Buell Foundation Early Childhood Grants

Buell Foundation Early Childhood Grants is sponsored by Buell Foundation. Invests in partners across Colorado to support and improve early childhood education, with grant cycles in mid-January, May, and September.

In the last five years... Awarded Outside Metro Denver Founded by Temple Hoyne Buell Enduring Commitment to Giving The charge of Temple Buell to the trustees of the Buell Foundation was clear : meet a pressing need of the day. We have supported Colorado communities continuously since the early 1960s.

Beginning in 1996, the Foundation committed to meeting today’s pressing needs through investment in the early childhood field. The trustees knew that by starting early, young children would have the greatest chance to thrive. Today, the Foundation continues its early childhood focus and seeks deeper, more impactful investments with the goal of improving the lives of generations to come.

We have three grant cycles per year: deadlines are in mid-January and the first business day of May and September. Learn How to Apply Contact Us Learn about the important work of our partners in Colorado’s early childhood communities.

The Colorado Fatherhood Network The Vital Role Fathers Play in Children’s Lives "Buell's funding has empowered us to facilitate meaningful conversations and implement innovative strategies that have resulted in improved outcomes for fathers, children, and families.""

Early Childhood Council of Larimer County The Indispensable Role and Impact of One of Colorado’s Early Childhood Councils "We often call on our program officers to discuss emerging issues, put our heads together on next steps, and utilize each other’s expertise ... Buell is doing it right when it comes to philanthropy.""

Early Childhood Resources Our online resource library contains a range of information relevant to partners and grantees across topics within the Colorado early childhood system, workforce, and general education & development interests.

Designing a Stronger Early Childhood Workforce Pipeline: Aligning Access, Pathways, and Investment Across Colorado’s Education Systems Colorado Education Initiative and the Buell Foundation have released a new report: Designing a Stronger Early Childhood Workforce Pipeline: Aligning Access, Pathways, and Investment Across Colorado’s Education Systems.

A robust early childhood education (ECE) ecosystem is necessary for a thriving workforce: for families who need to be sure their young children are safe while they […] Building a Resilient Early Childhood Workforce: Lessons from CIRCLE Continuation Funding In response to the impact of COVID-19 on child care in Colorado, the state legislature passed a bill in 2021 to create four grant programs aimed at boosting early childhood care and education.

One of these, the Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grant Program, was implemented by Early Milestones Colorado […] Lodging Taxes In Colorado: A Tool for Community Investment We are pleased to release Lodging Taxes In Colorado: A Tool for Community Investment. This toolkit is designed to serve as a guide for elected leaders and local advocates as they seek to utilize HB25-1247.

Investing in Colorado’s youngest children isn’t charity—it is basic infrastructure and provides a strong return on investment. Philanthropy alone won’t […] Diverse backgrounds and richness of experience are essential to the Buell Foundation’s enduring grantmaking. Stay informed with updates about what’s happening at the Buell Foundation.

Investing in the People Who Care for Colorado’s Kids Jason Callegari, Director of Initiatives, shares his insights in a guest blog post that details lessons learned from CIRCLE continuation funding. Find the Early Milestones Colorado blog post here: Investing in the People Who Care for Colorado’s Kids.

Background: In response to the impacts of COVID-19 on child care, in 2021 the Colorado legislature created […] Welcome Marion Batayte, Director of Programs The Buell Foundation is pleased to welcome Marion Batayte as our new Director of Programs.

Among numerous other responsibilities in this role, Marion will provide leadership and oversight across the Foundation’s responsive grantmaking, grants management, and evaluation functions. Marion has served the early childhood community in Colorado for more than 20 years.

Most recently, she […] Buell Foundation Announces 2026 Fellows for Early Childhood Leadership Program The Buell Foundation announced in a press release the new Cohort 15 of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program (BECLP), welcoming 20 fellows selected through a highly competitive statewide process.

Beginning in March 2026, the nine-month leadership fellowship convenes leaders from education, public systems, health, philanthropy, and community-based organizations to strengthen leadership capacity, enhance systems-change […] Invest in Colorado's Future It is in children’s interest. It is in our interest. It is nothing less than our future.