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Equitable Community-Designed Outdoor Spaces is sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation. Supports the planning, design, and creation of outdoor spaces like playgrounds and parks that promote physical activity and community agency, specifically for youth and families in underserved areas.
Geographic focus: Colorado
Focus areas: Thriving Young People, Physical Activity, Community Design
Official opportunity description and requirements excerpt:
Equitable Community-Designed Outdoor Spaces | The Colorado Health Foundation Connect with a Program Officer Connect with a Program Officer Equitable Community-Designed Outdoor Spaces This funding opportunity supports planning grants to inform the design and construction of outdoor spaces, such as playgrounds and parks across Colorado that allow children, youth and families to become co-designers of their own reimagined spaces for physical activity while fostering a sense of community, agency and belonging. Race is a central consideration for the development of healthy communities. Effective strategies that engage all youth, especially youth of color, must recognize race and place barriers that impact opportunities to create lifelong physical activity practices. Limited recreation space coupled with safety concerns restricts the physical activity opportunities of communities of color. Families in rural communities also lack outdoor amenities and safe places to play. Often, the areas with the least access to public play spaces are the most stressed. Rarely are spaces provided for intergenerational physical activity and cohesion in rural communities. This funding opportunity prioritizes outdoor spaces that center the needs of communities living on low-income, communities of color and rural communities in Colorado in the pursuit of health equity. This funding opportunity differs from previous opportunities as it emphasizes a more dynamic planning process for how communities are engaged in designing outdoor spaces. Applicants must undertake a planning process that includes deep community engagement bringing community members together to actively co-design spaces that reflect the community’s needs, history and culture, and encourages positive physical activity and psychological safety. Projects may utilize the Community Engagement Spectrum , Equity-Centered Community Design TM * , or another relevant model to support the planning and design process. We invite you to work with a program officer to determine the right process for your community project. Planning funds in the range of $25,000 - $50,000 can be used to support community engagement and co-design activities. Planning grants may include personnel costs, meeting space needs, stipends for community members, administrative costs, meeting materials, translation and interpretation costs, among other needs. Landscape architects selected by the Foundation will provide technical assistance to support communities through the design process, as needed. Costs for this technical assistance will be covered by the Foundation separately from the planning grant. At the conclusion of planning grants and by invitation-only, projects will be considered for capital grant support for construction of shovel-ready projects. This funding is not guaranteed. We expect that the strength and depth of the community engagement process will yield a competitive project to be considered
Application snapshot: target deadline February 16, 2026; published funding information $25,000 - $50,000 for planning; Capital amounts vary; eligibility guidance Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public agencies serving Coloradans.
Use the official notice and source links for final requirements, attachment checklists, allowable costs, and submission instructions before applying.
Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
Equitable Community-Designed Outdoor Spaces | The Colorado Health Foundation Connect with a Program Officer Connect with a Program Officer Equitable Community-Designed Outdoor Spaces This funding opportunity supports planning grants to inform the design and construction of outdoor spaces, such as playgrounds and parks across Colorado that allow children, youth and families to become co-designers of their own reimagined spaces for physical activity while fostering a sense of community, agency and belonging.
Race is a central consideration for the development of healthy communities. Effective strategies that engage all youth, especially youth of color, must recognize race and place barriers that impact opportunities to create lifelong physical activity practices. Limited recreation space coupled with safety concerns restricts the physical activity opportunities of communities of color.
Families in rural communities also lack outdoor amenities and safe places to play. Often, the areas with the least access to public play spaces are the most stressed. Rarely are spaces provided for intergenerational physical activity and cohesion in rural communities.
This funding opportunity prioritizes outdoor spaces that center the needs of communities living on low-income, communities of color and rural communities in Colorado in the pursuit of health equity. This funding opportunity differs from previous opportunities as it emphasizes a more dynamic planning process for how communities are engaged in designing outdoor spaces.
Applicants must undertake a planning process that includes deep community engagement bringing community members together to actively co-design spaces that reflect the community’s needs, history and culture, and encourages positive physical activity and psychological safety.
Projects may utilize the Community Engagement Spectrum , Equity-Centered Community Design TM * , or another relevant model to support the planning and design process. We invite you to work with a program officer to determine the right process for your community project. Planning funds in the range of $25,000 - $50,000 can be used to support community engagement and co-design activities.
