Community Grants (Western Colorado Community Foundation) is sponsored by Western Colorado Community Foundation. The Western Colorado Community Foundation's 2026 Community Grants support organizations providing essential safety-net services across a seven-county region in western Colorado.

Explore Funding – Western Colorado Community Foundation Explore Funding wccfstg 2026-06-10T14:13:34-07:00 for grant seekers, grant recipients, and grant evaluators. All applications discussed below are processed through this portal. Request For Funding (RFF) WCCF's Request for Funding (RFF) is an opportunity for nonprofits to submit requests for general operating and project funding, along with small capital requests under $25,000.

WCCF's Capital Campaign Request for Funding is an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to submit requests for capital funding over $25,000. Before starting a request, please review the information and Frequently Asked Questions below. These two Request for Funding processes opened on Monday, February 16 th , 2026.

Requests are reviewed at the end of the quarter and WCCF staff will be in touch within a month if there is a potential funding match. The Request for Funding will close on Friday, December 4 th at 5:00 pm The Capital Campaign Request for Funding will close on Friday, September 4 th at 5:00 pm Frequently Asked Questions How is the Request for Funding process different from WCCF’s competitive grant processes?

The RFF and Capital Campaign RFF are not formal applications. RFF submissions enable WCCF to learn about community needs and match compatible donor funds, when available, with nonprofits. What types of entities can submit RFFs to WCCF?

Due to the wide variety of funds managed, we accept requests from nonprofits across a variety of sectors, including: Animal Care (Humane Societies, Shelters, Rescue Facilities, etc.) Community/Civic Engagement (Libraries, Newspapers, Radio Stations, etc.) Environment (Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, Climate, etc.) Health (Healthcare, Medical, Mental Health, etc.) Human Services/Basic Needs (Hunger, Housing, Family Services, etc.) Suicide Prevention & Awareness (Mesa County) What is the average grant award from the RFF process?

A variety of funds are assessed for potential matches to requests, but most funds have limited grantmaking capacity, with the typical grant from the RFF ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 The typical grant from the Capital RFF ranges from $10,000 to $25,000 How often can a nonprofit submit an RFF?

WCCF does not limit the number of RFFs an organization may submit in a year, but typically nonprofits receive funding through this process no more than once a year If my organization submitted an RFF, can other grant processes be applied to at the same time?

WCCF also does not limit the number of processes an organization may apply to in a year Organizations may submit a Request for Funding as well as applying to competitive processes such as Local Community Funds or Community Grants How do I know if my organization is eligible for funding?

To be considered for a grant from WCCF, applicant organizations must be either: 1) a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity, or 2) an organization that serves a charitable purpose (e.g. schools, governments, or churches with programs that carry out a charitable purpose, such as a food pantry).

have offices and /or services in one of the seven counties that WCCF serves (Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, Rio Blanco) be registered with the Colorado Secretary of State (CSOS) and in good standing What types of organizations do not qualify for funding?

There are types of 501(c)(3) organizations that WCCF cannot award grants to; these include private foundations , private operating foundations and organizations that engage in lobbying activities.

To learn more about types of tax exempt organizations, visit Exempt Organization Types To use the IRS tax exempt organization search tool, visit Tax Exempt Organization Search | Internal Revenue Service Click Here to Begin a Request for Funding Click Here to Begin a Capital Campaign Request for Funding Other Grant Opportunities Resources for Housing Related Needs in Mesa County | Open Sept 14 - Oct 9 The application process for 2026 will be open September 14 – October 9.

The Bray Cares Foundation supports organizations that operate within Mesa County to provide support for housing-related needs. Since its inception in 2018, the Bray Cares Foundation granted $250,000 to organizations addressing housing needs and homelessness in Mesa County. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open.

Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Substance abuse prevention and treatment in Mesa County | Open June 1 - June 26 The application process for 2026 will be open June 1 – June 26. ​Formerly the Bridge House, the Brownson Memorial Fund affiliated with WCCF in 2004, becoming WCCF’s first field of interest fund.

Since 1985, the Brownson Memorial Fund has granted over $560,000 to organizations addressing substance abuse prevention and treatment in Mesa County. The Mesa County Substance Use Resource Guide was created as a result of a partnership between the Brownson Memorial Fund and the Mesa County Opioid Response Group. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open.

Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Impact Response Grants | Open April 13 - July 17 The Western Colorado Community Foundation (WCCF) recognizes that local organizations continue to face significant challenges due to federal funding cuts, state budget shortfalls, and shifting policies.

While we cannot fill large funding gaps, our 2026 Community Grants are focused on sustaining and strengthening essential safety net services. Priority will be given to organizations providing basic needs to vulnerable populations across our seven-county service area. This is a competitive, two-step process starting with a Letter of Interest (LOI) submitted through our online portal.

Based on the LOI, selected organizations will be invited to submit a full application. Before you begin, please review the Community Grants Criteria Checklist HERE, and our list of Frequently Asked Questions HERE. Important Dates & Deadlines All submissions must be completed by Friday, July 17, 2026, at 5:00 pm MT.

To help you plan, we are offering two notification windows: If you submit your LOI by May 15, you will be notified by May 20, 2026, if you are invited to move forward with a full application. If you submit your LOI by June 12, you will be notified by June 17, 2026, if you are invited to move forward with a full application. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open.

Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, and Environment | Aug 17 - Sept 18 The application process for 2026 will open August 17 and close September 18 Our Community Foundation launched the CORE Fund in 2019 with support from a generous group of founders and friends passionate about the three focus areas: conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment.

Given the broad spectrum CORE covers and WCCF’s finite resources, we work with our non-profit partners to support programs and projects with high-impact for the people and places of western Colorado.

Some recent examples of funded projects include: the Outdoor Wilderness Lab (OWL) western Colorado’s only outdoor school that offers outdoor experiences through science-based curriculum to all D51 6th graders; the Colorado Water Trust’s work to keep flows in the Colorado River above the confluence with Gunnison River; and Citizens for Clean Air biochar study that aims to keep carbon in the ground and reduce harmful burning practices.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Supporting the Eagle River Watershed | Feb 2 - Feb 27 The application process for 2026 will open February 2 and close February 27 The Eagle River Fund (ERF) supports projects and programs that protect, enhance, and maintain the quality, quantity, and temperature of water within the Eagle River Watershed .

Projects are eligible for funding if they are submitted by an eligible entity and are classified within one or more of the ERF’s Objectives. Applicants must also reference the issue or project this work addresses within the Eagle River Community Water Plan or other published plans , and, if possible, the submission should be reference in the list of Community Water Plan Implementation Strategies/Appendix P.

More information, including a link to the Implementation Strategies/Appendix P, can be found here . Projects that incorporate meaningful education/outreach efforts, research, scoping, and planning may be considered. Applicants must already have identified and/or secured funding outside the Eagle River Fund grant.

It is the intent of the Fund to provide initial or supplemental funding to eligible organizations that will enable such organizations to leverage the Eagle River Fund grant to obtain funds from other organizations and sources. To learn more about the Eagle River Fund , visit HOME | The Eagle River Fund | Eagle, Colorado . Applications to the Eagle River Fund will be submitted through WCCF’s grant portal .

The Eagle River Fund team looks forward to building relationships with applicants through ongoing communication. Before starting an application, please reach out to Melanie Smith, smith@eagleriverco. org, to discuss your funding request.

If you have questions about beginning an application or navigating WCCF’s grant portal, reach out to a member of the WCCF Programs Team. Sarah Fuller, Program Officer, sfuller@wc-cf. org Talitha Costello, Database & Records Associate, tcostello@wc-cf.

org Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Enhancing overall health of individuals in the RF Valley | June 1 - July 17 This fund will support projects and programs that enhance the overall health of all individuals in the Roaring Fork Valley.

This funding opportunity will be open in 2026 from June 1 and close July 17. Grant funding will support initiatives that address one or more of the following key areas: Partnerships for Social Determinants of Health Workforce Education Scholarships Needs of Older Adults, Safety Net Support In addition to funding projects and programs, the RFVCHF committee will also evaluate requests for general operational support and funding needs.

