Search Through Health and Wellness Grants for Nonprofits in Colorado in the U.S.

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Overview

The Daniels Fund provides grants to support highly effective nonprofit organizations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through the Daniels Fund Grants Program.

Bill Daniels helped a tremendous number of people during his lifetime, and continues to do so in extraordinary ways through the foundation he established. The Daniels Fund honors Bill’s direction and carries forward his legacy of generosity. We strive to be compassionate, approachable, and responsive. 

The Daniels Fund focuses on supporting highly effective and ethical nonprofit organizations that achieve significant results in the community. The geographic regions we serve, as well as our grant funding areas, were personally defined by our founder, and they do not change.

Funding Areas

These funding areas were established by our founder and they do not change:

Aging

Bill helped to fulfill his mother's wish to remain in her own home and maintain her independence as she aged. In his later years, Bill gained additional insight from his own personal experiences.

• Older adults achieve maximum independence and quality of life.

• In-Home Services:
• Seniors receive the services they need to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. Respite care and navigator services are readily available to support family members caring for their elderly loved ones.
• Community Engagement:
• Seniors enjoy the benefits of remaining physically and mentally active, and participate in meaningful activities that contribute to their sense of purpose.
• End-of-Life/Palliative Care
• Seniors nearing the end of their lives have access to high quality, compassionate hospice and palliative care.

Amateur Sports

Bill loved sports and knew from personal experience that participation in sports and the influence of quality coaches could change the direction of a young person's life for the better.

Youth experience the benefits of participating in sports programs. Elite amateur athletes have the opportunity to participate in national and international competition.

• Youth Sports
• Affordable, community-based, multi-sport activities are available for youth, led by coaches trained to build a positive youth sports culture that promotes confidence, discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
• Competition
• National and international amateur sports competitions take place in the community. The costs of participation in national or international competitions — such as training and travel expenses — are offset for elite athletes.

Disabilities

One of Bill's sisters was born with developmental disabilities. Bill observed how his parents' choice to provide compassionate care at home enhanced his sister's health and happiness. Later in life, he suffered from his own disability — severe hearing loss.

People with disabilities achieve dignity through maximum independence and quality of life.

Drug & Alcohol Addiction

Bill suffered from alcoholism and embraced sobriety after seeking treatment. He talked openly about his ongoing recovery as a way to educate and provide hope to others. Bill personally helped countless friends and business associates seek treatment and regain control of their lives.

Adults and youth with drug and alcohol addiction challenges achieve and maintain stability.

• Prevention (Emphasis on Youth)
• The risks and repercussions associated with drug and alcohol addiction are effectively conveyed to young people, resulting in positive behavioral and perceptional changes.
• Treatment & After-Care Services (Recovery)
• Individuals maintain long-term sobriety by having access to high quality treatment programs and supportive after-care services.

Early Childhood Education

Bill saw the need for healthy, safe, and nurturing early childhood experiences in the home and beyond. He wanted to ensure early childhood education started children on a path to success.

Kindergarten readiness is ensured through an improved early childhood system.

• Teacher/Leadership Quality
• Teachers, leaders, and caregivers receive the essential training and support that ensures children in their care are well-prepared for kindergarten.
• Program Quality
• System-level investments improve curriculum, materials, and resources across multiple learning sites.
• Parental Engagement
• Parents and other caregivers are empowered to become "first teachers" by gaining awareness of important developmental milestones and knowledge of effective strategies to ensure children reach them.

Homeless & Disadvantaged

Bill's great compassion for people struggling to meet basic human needs fueled his desire to help them get back on their feet. He wanted to offer disadvantaged individuals and families a hand-up and spark their motivation to reenter the workforce.

Homeless individuals and families achieve and maintain self-sufficiency without the need for public assistance.

• Transitional Housing & Supportive Services
• Individuals and families who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless break the cycle of poverty and attain economic self-sufficiency by receiving access to transitional housing, comprehensive supportive services, and employment opportunities.
• Emergency Services*
• Individuals and families experiencing the initial stages of homelessness move from crisis toward economic self-sufficiency by receiving overnight shelter and food assistance in a structured manner that encourages both accountability and participation in case management.

* Our investment in this area is limited

K-12 Education Reform

Our Strategy: Support innovative efforts to reform the K-12 education system, resulting in a wider range of high quality school choices and increased student achievement.

Desired Outcomes:

• Reform/School Choice
• Achieve systemic education reform by supporting high-performing charter schools and tuition assistance programs (portable vouchers) that broaden quality educational options for families. Competition prompts challenges to the status quo.
• Teacher/Leadership Quality*
• Teachers and school leaders receive innovative training and support to maximize student achievement.
• Parental Engagement
• Parents are better educated in the areas of school quality and choice, and understand how to be effective advocates for their children.

* Emphasis is on charter schools

Youth Development

Bill supported character-building programs that help youth become confident, patriotic, and independent. He wanted kids to develop personal accountability and responsibility. He also wanted them to understand the value of money, the free enterprise system, and that success is earned through hard work.

Youth develop character and gain the necessary life skills to become successful adults.

• Career & Technical Education
• All youth — whether planning to earn a college degree or not — develop clear pathways to meaningful employment through opportunities for career exploration, job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships.
• Civic Engagement
• Youth actively contribute to bettering their communities as engaged, informed citizens with strong American values.
• Financial Literacy & Free Enterprise
• Youth become active participants in the free enterprise system by developing a strong understanding of economics, business, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.

We Would be Delighted to Visit with You

The Daniels Fund grants team spends time visiting the communities we serve to get to know area nonprofits, learn about effective programs and projects, and understand how needs vary from place to place.

We continually look for opportunities to support excellent programs that align with our funding priorities. We look forward to speaking with you.

Our State-Specific Grantmaking Approach

The Daniels Fund has tailored its grantmaking strategies and objectives for Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming to address specific needs in each state.

National Grant Funding

The Daniels Fund supports select programs with a nationwide focus by invitation only. We do not provide funding for regional, local, or community-based programs outside our four-state region.

Due to our focused strategy, we do not accept unsolicited national grant applications.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

Mission

Driven by a philanthropic calling to support marginalized communities throughout the world, the Semnani Family Foundation partners with on-the-ground organizations and leverages its resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner that delivers the maximum benefit.

