Best Social Justice Grants in Colorado

Colorado community-based organizations advancing social justice and health equity in specific local communities can seek Building and Bridging Connections funding to strengthen relationships and social capital. Focused on health disparities and community culture, The Colorado Health Foundation supports projects uplifting BIPOC and other marginalized groups, with awards of US $20,000 - US $45,000 for 12–24 month efforts.

The Colorado Health Foundation

The Colorado Health Foundation is a statewide philanthropic organization that champions the overall health and well-being of every Coloradan. We do this by advocating for and investing in solutions and policies that drive health equity and racial justice.

Our mission is to improve the health of Coloradans. We believe that health and well-being can be in reach for everyone. So, every day, we collaborate with organizations and communities across the state to break down the many systemic inequities that stand in the way of health. When every Coloradan has the power to be healthy, our entire state is stronger.

Colorado Health Foundation: Advocacy Rapid Response Funding

Advocacy Rapid Response Funding aims to fund short-term advocacy initiatives (three-to-nine months in length) that ensure Coloradans’ interests and priorities are front and center in shaping policy decisions that will have long-term impacts on creating health equity in Colorado. Our Rapid Response funding focuses on advocacy work that reflects the following priorities:

• Creating equity in access to and use of high-quality, comprehensive primary care
• Supporting children to move their bodies safely and conveniently on a daily basis
• Enhancing services and supports that foster social-emotional development and resiliency of young children
• Ensuring teens and young adults have access to the resources they need to support healthy minds
• Ensuring adults have access to local recovery resources that promote healthy minds and productive lives
• Supporting access to affordable, safe and high-quality housing options

The Colorado Health Foundation

The Colorado Health Foundation is a statewide philanthropic organization that champions the overall health and well-being of every Coloradan. We do this by advocating for and investing in solutions and policies that drive health equity and racial justice.

Our mission is to improve the health of Coloradans. We believe that health and well-being can be in reach for everyone. So, every day, we collaborate with organizations and communities across the state to break down the many systemic inequities that stand in the way of health. When every Coloradan has the power to be healthy, our entire state is stronger.

Colorado Health Foundation Sponsorships

The Colorado Health Foundation views sponsorships as important opportunities to support events and communications-related projects that increase engagement with those we serve or raise awareness of issues aligned with our priority areas and cornerstones. 

The Foundation sponsors organizations that demonstrate trust with and among communities we prioritize and serve. We will sponsor events and communications-related projects that:

• Raise awareness of issues that align with the Foundation’s 10 priority areas and cornerstones.
• Provide Coloradans with information to increase understanding of systemic and social inequities
• Are community-informed
• Aim to impact Colorado’s public discourse that reinforces the need for and a connection between racial justice and health equity

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 DanPaul Foundation aims to enhance early childhood development by training teachers and parents, protecting children from abuse, and promoting social responsibility. They provide grants to non-profits for programs that focus on education, health, and welfare of youth. Key initiatives include scholarships, environmental education, and support for underprivileged children. Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $15,000 annually, with a focus on impactful, community-driven projects.

Colorado nonprofits and NGOs using technology to tackle major social challenges can access funding through Cisco Systems Foundation’s Global Impact Cash Grants. Programs must primarily serve economically underserved communities and focus on crisis response, access to education, economic empowerment, or climate resilience. Awards up to US $100,000 may support innovative, early-stage, social justice–oriented solutions.

Nonprofits, educational institutions, government programs, and volunteer fire companies in Colorado can seek funding for community safety, education, and neighborhood development initiatives that match these focus areas. Focused on safety, State Farm Companies Foundation invites eligible organizations to propose projects in auto and home safety, disaster preparedness and recovery, affordable housing, job training, financial literacy, and K–12 or higher education, including STEM.

Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving low- and moderate-income communities can seek funding for early childhood education, economic development, housing, arts, and community services. Grants from PNC Foundation help support programs for children birth to five, job training, neighborhood revitalization, and other efforts that strengthen and enrich local communities where PNC has a significant presence.

Nonprofit and humanitarian organizations working on health, education, and disaster relief for marginalized communities in Colorado and worldwide can access funding through Semnani Family Foundation. Grants support services such as healthcare access, child welfare, domestic violence response, literacy, and humanitarian aid, and may benefit social justice and human rights efforts serving vulnerable populations.

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust Grant supports charitable, scientific, medical, and educational organizations that are 501(c)(3) certified. This private funder emphasizes impactful service to diverse populations without discrimination. Grants must be utilized within the United States and cannot be awarded to individuals, political candidates, or lobbying efforts. The Trust is dedicated to enhancing the general welfare through soundly-managed initiatives that contribute significantly to community needs.

Robinson Foundation provides Colorado social justice and human rights nonprofits with single-year project funding for programs serving people in need. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) public charities active for more than three years and serving communities in the Southern U.S. below the Mason-Dixon line, working in areas like poverty relief, disaster aid, education, health, and family services.

