Youth Initiatives

Youth Initiatives is sponsored by Caring for Denver Foundation. Caring for Denver Foundation's Youth Initiatives focus area funds youth-informed/youth-led, trusted, innovative mental health, trauma, and/or substance misuse supports.

Community Grants Program Guidelines - The Denver Foundation Community Grants Program Guidelines The Community Grants Program is The Denver Foundation’s signature funding strategy, which is supported by The Fund for Denver, our permanent endowment. Our permanent endowment is made up of unrestricted gifts to The Denver Foundation given by nearly 1,500 donors in the past 100 years.

These gifts are intended to meet the needs of today and ensure there are resources for building a better Denver far into the future. Learn more about The Fund for Denver here . The Community Grants Program supports organizations in the seven-county Metro Denver region working in our four priority funding areas: economic opportunity, environment and climate, housing, and youth well-being.

This grant opportunity’s goal is to support organizations working to reduce disparities by incorporating community and constituent leadership and racial equity into their approach. Through the Community Grants Program, we aim to improve the lives of historically oppressed people living in Metro Denver, with a particular focus on people who live in low-income communities and communities of color.

We seek to reduce racial and ethnic, and economic disparities. The Community Grants Program grants approximately $4M each year during two grant cycles. Each grant ranges from $20,000-$50,000.

If you are interested in applying for funding from the Community Grants Program, details are below. Mi Casa Resource Center. Photo courtesy: Armando Geneyro.

Cycle 1 applications open on January 15, 2026, and close on March 2, 2026. Cycle 2 applications open on June 15, 2026, and close on August 3, 2026. Groups that have not applied before can apply during either cycle.

Current grantees can apply during either grant cycle if it has been at least 12 months since your last application submission, regardless of the results of your previous submission (approved or declined). If you are unsure, please reach out to us to confirm eligibility . To learn more about how to apply, please review the presentation from our online information session!

The Community Grants Program supports organizations that work in the seven-county Metro Denver region. The organization does not need to be located in Metro Denver to be considered for funding. We also consider organizations that are working on statewide efforts, as long as they have demonstrated impact in the Metro Denver region.

Our priority areas reflect the community’s input on the most pressing issues faced by people in Metro Denver. In 2025, we updated our priority funding areas in response to community feedback. (To learn more, please visit our blog ).

We fund organizations working in at least one of these priority areas. We recommend you focus your application on 1-2 areas. We fund organizations working on community wealth building (as defined by the Democracy Collaborative ) and workforce development.

The Democracy Collaborative defines community wealth building as “an economic development model that transforms local economies based on communities having direct ownership and control of their assets. ” In practice, this can include strategies that build local economic power, keep wealth rooted in communities, and increase resident, worker, or community ownership and control.

We seek organizations working on: Community wealth-building strategies, including resident, worker, or community ownership and control of local resources. Community-rooted economic development, entrepreneurship, worker ownership, cooperative models, or other strategies that build local economic power.

Workforce development, including career training, job placement, credentialing, and employment pathways that help people access and retain quality jobs. This priority area does not include financial literacy as a stand-alone strategy, higher education readiness programs, or professional development, training, or internal growth opportunities for the applicant organization’s own staff.

We fund organizations working to improve air quality, energy efficiency, and renewable energy access in the community. We seek organizations working on: Community-based strategies that improve air quality. Energy efficiency efforts that reduce energy burden or increase access to efficient energy solutions.

Renewable energy strategies that expand access to clean energy or support community benefits. This priority area does not include access to the outdoors, wildlife, land conservation, recreation, or projects focused on improving the applicant organization’s own physical space or building. We fund organizations working to address affordable housing, homelessness, and housing stability.

This includes work focused on temporary housing, permanent housing, and helping residents stay in their homes. We seek organizations working on: Long-term housing solutions for residents with the lowest incomes, especially households at 0 to 30% of area median income. Strategies that help residents stay housed and prevent displacement.

Permanent, affordable housing solutions. Temporary shelter, temporary housing, or housing-related crisis response for people experiencing homelessness.

This priority area does not include organizations focused solely on wraparound services, such as case management, food assistance, transportation, or other supportive services, unless those services are directly connected to housing access, housing stability, temporary shelter, or permanent housing. Youth well-being (expanded focus starting 2025) This priority area includes two focus areas: 1.

public K-12 school funding and reform, and 2. youth mental health. Applicants should select the one focus area that best reflects the primary purpose and outcomes of their work.

Public K-12 School Funding and Reform: We fund organizations working on systemic improvements to public K-12 schools and public-school funding, with a focus on reducing disparities for students of color. This may include school foundations and education foundations working to increase public-school funding. We seek organizations working on: Reducing educational disparities for students of color.

Public-school funding and reform efforts that improve educational outcomes for K-12 students. School foundations and education foundations working to increase resources for public schools and public-school students. Systemic strategies that increase access to quality public education.

Changes to core curriculum, classroom experiences, school practices, or public-school funding systems. Efforts that provide public-school students with the tools, resources, and learning environments they need to succeed in school. This focus area does not include supplemental programming, mentoring, or enrichment programs that operate outside the school day unless they are directly connected to systemic public K-12 school reform.

We do not fund early childhood education or private school education under this priority area. We fund organizations whose primary work is providing mental health programs or services for K-12 age youth. We seek organizations working on: Providing prevention, early intervention, and intervention services that support the mental health and well-being of K-12 age youth.

Evidence-based and community-informed mental health programming. Mental health programs or services delivered in schools, community settings, or after-school settings. Programs that are accessible, culturally responsive, and connected to the needs of K-12 age youth.