History

Guided by his grandmother Maliheh’s example and teachings, Khosrow Semnani and his wife Ghazaleh established the Semnani Family Foundation in 1993. The foundation’s first grant was issued through CARE International to an orphanage in Romania that cared for newborns affected by HIV. Over the last few decades, the foundation has continued to build upon its mission to empower the disaffected, partnering with a variety of organizations in different countries who can make the greatest impact.

In addition to its global influence, the Semnani Family Foundation established roots within the state of Utah with the founding of Maliheh Free Clinic in 2005 to provide free healthcare to thousands of uninsured people in the Salt Lake City area.

Where We Work

The Semnani Family Foundation focuses primarily on promoting health, education, and disaster relief for marginalized communities all around the world. Driven by a clear mission to adapt and serve at the global level, we have leveraged our resources to make a meaningful impact in the following countries so far:

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia
• Colombia
• England
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• India
• Iran
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Romania
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Uganda
• United States
• Yemen

At the heart of the Foundation lies a fervent commitment to human welfare, always prioritizing health and the needs of society’s most vulnerable.

What is the Arts in Society Grant?

Arts in Society is a collaborative grant-making program that fosters cross-sector work through the arts by supporting the integration of arts and culture into multiple disciplines critical to the health and well-being of Coloradans.

Administered by RedLine Contemporary Art Center and funded through a cohort of Colorado foundations and government agencies, the program provides grants to individuals and organizations seeking to implement projects that utilize the arts as an integral element in promoting social justice and community welfare. 

The program supports projects that engage a wide range of issues and media. 

Whether it be a dancer working within a hospital system to bring awareness to nurse burnout and compassion fatigue, a coalition of community organizations using art to engage neighbors in participatory budgeting, or The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment working with artists to communicate the priorities of its public health improvement plan, the Arts in Society grant program funds projects that engage arts organizations and artists as partners in illuminating and finding solutions to a wide array of civic and social challenges faced by Colorado communities.

Grants are determined by a selection panel, which seeks projects that best illustrate artistic excellence, broaden the understanding of the role arts play in society, demonstrate cross-sector work, exhibit cultural relevancy, foster community engagement, and present opportunities for shared learning. . 

In addition to receiving financial support, Arts in Society grantees participate in a learning community program through which they share expertise and learn with like-minded practitioners from across the state.

About Arts in Society Support

Arts in Society provides both financial and organizational support. In addition to receiving project funding, Arts in Society grantees benefit from the following resources:

Learning Community Meetings

Arts in Society grantees participate in a learning community program through which they meet three times with their annual cohort of grantees throughout the first year following funding. Through these meetings they share resources and learnings, and build a coalition of support.

Evaluation Support

Through a collaboration with University of Colorado Denver's School of Arts and Media, Arts in Society grantees are provided an evaluation toolkit to aid in collecting program feedback and data.

Mini-Documentaries

All Arts in Society grantees will get assistance in filming a 2-minute documentary so that they can share their work with the world.

Marketing and Communications

Grantees receive marketing and communications support through various Arts in Society marketing channels, including the Arts in Society Facebook page, Instagram, and by contributing blog posts to the Arts in Society blog. 

The Denver Foundation

Our Mission

We inspire people and mobilize resources to strengthen our community.

Our Vision

A Metro Denver that is racially equitable in its leadership, prosperity, and culture.

Our Purpose

To achieve our vision, we will be a proactive, collaborative, and resolute leader in reducing racial disparities.

Latinos Impacting our Future Together (L.I.F.T.) Fund

The Denver Foundation is pleased to invite qualified organizations to apply for funding for the L.I.F.T. Fund. Our giving circle will support work that meets one or all of the following: 

• Latino/male Empowerment
• Latino Advocacy and Justice
• Meeting basic needs of the Latino community
• Latino Health and Wellness
• Educational Supports/Services for Latinos
• Latino Arts and Culture

White Rose Foundation Community Grant

The White Rose Foundation is the fiscal sponsor for the Denver (CO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a volunteer-powered organization of Black women who have served Denver’s Black community for over 70 years. The purpose of the White Rose Foundation is to promote, encourage, assist, and engage in any and all kinds of charitable work to improve the educational, social, and economic welfare of people of color and other disadvantaged persons.  The organization is especially focused on transformational programs that reduce educational inequality, increase access to social determinants such as food, housing, transportation, and leadership development for Black women, teens and girls.   

Priority Areas

• Arts
• Services To Youth
• National Trends and Services
• International Trends and Services, 
• Health and Human Services

Additional Information

• In the area of education, the White Rose Foundation is responsive to the task of strengthening education at the primary and secondary school levels, with consideration given to selected higher education initiatives. Services include college scholarships for cross-cultural community interaction and philanthropic support of Black youth in the State of Colorado.
• In the area of health and welfare, activities that promote a healthy heart, women’s wellness, tissue donor awareness, and mental health are given priority.
• We support activities that promote equal opportunity, equity, diversity, advancement, and recognition for the Black community.
• We will continue to support a wide range of worthy activities, including matching challenge funds in collaboration with other educational, civic, or cultural organizations encompassing national and international trends and the arts.
• To assist with our learning and evaluation, please select your organization’s primary service area.
  • Along with our priority areas, you will have the option to select “other.” and write in your primary service area. Your grant application will be evaluated according to fit with the guidelines and the goals of the White Rose Foundation.

Saint John’s Cathedral makes grants to organizations to further the mission and ministry of the cathedral. The vestry has charged the Grants Committee to review grant applications and to make grants.

Purpose of Grants

Grants are made to organizations or projects to address one or more issues raised by the priorities set by the cathedral’s Faith in Action Commission. This year Saint John’s Cathedral will consider grant applications from Colorado’s nonprofit organizations that address:

• Mental health, homelessness, and housing
• Food insecurity and hunger
• The needs of and advocacy for immigrants and refugees
• Criminal justice reform, as well as services provided to the incarcerated or recently incarcerated

In addition to the areas noted above applications from organizations that focus on social, economic and racial justice efforts may also be considered. The priorities may change from year to year.

Funding

Recent grants have ranged between $1,000 and $10,000.

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Vision

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation, "A Foundation for All", was established in 2002. It was begun in order to give a clear voice for those who wish to be a part of the many, worthy, forces for change in our world.

