equity projects. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and tribal nations that collaborate to serve underrepresented communities. Funding priorities emphasize collaboration, unique health equity solutions, and leveraging additional resources.

The Caring For Colorado Grant Program focuses on public policy advocacy to enhance the health and well-being of children, youth, and families in Colorado. This initiative supports organizations that advocate for equitable access to resources and promote justice. Funding can be used for various purposes, including capacity building and public education. The program emphasizes collaboration with young people and prioritizes efforts that address systemic inequities.

The National Trust Preservation Funds provide grants ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to support local preservation projects and ongoing work. These funds aim to enhance community engagement in preservation, foster technical expertise, and stimulate financial participation from the private sector. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofit organizations focused on planning and education efforts related to preservation. The program is particularly interested in initiatives that reach new audiences and further the preservation movement.

The Southwest Intervention Fund, managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, supports preservation efforts of traditional cultures across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, West Texas, and Utah. Grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 are available for local partners, nonprofits, and government agencies to address emergency threats and promote preservation planning. Eligible projects include archaeological site surveys, public awareness workshops, and legal assistance for cultural resource management, ensuring the protection of vital historic sites.

The Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund Grant aims to enhance legal support for Denver's immigrant community. Managed by The Denver Foundation, the fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations to offer direct legal representation, affirmative relief for DACA applicants, and capacity-building initiatives. Priorities include defending individuals facing removal proceedings and supporting innovative projects to increase the availability of immigration attorneys. This initiative serves residents of Denver with limited income, ensuring equitable access to legal resources.

The Action, Implementation, and Mitigation (AIM) Grants, offered by COCO, support organizations in enhancing wildfire risk reduction efforts. Since 2018, COCO has assisted over 90 groups, focusing on community resilience and restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems. Eligible applicants include nonprofits and local governments, with funding ranging from $10,000 to $75,000. Projects should align with broader wildfire strategies and require a 100% cash or in-kind match, promoting inclusive and effective community mitigation approaches.

The Boettcher Foundation's Rural Catalyst Grants empower Colorado's rural communities by providing funding of $1,000 to $10,000 for capacity-building initiatives. Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and governmental entities can apply for support in areas like strategic planning, convening, and one-time operating costs. The foundation prioritizes organizations that enhance leadership and community collaboration, ensuring impactful projects that strengthen rural Colorado's future.

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation offers grants to support diverse initiatives, including museums, educational programs, and environmental activities. Aiming to make a significant impact with modest funding, the Foundation targets IRS-qualified non-profits in the U.S. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $20,000, fostering community development and enhancement. Organizations focused on youth, seniors, and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply, as the Foundation seeks to empower those in need.

The Nonprofit Sabbatical Grant Program, funded by The Colorado Health Foundation, offers up to $100,000 to support nonprofit leaders in Colorado. This initiative allows executives to take a much-needed sabbatical of three to four months, fostering rejuvenation and innovative thinking. The program emphasizes diversity in its grantee selection, aiming to address entrenched inequities while ensuring sustainability in organizational operations during the absence of leaders. By investing in interim leadership and staff development, it enhances the capacity of nonprofits to serve their communities effectively.

The Battlefield Preservation Fund Grant aims to support initiatives that preserve battlefields and related historic sites. This funding encourages planning and educational efforts, particularly those that engage new audiences in preservation activities. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofits in specified states. Grants can be used for staff support, consultant fees, and educational materials. Applicants must provide a one-to-one match for funding, ensuring strong community involvement in preservation efforts.