Planning grants may include personnel costs, meeting space needs, stipends for community members, administrative costs, meeting materials, translation and interpretation costs, among other needs. Landscape architects selected by the Foundation will provide technical assistance to support communities through the design process, as needed.
Costs for this technical assistance will be covered by the Foundation separately from the planning grant. At the conclusion of planning grants and by invitation-only, projects will be considered for capital grant support for construction of shovel-ready projects. This funding is not guaranteed.
We expect that the strength and depth of the community engagement process will yield a competitive project to be considered for implementation funding by the Foundation and other funders. Proposed projects must reflect the Foundation’s cornerstones . These outline who we serve, how our work is informed and our intent to create health equity .
Have questions? We are here to talk through your ideas and encourage you to connect with us before applying for funding. If you are not already connected with a program officer, please reach out to us by email or phone at 303-953-3600.
Si necesita acceder la solicitud de fondos en español, por favor contáctenos a [email protected] . * The Colorado Health Foundation has an approved license to share these materials from Creative Reaction Lab. Click on the below accordion menu for additional detail on funding criteria to help prepare you for submitting a grant proposal.
Applicant organizations must demonstrate commitment to undertake a comprehensive planning process that includes deep community engagement that leads to a community-owned or community-driven outdoor project co-designed with the community.
Planned design and construction of outdoor spaces in high-need areas that serve individuals of all ages and create access for intergenerational activities that encourage physical activity and strengthen community, agency and belonging. Commitment to building intergenerational outdoor spaces that encourage physical activity, socialization and strengthen community building.
Projects may include age-specific segments, with considerations for those living with physical and/or developmental disabilities, in the design as appropriate, such as playgrounds. If on school grounds, the space must be open to the general public during non-school hours.
Preference will be given to projects that center the needs of communities living on low-income, communities of color and rural communities, such that projects: Based on enrollment data from the nearest school, will serve a higher than average (50% or greater) number of young people of color and/or young people receiving free and reduced lunch.
Will result in outdoor spaces and/or amenities that sufficiently serve the most disadvantaged community member Meet a need to replace existing unsafe or outdated equipment in an outdoor space within five miles of a proven rural community-hub, public location or space.
Applicants will be asked to estimate how many individuals will use the outdoor space and to indicate how their work will increase the number of Coloradans who have convenient access to recreational physical activity. W e often partner with third-party evaluators, contractors and other organizations over the course of our work with applicants and grantees.
Your application and its attachments may be shared with these individuals or entities during the review process and grant cycle. All third-party organizations partnering with the Foundation have signed a confidentiality agreement and will not use or share the information for purposes outside of the scope of work specific to the grant application or grant award.
If you have any concerns or would like additional information, please email [email protected] o r call our senior director of Grantmaking Operations at 303-953-3600. Community Engagement Spectrum Equity-Centered Design Process Have questions? Contact your Program Officer for more information.