We are a foundation whose purpose is to look ahead towards the future, giving the past its due by remembering where we came from, and how much we can all accomplish together. We aim to make the critical difference on our planet by recognizing and having respect for our ever changing world. We respect all Life, the Environment, and all People, no matter who they are.

About

The Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation was started by Melvin and Elaine Wolf in 1979 and is now joyfully run by Melvin and Elaine's daughter, Sandy Wolf and granddaughters Ashly Wolf and Kelly Ann Hodges. The family continues to contribute to the community based on the goals and guidelines set forth by Melvin and Elaine in order to continue the legacy of giving to the community for future generations to come.

Mission

The Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation began in Colorado and supports the state through funding commitments to its non-profit community. The The Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation is grounded in the belief that with the privilege of being part of a community comes the responsibility and pleasure of giving back. The Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation gives back to Colorado by providing funds to non-profit organizations whose programs address children's health and education access as well as programs that improve adult health and reduce suffering through education and technology.  

Rooted in Education

The Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation is rooted in the belief that opening children to the possibilities of wonder, enjoyment and enlightenment through learning and observation allows them to live more productively. This is reflected in the Foundation's funding support of organizations and projects that involve the whole child, particularly in art and education experiences.  

Advancing Quality of Life

Through its grant support, The Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation also seeks to provide adults with the opportunity to move beyond their environment by funding programs that include health, medical, housing, shelter, food and arts in the community.  

Caring For Colorado Grant Program: Youth Health and Well-Being

Priority: Youth Health and Well-Being

We’re working to advance health and well-being for young people, ages 9 to 25, in Colorado who experience health inequities due to economic injustice, racism, and discrimination through strategic investments designed to support young people, strengthen families, and build youth-centered communities.

Our Approach

Guided by local youth and community insight, and informed by the science of adolescent development, we believe that young people will experience greater health and well-being if they:

• Develop a strong sense of belonging, identity, purpose, and agency
• Experience secure and supportive relationships with their parents and caregivers
• Have equitable access to services, spaces, and systems that are youth-centered, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed

To advance youth health and well-being, Caring for Colorado will invest $6 million in the upcoming year through our Youth Health and Well-Being Funding Priority in three focus areas:

• Supporting Young People
• Strengthening Families
• Building Youth-Centered Communities

The Youth Health and Well-Being funding priority is designed to be flexible, leverage local community assets, and support grantee partners as they work to improve conditions for young people and their families. To understand how grant decisions are made, see our Guiding Principles.

We believe that investments in these focus areas have the power to yield a triple benefit: increased health and well-being for young people today, into adulthood, and for the next generation.

Funding

• Supporting Young People and Strengthening Families Focus Areas: The annual grant range for this focus area is $50,000-$125,000. We will also consider multi-year requests, for up to 36 months.
• Building Youth-Centered Communities: The annual grant range for this focus area is $25,000-$100,000. We expect the majority of grants in this focus area to have a term of 12 months.

Grant size depends on several factors, including but not limited to, the scale and scope of the proposal, other sources of funding available to support the work, and our available budget.

The Denver Broncos Foundation is committed to making a positive impact on future generations by creating a "game plan" for life through youth health and wellness initiatives, dynamic in and out of school programming and access to career pathways. The Denver Broncos Community Grant Program was created to offer Colorado-based nonprofits and organizations the ability to request necessary funding (up to $10,000) for youth-serving community projects and programs. 

Application Requirements

Colorado-based nonprofit organizations may apply for a Denver Broncos Community Grant (up to $10,000) for youth-serving community projects and programs in the state of Colorado.

Youth Heath & Wellness

Meeting basic physiological needs of children in order for them to thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Youth & High School Football

Improving youth and high school football through programs, clinics and camps that focus on character, player safety, team development and the benefits of football.

Dynamic In & Out of School Programming

Preparing youth to achieve their full potential through activities and experiences to develop academic, developmental, and social competencies.

Access to Career Pathways

Building educational and economic opportunities for an enriching life of self-sufficiency after high school.

Successfully leading a nonprofit in today’s world takes endless dedication and time. Yet, nonprofit leaders are often so committed to their missions that spending time away to re-energize can be an afterthought. The Nonprofit Sabbatical Program aims to recognize and reward long-term and respected nonprofit leaders in Colorado and strengthen the organizations they lead by offering funds for interim leadership and staff capacity building. The program offers nonprofit executives the opportunity to step away from professional responsibilities and take time for themselves for rejuvenation. Ideally, the executive returns to their professional life with new ideas and a fresh sense of commitment to their work, the nonprofit sector as well as the health and health equity of all Coloradans.

Our three cornerstones are “must-haves” in all we do and guide us on our path to addressing the deepest, most historically entrenched inequities. We expect our partners to prioritize these cornerstones in their work alongside us. This commitment necessitates that we prioritize a diverse cohort of grantees whose work and values are in alignment with our cornerstones and who represent a range of identities including race/ethnicity, gender identity, ability/disability identity, sexual orientation as well as geographic area.Up to five sabbaticals will be awarded annually. Each sabbatical must be taken within 18 months of the receipt of the award.

The sabbatical award is made in the form of a grant – up to $100,000 – for charitable support to a Colorado-based nonprofit organization and includes:

• Grantee executive to take three-to-four month hiatus for activities of their choice to reflect, rest and rejuvenate:
• Up to $20,000 for sabbatical activities (e.g., professional development; travel; personal activities)
• Between $25,000-$55,000 subsidy for salary and benefits (dependent on current salary)
• Grantee interim leadership needs (individual or a team):
• Up to $10,000 to support interim leadership needs while grantee is away on sabbatical.
• Grantee staff capacity building needs
• Up to $15,000 to be used during the sabbatical period or up to two years after receipt of the award
• Organizations will need to demonstrate how staff have been involved in determining use of these funds to ensure that they are used for employee-directed needs

Our Approach

With optimism and dedication, we work to improve the lives of children and families in Colorado through collaboration, partnership, shared knowledge and grantmaking. We take a long-term view of our work as we seek to address root causes, promote prevention, improve systems and advance policy change.

Focus Areas

Caring for Colorado’s vision is that Colorado’s children and families are happy, healthy and thriving and our purpose is creating equity in health, well-being and opportunity for Colorado’s children and families. Given this, we focus our grantmaking in four primary areas. 

Healthy Beginnings

We believe infants, young children and their caregivers need and deserve equitable access to supportive resources that nurture healthy development.