Eligible organizations include 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS, organizations that serve a charitable purpose, and must be serving communities and populations in the Roaring Fork Valley from Aspen to Parachute. Priority will be given to projects or programs that reflect the RFVCHF’s values, which are: Innovation: We seek bold and creative approaches to advancing the whole health of the community.

Equity : We believe that the whole array of health services should be readily accessible to all community members, regardless of culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or age. Legacy: We recognize the 65-year history of authentic local solutions to health care upon which this foundation is built. Integrity: Transparency, professionalism, and humility guide the fund’s approach.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Serving Veterans in Mesa, Delta, and Montrose Counties | May 11 - July 17 The application process for 2026 will be open May 11 – July 17 Funding Available for Organizations Serving Veterans in Mesa, Delta, and Montrose Counties Eligible organizations must be a qualified 501 (c) (3), public school, or tax-exempt public service agency providing services within Mesa, Delta, and/or Montrose County.

The Trutta Fund is managed by the Western Colorado Community Foundation and supports organizations that serve veterans and their families. The Fund is named in honor of the USS Trutta SS 421, to support and give back to those who served. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open.

Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Improving Access to Health Care The application is closed . This process will re-open in 2026.

The Western Colorado Health Fund offers funding for clinics, hospitals and other organizations to address issues of access to health care and to improve health care delivery in smaller, rural communities in our region.

Tax-exempt organizations with programs to improve resident health through innovative or creative staffing arrangements, new technologies or other program, system or infrastructure investments are invited to submit an application. Preference will be given to programs serving less populated communities. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open.

Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. The 2026 Local Community Funds (LCF) will accept applications starting August 3 and will close at 5:00 PM on August 28. Nonprofits are eligible to apply and must be a 501c3 or other qualifying charitable entity (school, church, govt.)

as recognized by the IRS. Apply for LCF Grants in August 2026 Benefits organizations serving Delta, Colorado The new Delta Community Fund was established in 2023 by local community leaders to benefit organizations serving Delta, Colorado. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open.

Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Benefits the people of Ouray County The Ouray County Community Fund was established as an endowed fund by local community leaders in Ouray County in order to build resources to help local nonprofits through annual grant distributions. Since its establishment in 2016, the Ouray County Community Fund has distributed $400,000 in grants to nonprofits in Ouray County.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Benefits the towns of Austin, Cedaredge, Cory, Eckert, and Orchard City in Delta County The Surface Creek Community Fund was established in 2019 by local community leaders to benefit the towns of Austin, Cedaredge, Cory, Eckert, and Orchard City in Delta County.

Since its establishment in 2019, the Surface Creek Community Fund has distributed $90,000 in grants to nonprofits in that area. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Benefits the people of San Juan County The San Juan County Community Fund (SJCCF) was established by local community leaders in order to help local nonprofits through the distribution of annual grants. This is made possible with support from both the Western Colorado Community Foundation – Dave and Mary Wood Fund, and Citizens State Bank.

Citizens State Bank (CSB) has been in operation for over 100 years with locations in Ouray, Ridgway, Silverton, and Naturita. CSB partners with people and businesses to make the communities they serve successful today and sustainable tomorrow. Since its establishment in 2018, the San Juan County Community Fund has distributed $90,000 in grants to nonprofits.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Benefits the people in communities from Carbondale to New Castle The Two Rivers Unrestricted Endowment Fund (T.

R. U. E.)

was established in 2018, by local community leaders to benefit the people in communities from Carbondale to New Castle. The theme for 2021 funding was: Make an Impact. Rebuild and Renew your organization.

Since its establishment in 2017, the T. R. U.

E Grants Fund has distributed $ 100,000 in grants to nonprofits in that area. Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Benefits organizations operating within Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Crawford WECF grant funding is available to organizations that primarily operate within Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Crawford. This funding is made possible from WECF’s community grants endowment and from generous donors in the North Fork Valley.

For the 2025 Grants Process, WECF was particularly interested in hearing from organizations applying for funds to address food insecurity in the North Fork Valley and/or are strategizing ways to increase volunteer engagement. Since its establishment in 2018, the West Elk Community Fund has distributed $ 200,000 in grants to nonprofits in North Fork Valley.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity. Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for US Community Foundations The Center for Philanthropy building is open from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.