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Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public agencies serving Coloradans. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates $25,000 - $50,000 for planning; Capital amounts vary Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is February 16, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Supporting Coloradans in Recovery through Nonclinical Programs is sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation. Supports culturally and linguistically responsive, non-clinical programs that help individuals with substance use and/or mental health challenges access peer support and other recovery services. Geographic focus: Colorado Focus areas: Adult Recovery, Mental Health, Substance Use Official opportunity description and requirements excerpt: Funding | The Colorado Health Foundation Connect with a Program Officer Connect with a Program Officer At the Colorado Health Foundation, we believe health and well-being can be in reach for everyone. We support organizations that are working to advance health equity and racial justice , and whose work aligns with our cornerstones and 10 priority areas . Each year, we award nearly $100 million in grants and contributions to nonprofit organizations and support private-sector partners through program-related investments. If you've already received funding from the Foundation, learn more about managing your grant. We encourage you to read more below about our various funding types. Learn about our grants with deadlines in February, June and October. Learn about our grants that have no application deadline. Learn how we invest in nonprofits and private-sector companies. Learn how we support projects and events that align with our priority areas. Learn how nonprofit executives can step away from work and rejuvenate. Things To Know Before You Apply Each funding opportunity offers its own eligibility criteria and applicant deadlines. Typically, we consider grants for the following: Projects: Specific sets of activities carried out over a defined period of time General Operating Support: Day-to-day expenses to carry out the organization's mission Capacity Building: Enhancing financing, governance, planning and other business capabilities Capital: Facilities or infrastructure improvements Colorado organizations classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) Colorado public agencies, including state and local governments New or emerging organizations without 501(c)(3) status are permitted to apply through a tax-exempt organization acting as fiscal sponsor The fiscal sponsor must maintain full discretion and control over any awarded grant funds and should have the organizational capacity to manage and accept the risks involved with fiscal sponsorship The project must be aligned with the fiscal sponsor’s charitable mission The fiscal sponsor’s board must approve the project as furthering the sponsor’s charitable mission before applying for a grant from The Colorado Health Foundation For more information, download the Foundation's fiscal sponsor policy and sample memorandum of understanding (MOU). Note: If a public support test requirement to retain public charity status applies to your organization, as a public charity grantee of the Colorado Health Foundation, it is essential that you ensure a grant from the Foundation will not cause your organization to lose its status as a publicly supported charity. Organizations that willfully discriminate against a particular class of individuals Organizations not abiding by all applicable local, state and federal anti-discrimination laws in hiring, employment practices and when providing services Scholarships and scholarship Application snapshot: target deadline February 16, 2026; published funding information Not specified; eligibility guidance Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public agencies serving Coloradans. Use the official notice and source links for final requirements, attachment checklists, allowable costs, and submission instructions before applying.
Developing Agency, Identity and Belonging in Young People is sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation. Provides support for programs that offer safe, welcoming spaces for youth (BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, etc.) to develop relationships, community connection, and resilience outside of school or home. Geographic focus: Colorado Focus areas: Thriving Young People, Health Equity, Social-Emotional Development Official opportunity description and requirements excerpt: Developing Agency, Identity and Belonging in Young People | The Colorado Health Foundation Connect with a Program Officer Connect with a Program Officer Developing Agency, Identity and Belonging in Young People This funding opportunity is intended to support programs that provide safe, welcoming spaces for young people to develop trusted relationships outside of school or home. It supports programs that help young people who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ or members of other groups facing inequities, feel a sense of belonging, community and connection. It will also provide these young people with greater access to programs informed by and responsive to their cultural backgrounds, helping them build the characteristics needed to navigate adverse circumstances and feel a sense of agency regarding their physical and mental well-being. BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ identified young people are more likely to experience adverse childhood experiences related to being in oppressed groups, including racism, bullying/otherization, community and systemic violence, and gentrification-related harms. These challenges are evident in Colorado. Funding will be considered for programming focused on groups of young people experiencing significant inequities including those whose first language is not English, immigrants and refugees, those who have been involved in the juvenile criminal legal system, those who are involved with or aging out of the foster care system, or those living with disabilities. This funding opportunity is informed by the learning and evaluation of two completed funding opportunities: Culturally Responsive and Youth-Driven Physical Well-Being; and Supporting Healthy Minds and Youth Resiliency. The work done under those opportunities has been impactful but having two youth programming opportunities created challenges for grantees as well as the Foundation’s strategic effort. They’ve been merged and evolved into this new funding opportunity. Organizations may seek up to two years of project support. Organizations may request up to $125,000 per year for a total of $250,000 over two years. Organizations will only be allowed to have one grant under this funding opportunity at a time. If your application is declined, you must wait until the next calendar year to reapply, unless you are invited back by Colorado Health Foundation staff. Organizations currently receiving funding for Supporting Healthy Minds and Youth Resiliency and/or Supporting Holistic, Culturally Responsive and Youth-Driven Physical Well-Being will not be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity until their grant has ended. Programs must intentionally serve BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ or youth experiencing significant inequities who are primary and/or secondary school aged. Programs serving areas with populations of 50,000+ should be designed to s pecifically serve BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Programs serving Application snapshot: target deadline February 16, 2026; published funding information Up to $250,000 over two years; eligibility guidance Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public agencies serving Coloradans. Use the official notice and source links for final requirements, attachment checklists, allowable costs, and submission instructions before applying.