We want Colorado’s children to have healthy beginnings — brain development is most rapid in the first three years of life and early experiences and relationships have significant impact on health and well-being.

Healthy Youth

We believe promoting youth-friendly services, centering youth voice and addressing systemic inequities are foundational to the healthy development of youth.

Adolescence is a time of significant brain, body and emotional growth. The changes in brain structure and connectivity that occur between the ages of 10 and 25 present important opportunities for positive, life-shaping development, and for recovering from past adversity.

Strong & Resilient Families

We believe all families need support and deserve equitable access to resources that nurture development, behavioral health, stability and healthy relationships.

Families need support to provide stable and responsive environments for children to grow. Children deserve to have safe and happy experiences throughout their childhood and adolescence and to grow up to have full adult lives.

Program Summary

The Veterans Assistance Grant (VAG) was established by the State General Assembly to provide services that enhance the health and well-being of veterans who live in Colorado. Formerly known as the One Year Grant, the VAG is funded through appropriations by the General Assembly. 

In 2014, the grant program was established in the Colorado Statute, Section 28-5-712, C.R.S. to provide ongoing funding for the Veterans Assistance Grant Program through annual appropriations. These funds are to be used for services that increase over-all well-being, such as mental health services, family counseling, job training, employment, housing for homeless veterans and other types of assistance. 

Purpose and Scope

The overarching goal of the Veterans Assistance Grant is to support organizations in meeting community defined needs of veterans, ultimately resulting in improved health and well-being for veterans in the State of Colorado. 

The scope of program services includes direct assistance to veterans to address unmet needs. The expected outcomes include enhanced self-sufficiency and economic stability, increased access to healthcare, stable housing and supportive services, increased food security, enhanced relationships and overall well-being.

Supporting Historic Sacred Places

A program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Fund for Sacred Places provides financial and technical support for community-serving historic houses of worship across America.

What We Offer

The National Fund for Sacred Places provides matching grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to congregations undertaking significant capital projects at historic houses of worship, along with wraparound services including training, technical assistance, and planning support.

What We’re Looking For

The National Fund for Sacred Places assesses applicant eligibility according to the core criteria shown below, while also striving to build a diverse participant pool that reflects a broad range of geographic, cultural, and religious identities.

Historic, Cultural, or Architectural Significance

We are looking for buildings that have historic, cultural, or architectural significance—and sites that have important and relevant stories to tell. Many of our participants are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the state register, or the local register. Your building does not have to be on one of these lists, but eligibility for one or more of these lists is a good benchmark for National Fund eligibility.

As part of the National Trust’s commitment to telling the full American story, we particularly encourage congregations to apply that illuminate a unique or overlooked aspect of American history and that expand our understanding of our shared national heritage. We encourage submissions related to historic sacred places of importance to historically and contemporaneously underrepresented communities including, but not limited to, women, immigrants, Asian Americans, Black Americans, Latinx Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQIA communities.

Successful applicants are able to demonstrate their place in history by answering questions such as:

• Does the building tell a story relevant to our history—either cultural or religious?
• Does the history highlight previously underrecognized communities, stories, or locations?
• How has the building served the community over time? Does the building have a great physical presence in its community due to its location or programming?
• Is the building the work of a notable architect? If so, is it a high-quality example of their body of work?
• Is the building an exceptional example of its architectural style or building technology?
• Does the building embody the congregation’s resilience over time?

Community-Serving Congregations

We are looking for congregations that are engaged in their communities and that are serving others. Engaged congregations operate and host programming that serves vulnerable, at-risk, and diverse populations; share space with non-affiliated groups and organizations (often at subsidized rates); work with other congregations, faith-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and/or municipalities; and have a widespread reputation for being a welcoming center of community life.

Project Scope and Need

We fund historic preservation projects addressing urgent repair needs and/or life safety. We also fund projects that increase congregations’ ability to open their buildings to new populations or to serve greater numbers of people. All projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, which is a universally accepted framework for doing work to older and historic properties.

We prioritize congregations/projects where there is a demonstrated need (meaning that the congregation cannot raise the funds alone) or where it is clear that our grant will have a catalytic effect (meaning that our grant is likely to lead to additional monies being contributed to the project).

Readiness

Once-in-a-generation capital projects require a great deal of planning. We are looking for applicants that understand their buildings’ needs and that are ready to undertake a capital campaign. National Fund congregations typically have a history of successful capital campaigns, which demonstrate an ability to raise significant funds and complete a project.

Successful congregations come to us with a realistic fundraising goal, which has been generated with the help of qualified preservation professionals and is not too far beyond the congregation’s fundraising capacity.

Healthy Congregations

The National Fund prioritizes healthy, stable congregations so that our investment is truly impactful and lasting. We look for the following, although this is not an exhaustive list of characteristics that indicate healthy congregations: tenured, well-respected clergy; capable lay leadership; stable or growing membership; financial strength and stability; support of the judicatory or governing body, if applicable; and a history of weathering any congregational conflict or trauma with resilience.

The CDA believes in giving back to the community through its charitable efforts. That’s possible because of the CDA Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, that supports the CDA’s access-to-care agenda and Dental Health Matters efforts to increase discussions about oral health and the dental profession in Colorado communities and advocate for smart improvements that increase access to dental care.

The CDA Foundation gives priority to proposals that show the following:

• There is a documented need for the proposed project. Through research, statistics, surveys, etc., there is a community need for the activity seeking funding.
• A Colorado underserved population is the focus of the proposed project. An underserved population is defined as a group of individuals who have no, or inadequate, access to health services due to limited financial resources, lack of health insurance, geographic isolation, or language/cultural barriers.
• The applicant has a proven track record of working with the target population. Individuals and organizations must be experienced, reliable and competent to successfully carry out the proposed project. If seeking funding for an existing program, it is very important to describe the program’s past results and why additional financing support is needed now.
• The results of the project will last beyond the grant term. The project must create a lasting or sustainable change in individuals or the community. For example, a new piece of dental equipment at a clinic would benefit numerous individuals for several years, as well as help the efficiency of the clinic. In contrast, asking for funding to pay dental bills of low-income, uninsured individuals will not create a long-lasting change that benefits a large population.

Land, facilities, and civic infrastructure are long-term assets that can transform the ability of nonprofit and community organizations to serve Colorado communities. For this reason, the Gates Family Foundation invests in capital projects across the state, in both rural and urban areas. We strive to be responsive to each community’s unique needs and opportunities.

