Healthy Lives is sponsored by Caring for Colorado Foundation. Funds programs that ensure Colorado's children and families have the resources they need to thrive, including access to healthy food. They support community-led efforts to eliminate barriers to food security and healthy eating.

Apply for a Grant | Caring For Colorado Partnering with Communities We believe that strategic and equitable grantmaking has the power to deliver a triple benefit: improved health, well-being, and opportunity for young people today, throughout adulthood, and for future generations. Our Grantmaking Philosophy Our approach to grantmaking reflects our values, mission, and commitment to health equity.

Our grantmaking philosophy is both inspired by and aligned with Trust-Based Philanthropy . This approach is grounded in a set of core values that aim to advance equity, shift power, and foster mutually accountable relationships.

At the heart of trust-based philanthropy are six key practices: Provide multi-year, flexible funding Conduct thorough research and due diligence Simplify and streamline paperwork Be transparent and responsive Solicit and act on feedback Offer support beyond the grant itself Centering the practices of trust-based philanthropy in our grantmaking philosophy is a starting point on our journey toward authentic trust-based philanthropy.

Our team continually integrates these values and practices across all areas of our work using feedback loops to drive ongoing improvement. We remain committed to sharing our learnings as we collaborate to build a more just and equitable nonprofit-funder ecosystem that prioritizes relationship-building, power-sharing, mutual learning, and collaboration. The 2026 Choose When funding opportunity is open.

Open to Colorado-based safety net clinics, public health agencies, school-based health centers, and rural health clinics that fit the eligibility criteria, this funding opportunity will provide financial support to cover the costs of contraception, especially long-acting methods, to improve access to this basic healthcare need. Funding resources can be found HERE. Register in the online portal by 5:00 p.

m. on March 10, 2026. The application is due by 5:00 p.

m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Site Visits (if invited): May 2026.

Grant Start Date: July 1, 2026 We work to make the grant application process as simple as possible. Applicants can save their applications as they progress through the process , and our team is happy to guide you through each step.

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility Caring for Colorado considers applications from organizations that benefit the people of Colorado and are: Charitable, nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt classification from the Internal Revenue Service; or Tax-supported institutions including state and local governments and schools.

New or emerging organizations or for-profits are permitted to apply through a tax-exempt organization acting as a fiscal agent. The most common type of fiscal agent arrangement is between a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization and a non-tax-exempt group. The fiscal agent has the ultimate authority and responsibility to see that the funds are used for the intended purpose; it cannot simply be a pass-through organization.

Caring for Colorado does NOT fund: Organizations or projects that unlawfully discriminate with regard to employees, volunteers, delivery of programs or services, or clients based on age, sex, religion/creed, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or genetic information. Activities supporting political candidates.

Once you confirm basic eligibility, be sure to thoroughly review each funding opportunity for additional eligibility requirements, grantmaking guiding principles, timelines, and funding types. Step 3: Register for our Fluxx online grants portal Please register at least two days before the grant deadline to ensure you have access in a timely manner. The Fluxx portal is set up for individual users.

If you have not yet set up a user account, please select “Create an account now” on the Fluxx homepage and input your information. You will receive an email to finalize setting up your account. If you already have a Fluxx account, you do not need to register again.

If you have a Fluxx account and have forgotten your password, please click “Forgot Password” on the Fluxx homepage to reset your password. Step 4: Submit your Part 1 application Caring for Colorado utilizes a two-part online application process. The Part 1 application is designed to provide grant-seekers with a quick, low-barrier opportunity to share basic information about the organization and proposed work.

Staff reviews Part 1 applications to determine eligibility and alignment with the funding opportunity. Based on this review, Part 1 applicants are either invited to submit a full application or declined to move to Part 2. Part 1 of the grant application must be submitted through our online grant portal, Fluxx, by 5 p.

m. MST on the first deadline date. Applicants need an account to access our online grants portal.

Follow the directions on the online form to complete the application. For best results, we suggest that you use Google Chrome as your web browser. Please read the directions carefully.

If you are unable to complete an online application, please contact our grants management team at grants@caringforcolorado. org to discuss alternative options. Application review begins after the submission deadline.

Proposals submitted prior to the deadline will not be reviewed early, and those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. All applicants will be notified via email within one week of submission to confirm the successful receipt of the application and to share the review timeline.

If your application is not selected to move forward in the review process, a member of our Philanthropy Team will email you to explain why your request was not approved. Depending on the volume of requests, there may be an opportunity to speak directly to a staff member about the decision.

Applicants moving forward in the review process will receive an email invitation outlining the next steps in the application process within four weeks of the Part 1 deadline date. Step 6: If invited, submit your Part 2 application Part 2 of the grant application must be submitted through our online grant portal, Fluxx, by 5 p. m.

MST on the second deadline date. Our Part 2 application has five primary sections. Proposal Objectives and Outcomes: Each applicant will be asked to identify at least one objective and a subsequent outcome.

The purpose of this section is to identify the focus of the proposed work and to be outcome oriented. (for example, changes that occurred for participants, increased capacity, progress on organizational strategy/goals, or skills developed). If selected for funding, these outcomes will be used in evaluating the success and challenges of your work through required reporting.

Demographic Information: Caring for Colorado collects demographic data to help us better understand our grantmaking and evaluate the effectiveness of our work in advancing our mission and commitment to equity. The information collected serves as one data point, among many, in our efforts to understand how our partners are working to equitably build a healthier future for Colorado’s young people and their families.

We recognize that requesting this information adds to the amount of time it takes to complete the application, and we appreciate your willingness to share this information with us. We understand that you may not have the demographic data for some or all the sections in this form. If you do not collect any demographic data on your board, staff, or communities served, you may indicate that in the template.

If you collect some demographic data, please complete the applicable sections. Click here for an Excel template you may use to gather your organization’s available demographic data. Please note that all demographic data must be input into the online application.

Data from applicants and grantees is maintained secure and confidential within Caring for Colorado’s internal data-management system. In the financial summary section, you will be asked to provide the following amounts for two full fiscal years: total assets, total liabilities, total revenue, and total expenses.

In addition, depending on your organization’s business type, you will need to attach certain financial documents (see required attachments section below). Narrative questions may vary based on the funding opportunity. We will provide a Microsoft Word template with required narrative questions and guidance about what we hope to learn from your responses.

Board of Directors: List of the board of directors, with titles and terms Key Staff: List of key staff, with titles and tenure Major Contributors: List of the major contributors to the organization and contribution amounts for the previous fiscal year Current-year annual operating budget Program/Project Budget: This form ( an example ) is submitted as an attachment in the portal and is NOT required for general operating requests .

The budget consists of three parts: projected expenses, projected income, and a narrative description of expense items. Tax-exempt organizations requesting more than $25,000 submit audited financials for the most recently completed fiscal year-end. If audited financials are unavailable, please provide your most current IRS Form 990/990EZ.

If you do not file an IRS Form 990 or 990EZ, please provide an internal fiscal year-end balance sheet and income statement. Governmental entities do not need to provide additional financial attachments (please still provide your current-year operating budget above). For fiscally sponsored projects , submit the fiscal sponsor’s audited financials for the most recently completed fiscal year-end.

Step 7: Check your email again Director of Grants Management Grants Management Coordinator Grants Management Coordinator Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Caring for Colorado’s past grants. Our grants management team is available to answer your questions.