Nonprofit organizations advancing social justice, legal services, reentry, or juvenile justice in Colorado can seek funding to promote fairness in the justice system and reduce recidivism. The Indigo Oak Fund, part of the Andrus Family Foundation, also supports civic engagement and education for future attorneys and social justice advocates, with some consideration for work beyond Colorado and the Bay Area.

The TJX Foundation Grants support nonprofit organizations located within 15 miles of a TJX store that align with their community mission. Eligible areas include basic needs, education for at-risk youth, workforce training, and safety from domestic violence. Organizations must be a registered 501(c)(3) for at least 12 months and have a nondiscrimination policy. Applications are invited through a Letter of Inquiry, with funding decisions based on community impact.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2000, dedicated to granting funds for environmental and human services causes. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public schools, with grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. The foundation supports unrestricted grants for various projects, including disaster relief and environmental programs, but does not fund individuals or for-profit entities. Applications are evaluated based on alignment with the foundation's priorities.

Nonprofit organizations in Colorado seeking program or project support can apply for US $1,000 - US $20,000 to advance community-serving work. With a mission to strengthen diverse community programs, Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation provides U.S. nonprofits with funding for cultural institutions, education, youth and senior services, disability programs, environmental and wildlife efforts, and other community-based initiatives that may include social justice or human rights components.

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits working on basic needs, community development, cultural enrichment, or volunteer-driven programs can apply for Ameriprise Financial’s Community Grants to support their services. Organizations in Colorado may be eligible if they serve local clients, demonstrate measurable outcomes and financial stability, and, ideally, engage Ameriprise employees or advisors as volunteers.

The Nordstrom Community Grant focuses on supporting youth and families by providing over $1 million in grants annually. It aims to assist grassroots organizations that address essential community needs such as food, shelter, and clothing, as well as creating opportunities for economic mobility through mentorship and workforce development. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits located in areas where Nordstrom operates. Applications are encouraged for those meeting these criteria.

Focused on job creation and entrepreneurship, Kenneth King Foundation invites Colorado 501(c)(3) organizations to seek funding for workforce development, job training, and small business growth. Grants of US $5,000 - US $20,000 support programs improving earning potential and quality of life for low-income and underrepresented communities, which may advance social justice outcomes.

Colorado 501(c)(3) organizations improving residents’ earning potential and quality of life can apply for Kenneth King Foundation’s Removing Barriers to Employment Grant, with awards of US $5,000 - US $20,000. Funding supports workforce development, adult education, financial literacy, supportive housing, childcare, transportation, and other wraparound services that help low-income and marginalized people secure living-wage jobs.

Colorado primary care safety net clinics, school-based health centers, rural health clinics, and local public health agencies can seek funding to expand equitable sexual and reproductive health services for marginalized communities. Focused on reproductive rights and health care access, Caring for Colorado Foundation supports community-led solutions, contraceptive access, and advocacy that advance social justice and bodily autonomy.

Focused on collaborative community impact, Mutual of America Foundation invites U.S. nonprofit organizations, including those in Colorado, to apply for its Community Partnership Award. Funding recognizes exemplary cross-sector partnerships that measurably improve lives, address significant social issues, and can be replicated or scaled, which may benefit nonprofits advancing social justice and human rights initiatives.

Nonprofit organizations in Colorado with 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor can seek US $1,000 - US $4,000 for education, basic needs, financial stability, emerging Latino/a leaders, and social justice projects. Grants from The Denver Foundation’s LatinasGive! Fund prioritize culturally rooted efforts that uplift Latino and Latina communities and respond to community needs.

The Wolcott Family Foundation provides Colorado social justice and environmental nonprofits with small grants of US $1,000 - US $5,000 for general operating or project support. 501(c)(3) organizations with budgets under $350,000 that empower communities, advance civil rights, or address ecological and poverty-related issues may be especially competitive.

Colorado organizations, artists, schools, and agencies using arts to address social justice or community issues can access funding through RedLine Contemporary Art Center’s Arts in Society program, with awards from US $5,000 - US $35,000. Grants support cross-sector, community-engaged art projects plus learning community meetings, evaluation tools, mini-documentaries, and marketing support.

Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofits advancing social change, civil rights, and environmental stewardship can seek one-year grants of US $1,000 - US $5,000 for general operating or project support. With a mission to back grassroots efforts, the Wolcott Family Foundation prioritizes small-budget groups empowering communities, addressing poverty, and tackling urgent ecological and social justice issues.

Colorado nonprofits improving community health and health equity for vulnerable or underserved residents can seek project-based funding through CommonSpirit Health’s Community Health Improvement Grants. Grants support 501(c)(3) collaborations addressing significant needs identified in hospital community health needs assessments, and may benefit organizations advancing social justice and human rights in local health systems.

Colorado nonprofits, community-based organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, and Sovereign Tribal Nations can seek support for social justice and health equity projects serving underrepresented communities near CommonSpirit facilities. CommonSpirit Health supports efforts addressing social determinants of health, including mental health, substance use, access to care, and food security, with a focus on community participation and capacity building.