Our capital grants are generally limited to comprehensive capital campaigns, which are typically for building purchases, construction, expansion, renovation, and/or land acquisition. Only nonprofit organizations with capital projects that benefit Colorado and its residents are qualified to apply. When making funding decisions, we prioritize:

• Projects that address root problems with substantive solutions
• Projects with strong evidence of support from the community and the organization’s board
• Projects in rural and low-income areas across Colorado where there are fewer individuals and institutions providing support for capital projects
• Projects that serve individuals and communities of color who have faced historic inequities and lack of access to funding
• Projects that reinforce the foundation’s strategic priorities in K-12 public education, natural resources, community development, and informed communities
• Projects that address climate change, and/or incorporate green building and sustainable development practices

Priority Funding Areas

We fund capital projects within five categories that overlap somewhat with the Foundation’s strategic priorities, but are broader in scope in order to be more responsive to community needs.

Arts & Culture

The Foundation supports cultural organizations that:

• enhance the quality of community life while also strengthening the economy
• link a community with its heritage and contribute to usable community infrastructure
• serve as an educational resource for children, youth, and adults.

Funding examples in this area are:

• libraries & museums
• community theaters
• performing arts organizations
• historic preservation that contributes to community revitalization

Education

The Foundation supports major capital projects for:

• charter schools that serve a substantial proportion of low-income students (generally, at least 50% of the student body will qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch), have demonstrated high academic achievement, and are utilizing a sustainable financial model
• public schools in rural areas that have planned capital improvements which are heavily used by the community, and that reinforce the long-term viability of the area
• licensed early childhood education centers with particular, but not exclusive, interest in rural areas of the state to assure readiness for elementary school and to strengthen rural economies
• organizations that provide life-long learning and experiential learning to a broad audience
• independent school and public and private university capital campaigns on a highly selective basis

Funding examples in this area:

• participation in the matching requirement for a charter school receiving a BEST grant
• rural school improving its auditorium or athletic field for school and community use
• rural community establishing an early childhood education center to fill an unmet need
• early childhood education center making significant facility improvements in order to advance the quality of care for the children served
• facility improvements for an organization that provides adult GED, literacy, or vocational training
• on a highly selective basis, support for public and private universities with campaigns to improve their science, technology, library, and engineering related facilities

Well-being of Children, Youth & Families

The Foundation supports organizations that encourage individuals to:

• develop greater self-sufficiency, including the well-being and independence of disadvantaged families and the elderly
• increase leadership and life skills
• maintain good health and well-being rather than cure disease

Funding examples in this area:

• human service organizations promoting self-sufficiency
• community and senior centers
• family resource centers
• youth mentoring organizations
• nonprofit dental clinics
• residential treatment centers for youth
• transitional housing facilities
• job training
• rural health centers (non-FQHC)

Parks & Recreation

The Foundation supports capital projects that:

• invest in land and water protection that safeguards important natural resources, habitat, and the health of natural systems
• help preserve the state’s ranching and agricultural legacy and encourage smart land use patterns
• construct and improve urban and mountain parks and open space for public recreation and access
• maintain the state’s urban and mountain trail systems
• provide recreation, environmental education and leadership opportunities for young people
• encourage the spirit of scientific inquiry as well as the preservation of natural habitat

Funding examples in this area:

• land conservation and easement purchases
• greenways and trail systems
• outdoor/indoor recreation facilities
• urban public spaces and community gardens

Community Development & Revitalization

The Foundation invests in projects that:

• have the potential to reinforce and enhance the economic vitality of a community
• involve partnerships between public and private sector organizations that seek to improve the economic and cultural health of communities

Funding examples in this area:

• restoration of historically significant architecture that contributes to community revitalization
• development of rural main streets as a means of promoting community revitalization
• heritage tourism as a means of promoting economic health for rural areas
• public-private partnerships for economic development

Community Ties Giving Program

As part of the Community Ties Giving Program, Local Grants help us achieve our mission by providing small and medium-sized grants within our priority cause areas to local organizations spread widely across Union Pacific's footprint.

Funding Priorities & Objectives

Throughout its existence, the success of Union Pacific's business has been inextricably linked to the economic and community wellbeing of cities and towns across the nation. We take pride in the role we have played in helping communities thrive and believe the impact we can have on local communities is greatest when it is authentic to our history and reflective of the diverse company we are today.

As such, we have carefully aligned our Local Grants cause areas to our company's unique heritage, strengths, and assets. Specifically, we prioritize funding for direct services and efforts that build the capacity of organizations focused on the following causes within our local operating communities. Within each focus area, we aim to support programs and organizations working to advance the diversity, equity and inclusion of underrepresented populations within the local context and issue areas addressed. Find more information about our commitment to DEI in our FAQs.

Safety

In order for communities to thrive, all residents must feel safe. Just as the safety of our employees and community members is paramount to how we operate, Union Pacific is committed to helping communities prevent and prepare for incidents and emergencies, and helping residents get home safely at the end of each day. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to: 

• Encourage safe behaviors and prevent incidents through education and awareness, particularly projects which focus on rail, driver, bike, and pedestrian safety, and ensure outreach efforts reach underserved populations.
• Eliminate risks and improve safe and equitable access to community spaces through infrastructure improvements, such as signage, proper lighting, and public trail improvements.
• Prepare and equip residents and emergency responders* to effectively respond to incidents and emergencies if or when they occur.
  • *Union Pacific supports publicly funded emergency responders through a variety of corporate programs; only independent nonprofit, 501(c)(3) emergency response organizations, such as volunteer departments, are eligible for funding through this grant program
• Prevent crime and violent incidents and support survivors of domestic violence through efforts that address the root causes of these issues and seek to mitigate their occurrence.
• Build the capacity of safety-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Workforce Development

For more than 160 years, Union Pacific has helped stimulate economic growth in cities and towns throughout the nation by training and providing employment to millions of workers. More than ever, we are committed to helping underrepresented residents in our communities achieve family-supporting careers like those offered by Union Pacific. As such, we prioritize funding for programs that seek to:

• Put youth on the right track by creating awareness of and pathways toward employment opportunities; building foundational skills, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); establishing necessary technical skills and life skills; and providing mentorship and positive role models for the future.
• Raise awareness of, educate and prepare young adults for middle skills jobs like those Union Pacific offers, for instance through community colleges, vocational and career training programs, workforce readiness initiatives, and programs that assist with job placement and/or on-the-job experience.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas relevant to Union Pacific operations such as welding, electrical work, machine operations, and civil and electrical engineering are given priority.
• "Up-skill" the existing workforce by providing training and resources that enable them to reach the next level of their career.
  • Programs that develop proficiency in areas of relevance to Union Pacific operations are given priority.
• Resolve barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, acquiring necessary equipment for work, and second chance employment programs.
• Build the capacity of workforce development-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Community Vitality

Union Pacific Railroad is committed to establishing vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities for employees, customers and residents to work, visit and call home. Just as the railroad opened avenues for economic development and opportunity more than 160 years ago, we maintain this tradition by cultivating unique cultural and recreational experiences and equipping community members with opportunities to live healthy, vital lives. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Create, sustain or expand artistic and cultural experiences offered to a broad and diverse audience (e.g., museums, theaters, zoos, cultural and local heritage, visual and performing arts, etc.)
• Provide recreational opportunities that foster wellbeing, enrichment and/or an appreciation for our natural environment (e.g., parks, libraries, senior centers, recreation centers, learning centers, etc.).
• Revive neighborhoods and main street areas, especially in historically underinvested neighborhoods, to improve livability, promote commerce and attract more residents, businesses and visitors to town.
• Ensure residents’ basic needs are met and barriers are overcome (e.g., safe shelter and homelessness prevention, hunger relief, mental health and community health needs, etc.).
• Offer youth development and educational opportunities to ensure young people can thrive into healthy and productive community members (e.g., mentoring, leadership development, tutoring, services for youth in foster care, etc.).
• Build the capacity of community vitality-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience. 

Environmental Sustainability

The future of our business, communities and planet depends on bold, collective action to reduce and slow the impacts of climate change while building a more sustainable economy for the next generation. Union Pacific is taking deliberate steps to reduce our environmental impact and helping our partners improve their own. Extending this commitment to our community investments, we seek to support leading environmental nonprofits and community-based organizations to advance the health of our environment. As such, we prioritize funding for projects and programs that seek to:

• Preserve and restore nature, including programs focused on natural habitats, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
• Protect and enhance water, soil and air quality through innovative and proactive solutions such as water conservation, carbon sequestration and emission reduction programs.
• Reduce waste through initiatives focused on promoting recycling and circularity throughout the community, including recycling and composting programs and other efforts that reduce waste.
• Develop environmental stewards through youth programs focused on fostering environmental appreciation, responsibility, and leadership.
• Advance a sustainable economy by helping communities accelerate their transition to environmental jobs and renewable energy, as well as helping nonprofits and small businesses build their own capacity to operate more sustainably.
• Promote environmental justice through initiatives that ensure access to clean air, water, and land and protect underserved populations from disproportionate and adverse environmental effects.
• Build the capacity of sustainability-focused organizations to integrate practices that improve upon the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. This can take the form of internal capacity building or the creation/expansion of culturally relevant programming and services that seek to impact a broad and diverse audience.

Who We Are

For 100 years, The Denver Foundation has been building a stronger, thriving Metro Denver, Colorado, and beyond. We’ve received $2.1 billion from generous donors and given $1.6 billion in grants to support community initiatives. We’re the foundation of Denver, connecting and collaborating to address the current and future challenges of our community.   

What We Do

As a tax-exempt, nonprofit, philanthropic organization, The Denver Foundation stewards more than 1,000 funds established by generous donors. In partnership with the foundation, our donors make gifts to organizations throughout the seven-county Metro Denver region, across Colorado, and beyond.

Care Fund Grant

Supporting health and mental health.

The Denver Foundation is pleased to invite qualified nonprofits to apply for funding from the Care Fund. The Care Fund supports the well-being of people who have low incomes and also live with developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities; people who are visually impaired or blind.

Grants from the fund will range between $10,000 and $20,000.

Community Enrichment Grant History

The Community Enrichment Grant (CEG) funding was created by the Adams County Board of County Commissioners to provide financial support to carry out human service missions of selected Adams County nonprofits. Grant funding was intended to fill direct service gaps in the organizations’ budgets that were not typically covered by other sources of funding they received.

Community Enrichment Grant Program Areas

Community Well-Being: Programming that provides educational, financial, medical, housing, or nutritional support for residents of any age and their families.

Community Enrichment: Programming or initiatives that assist residents to thrive in the community. This includes initiatives that assist with homelessness, workforce, housing, advocacy, legal advocacy services for under-served populations, financial security classes/services/support, emergency assistance, transportation, nutritional, medical and mental health support. Other programming considered also includes community art projects, public infrastructure for direct use in any of the above capacities and providing new services or supports that have been an identified need in the community.

Community Innovation: Collaborative initiatives that utilize a multi-organization, multi-school/school district, or multi-city partnerships. Initiatives in this category demonstrate a detailed plan that leverages resources and partnerships to bring additional services or benefits to any population birth through seniors in Adams County.

Funding Tiers

Tier I. Up to $49,999- This category is designed for on-going programs or projects that are not complex.  

• All grant requests must be for program or project support only. 
• Programs/projects must directly serve or demonstrate clear value for Adams County residents.
• The funding request needs to be based on the actual cost to serve Adams County residents. Please identify the actual cost of services for Adams County residents and the percentage of the overall program costs for serving Adams County residents.  
• Staff costs must be based strictly on the cost to serve Adams County residents. (i.e. if a staff member operates a program for four counties including Adams County, only 1/4 of the staff member's salary is eligible as a grant reimbursement).
• Applications must identify program inputs, outcomes and benefits.

Tier II. $50,000 to $99,999- This category is designed for larger nonprofit initiatives that can demonstrate metrics, best practice research, and outcomes-based data as well as the bulleted criteria in Tier 1. Funding in this Tier requires at least a 25% match of funding to achieve project or program. 

Tier III. $100,000 and greater- This category is designed for collaborative initiatives. Nonprofits, educational groups, collaborative networks currently engaged or set to pilot a collaborative initiative that:

• Involves a partner network with verified Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and/or letters of support.
• Have a minimum of $50,000 in leveraged funding/in-kind support for the program.
• Have research to validate innovative direct service programming.
• Demonstrate well-researched community need or gaps that this program will fill.
• It can provide a detailed programmatic overview with detailed metrics, outcomes, and impact.

What We Fund

• Supportive Human Services
• Health Programs
• Educational / Workforce Programming
• Afterschool / Out of School Time
• Poverty / Homeless Prevention
• Housing
• Specialized Gap Programs / Services
• Cultural / Arts
• Neighborhood Initiatives
• Innovative Pilots

Background

In 1987, Comprecare Foundation established the Elderly Health Promotion Initiative. This initiative funded many community-based projects that focus on helping older adults maintain their health through self-help and lifestyle changes. The initiative received recognition for its emphasis on innovative, collaborative, community-based efforts. In 2015, Comprecare Foundation closed and entrusted The Denver Foundation with $4.3 million to lead grant initiatives on aging issues in Colorado. Comprecare staff remains invested in this important work and are key partners in improving the health of seniors.

With the steady increase in the population of older adults in Colorado, there is a continued need to improve their quality of life by assisting them in developing and maintaining optimal wellness. Research demonstrates that physical activity, good nutrition, and proactive management of chronic conditions are essential to maintaining a healthy quality of life for older adults. Significant public and private funding have been devoted to advancing these components of healthy living in recent years, both nationally and in Colorado.

The challenge now is to bring these evidence-based interventions to older adults who have not been exposed to them or who have little motivation for behavior change. Programs or projects which involve older adults in their planning and administration have the most potential for reaching them effectively.

Supporting optimal wellness for older adults

The Denver Foundation is pleased to invite qualified nonprofits to apply for funding from the Comprecare Fund, a fund supporting community-based projects that focus on helping older adults maintain their health through self-help and lifestyle changes. Organizations that have a wide potential reach and influence in the field of optimal wellness for seniors in Colorado are encouraged to submit proposals for funding. The fund has adopted a broad definition of optimal wellness, and we will consider any project that addresses wellness.

Awards will range from $7,500 to $20,000.

Background

Women of color contribute immensely to the health, well-being, and advancement of our communities. They mobilize grassroots movements that create real change, they are thought leaders who shape our understanding of gender and race, and they are uniquely positioned to lead us into a better future because of their lived experiences. At the same time, women of color face greater disparities in health outcomes, pay, wealth, access to capital, and more.

Two leading philanthropic organizations – Echoing Green and Bridgespan – found in a recent research report that “racial inequity is built into philanthropic norms.” Black- and Latino-led organizations face significant disparities in revenue, assets, and acquired funding. Gender only compounds these disparities, despite the monumental achievements of grassroots, women-of-color-led initiatives.

As the only community foundation in our state focused on Colorado women and their families, it is up to us to change that. From the purpose, goals, creation, and management of the fund, we are committed to rejecting the problematic philanthropic norms that cause women of color to receive just .5% of all philanthropic dollars.

WGCF Grants

Our framework and priorities for the Women & Girls of Color Fund are based on your feedback. The fund focuses on organizations led by women or girls of color executive directors that are committed to building economic power and dismantling oppressive systems through direct service or community organizing.

The Women & Girls of Color Fund has two grant cycles per year: Rural focus and Front Range focus (Larimer, Boulder, Broomfield, Jefferson, Denver, Arapahoe, Douglas, Adams, and El Paso counties)

Our funding priorities are grounded in increasing investments in Colorado women and girls of color, their leadership, their futures, and their economic security.

• Led by women and girls of color: Women of color have the experience and community knowledge to best lead our communities into an equitable future. Grantee organizations will be led by women of color executive directors.
• Focused on women and girls of color: Women and girls of color receive just .5% of all foundation funding. Programs we fund will have a focus on the power and potential of women and girls of color.
• Colorado-based and Colorado-focused: Colorado is a large and diverse state. Grantees will take a range of approaches to advancing the economic security of women and girls of color based on their specific communities' needs.
• Liberatory leadership: Grantees will not only reject systems of racism, classism, homophobia, and patriarchy, they will also demonstrate radical practices of liberatory leadership such as self care and collective leadership, which undermine white supremacy culture.
• Advancing economic security: In alignment with The Women's Foundation of Colorado's mission, the fund will support programs that advance the economic security of women and girls of color.
• Those most underfunded: Following principles of intersectionality, the Women & Girls of Color Fund will prioritize those communities marginalized by multiple systems of oppression and most underfunded.

Background

Women of color contribute immensely to the health, well-being, and advancement of our communities. They mobilize grassroots movements that create real change, they are thought leaders who shape our understanding of gender and race, and they are uniquely positioned to lead us into a better future because of their lived experiences. At the same time, women of color face greater disparities in health outcomes, pay, wealth, access to capital, and more. 

Women and girls of color are immense assets to our communities, yet women and girls of color receive just .5% of all foundation funding. The Women & Girls of Color Fund is a community-developed, community-led field-of-interest fund dedicated to investing in and partnering with women-of-color-led organizations that are committed to building economic power and dismantling oppressive systems through direct service or community organizing. Our approach will focus on elevating women and girls of color across the state of Colorado to create a better future for all of us.

Grantmaking priorities

Our funding priorities are grounded in increasing investments in Colorado women and girls of color, their leadership, their futures, and their economic security.

Led by Women and Girls of Color

Women of color Grantee organizations will be led by women of color executive directors.

Focused on Women and Girls of Color

 Programs we fund will have a focus on the power and potential of women and girls of color. 

Colorado-based and Colorado-focused

Colorado is a large and diverse state. Grantees will take a range of approaches to advancing the economic security of women and girls of color based on their specific communities' needs.

Liberatory Leadership

Grantees will not only reject systems of racism, classism, homophobia, and patriarchy, they will also demonstrate radical practices of liberatory leadership such as self care and collective leadership.

Advancing Economic Security

The fund will support programs that advance the economic security of women and girls of color. 

Those Most Underfunded

Following principles of intersectionality, the Women & Girls of Color Fund will prioritize those communities marginalized by multiple systems of oppression and most underfunded.

At Caring for Colorado, we believe reproductive healthcare, including access to affordable, person-centered contraception, is a fundamental human right. The power to decide if and when to start a family is essential to a person’s health, autonomy, and future. We work to improve health outcomes for people experiencing the greatest inequities in health, well-being, and opportunity. We seek to remove health disparities and build a more equitable future for:

• Young people ages 9-25 and their families - Our primary focus is on prevention and early intervention to support the optimal health and well-being of young people. Our priority is to support programs and organizations that serve those who are pregnant or parenting; aging out of the foster care system; rebuilding their lives after exiting the juvenile justice system; and at risk of homelessness. Recognizing that young people are part of family systems, we also focus on supporting the parents and caregivers of these youth.
• Young people furthest from opportunity and experiencing the greatest health inequities - Our goal is to eliminate disparities in health, well-being, and opportunity for young people due to race and ethnicity, socio-economic status, stigmatized identities, or disabilities.
• Rural communities - Rural communities working to address health inequities for young people will receive high priority in Caring for Colorado funding decisions due to resource constraints in rural communities, such as lack of transportation, inadequate or aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, lack of a robust tax base, and other barriers.
• Other considerations - Other community health indicators will be considered when making decisions regarding grant awards. These indicators include, but are not limited to the rates of child abuse and neglect; the rates of out-of-home placements of young people; High school graduation rates; adolescent pregnancy rate, especially for adolescents under 19; adolescent suicide rate; and adolescent homicide rate.

Choose When: Reduce Financial Barriers to Contraception Grant

Choose When began in 2017, created by a group of community members concerned about access to reproductive healthcare in Northwest Colorado. With insight from healthcare professionals and community members experiencing barriers to care, they decided to fund local clinics to increase access to long-acting reversible contraception for patients who could not afford it. This decision came after learning that women in the community desired more birth control options beyond the pill and that long-acting methods were financially out of reach for those without insurance or in need of confidential services. Their successful approach inspired Caring for Colorado to expand Choose When statewide in 2023. Choose When continues to support clinics in the Northwest region.

• Choose When is committed to making all contraceptive methods affordable and accessible for everyone in Colorado.
• We prioritize support for health clinics serving communities that face the greatest obstacles to care, including financial hardship, geographic location, language and cultural barriers, and obstacles based on age or identity. By addressing these systemic gaps, we’re working to make reproductive healthcare more equitable for all.
• Our funding opportunity provides financial support to cover the costs of contraception, especially long-acting methods, to improve access to this basic healthcare need. Through grants to community-based safety-net health clinics, we help eliminate cost barriers for people who are uninsured, underinsured, or in need of confidential care. These grants allow clinics to offer contraception at no cost to patients, expanding their access to the full range of options.

The Donor Alliance Foundation

The Donor Alliance Foundation (The Foundation) was created to extend the mission of organ and tissue donation and transplantation by building partnerships and breaking down barriers to influence change to positively affect the donation and transplant community. The Foundation believes that organ and tissue donation and transplantation are human gifts that save lives and that all those affected by donation deserve to be acknowledged, supported, and given access to resources that enable the gift of life.

Criteria Overview

The Foundation funds efforts in Colorado and Wyoming that provide access to resources and education for those affected by organ and tissue donation and transplantation. We also support living donors and their families. To achieve this, we provide funding in three key areas: Education, Family Assistance, and Research (both social and scientific).

The Donor Alliance Foundation celebrates seven years of grantmaking, with a focus on community impact. By addressing system barriers that prohibit people from receiving an organ and/or tissue transplant, we provide equitable and equal access to donation and transplantation resources through funding in three program areas: education, family assistance, and research.

The Foundation’s annual allocation for its eighth cycle has been set at $225,000 for grants in the 2025-2026 cycle—an increase of $25,000 from previous years.

So, what does it take to apply? We want to understand how your project will meet the needs of vulnerable populations. Are you considering inclusive practices in the scope of your project? The Foundation’s goal is for everyone in Colorado and Wyoming to have equal and equitable access to donation and transplantation resources that enable the gift of life.

To do this, we plan to:

• Provide access to donation and transplantation resources for underinsured, vulnerable, and socio-economically disadvantaged populations and those living in rural areas of Colorado and Wyoming who are eligible for transplant or already on the transplant list
• Further seeking projects that consider inclusive practices and can demonstrate them in their programming
• Look for applicants who are or plan to provide education or assistance to reach their audiences in new and innovative ways
• Remain nimble regarding changes or shifts needed to accomplish grantee goals or prioritiesContinued focus on organ research and projects related to gathering data to provide better outcomes for transplant patients, long-term

Qualifying organizations can apply to receive funding to:

• Provide family assistance to patients waiting for a transplant or who are post-transplant and their families, as well as living donors
• Assist service providers helping with transportation, food, housing, gas and other related expenses for families in need pre-, post- and during transplant
• Provide grief assistance and compassion support for donor families
• Offer new and innovative approaches to education about donation and transplantation through hospitals, governmental agencies, foundations and related nonprofit community health-serving organizations, given reduced social interaction
• Conduct clinical and social research to further the donation and transplantation field

Our Focus

Children are more likely to thrive when caregivers, families and communities experience opportunities for health and well-being. We believe all children, youth and families deserve equitable access to systems of support.

Partnering to promote public policy advocacy and systems change can promote justice and equity and achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people in Colorado.

What We Fund

Caring for Colorado seeks to create lasting, meaningful and broad change that improves the lives of children for generations to come. We support public policy advocacy as a central tool for advancing our mission.

Public policy advocacy funding can support general operating, capacity building, network and coalition building, research and analysis, public education, policy implementation engagement and monitoring, leadership development, polling, nonpartisan voter education, regulatory efforts, and, in some cases, limited lobbying.

Public Policy Advocacy

Caring for Colorado funds public policy advocacy at local and state levels to support efforts that improve health, well-being and opportunity for children, youth, and families in Colorado. We prioritize work that aligns with the foundation’s Guiding Principles.

Statewide

We fund statewide public policy advocacy efforts that improve access to high quality health care for children, youth, and families experiencing barriers to care or support efforts to strengthen or expand public programs or benefits to help families prosper.

Children, youth, and their families must be a core component of an organization’s advocacy agenda, and the organization must explicitly work to create or improve policies that reduce economic, racial and gender-based inequities.

Local

We fund local policy advocacy efforts that respond to emergent or urgent issues, or capitalize on new opportunities to improve health, well-being and opportunity for children, youth, and their families.

Youth-Led

We fund policy advocacy efforts that partner with young people to identify and respond to issues that affect youth health, well-being, and opportunity.