This focus area does not include applications focused solely on substance misuse or programs and organizations that do not primarily focus on youth mental health. Core Values: Community and Constituent Leadership & Racial Equity The Denver Foundation’s goal is to support organizations that advance our core values of community and constituent leadership & racial equity.

We believe that organizations have the greatest impact when they include these core values into their programs, policies, and approach. Core Values: Constituent Engagement v. Leadership Constituent engagement includes the voices of those who are receiving or will receive services from an organization.

Constituent leadership makes space for community members at the decision-making table to help direct and improve programs. We believe organizations are most effective when they involve community members and constituents in planning, programming, and leadership.

We support organizations that: Understand the assets that community members and constituents bring to the work Ask for input from community members and constituents on their programming and organizational direction, and put that input to use Organize their work and programming around the self-described needs of community members and constituents Include community members and constituents as members of the board, staff, volunteers, committees, and donors Core Values: Racial Equity We believe that diverse and inclusive organizations achieve more equitable outcomes.

Racial equity is the intended outcome of diversity and inclusion practices. The following definitions are used in the Community Grants Program’s core values framework: Review these guidelines , which explain the core values of The Denver Foundation, specific funding priorities, and submission requirements. Create an account or login to our online portal , TDF Grant Manager.

Instructions on how to use the portal are on our website . Attend the pre-application workshop or review information slides. This should address most of your questions.

Reach out if you have questions . We are here to help determine if your proposal fits within our strategic framework. Please call 303.

300. 1790, or email cgp@denverfoundation. org .

The grant letter that you receive contains important information, including due dates. A member of the Engaged Philanthropy Team will reach out to you during your grant cycle to learn how your organization is doing and to support your reporting.

If you have previously received a grant through the Community Grants Program, you must submit a final report summarizing the work that you did with those grant funds before we consider your organization for subsequent grants from the Community Grants Program. Sharing your application with donors The grant requests always exceed our ability to give, meaning there are great organizations that don’t get funded.

We’d love to share your application with donors and fundholders who care about your work and may be interested in supporting your organization. If you do not want us to share your proposal, please let us know in your application.

As we review applications, we look for the following organizational characteristics, in order of importance: a demonstrated commitment to community and constituent leadership and racial equity alignment with The Denver Foundation’s priority area(s) and geographic region the financial health of the organization (Organizations that have fiscal sponsorship from a 501(c)(3) are eligible to apply.)

We acknowledge that an organization may fit within multiple priority areas. We recommend you focus your application on 1-2 areas. We prefer requests for general operating support, but we will consider both general operating and program support.

As a general guideline, requested grant amounts should not exceed 50% of the organization’s annual operating budget. When applying, please submit the applicant organization’s most recent annual budget document.

Proposals that fall outside our priority areas Building endowments or reserve funds Retroactive funding, i.e., activities, projects, or programs that will be completed before funding becomes available Grants for re-granting purposes Grants for medical, scientific, or academic research Grants that further political doctrine or religious activities Grants to private, parochial, or religious schools Scholarships ( for more information about scholarships, please click here ) The Denver Foundation does not fund organizations or programs that discriminate based on race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), physical or mental disability, pregnancy status, body type, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, except to serve a historically disadvantaged group.

Our own work is also strengthened by community and constituent leadership. Our Advisory Committee for Community Impact (ACCI) provides feedback and guidance on our work, including the Community Grants Program. This 50-person committee is made up of community members, nonprofit and civic leaders, donors, and other partners.

The Denver Foundation staff and members of the ACCI review grants and make the final decisions jointly. FAQ: Community Grants Program Who is eligible to apply for the Community Grants Program? Charitable organizations working in the seven-county Metro Denver region may apply.

Your organization does not have to be physically located in Metro Denver, but your work must demonstrate impact in the grant program’s service area. Statewide organizations may also be considered if they can show a clear impact in Metro Denver. What counties are included in Metro Denver?

The Community Grants Program supports work in the seven-county Metro Denver region: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties What does the Community Grants Program fund? The program funds organizations working in one of four priority areas: economic opportunity, environment and climate, housing, and youth well-being. Applications must clearly align with at least one priority area.

Strong applications usually focus on one primary area, or no more than two. How much funding is available? The Community Grants Program grants approximately $5 million each year across two grant cycles.

Individual grant awards range from $20,000 to $50,000 When are the 2026 application deadlines? Cycle 2 opens June 15, 2026, and closes August 3, 2026, at 5 p. m.

MDT. Can first-time applicants apply? Yes.

Organizations that have not applied before may apply. Can current or previous grantees apply again? Yes, but it must be at least 12 months since your organization’s last application submission, regardless of whether the previous application was approved or declined.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, contact The Denver Foundation before applying. What types of support does the program prefer? The Denver Foundation prefers requests for general operating support, but it will also consider program support requests.

What does the program not fund? The Community Grants Program does not fund proposals outside its priority areas, capital campaigns, endowments or reserve funds, membership campaigns, sponsorships, retroactive funding, debt retirement, grants to individuals, re-granting, medical, scientific, or academic research, political or religious activities, private or religious schools, or scholarships.

Does the Community Grants Program fund new organizations or new programs? The program does not fund newly formed organizations or brand-new programs that have been operating in Metro Denver for less than one year. Applicants should be able to show existing work, community relationships, and outcomes connected to the request for funding.

Emerging organizations should consider our Strengthening Neighborhoods grant program . Do organizations need to have 501(c)(3) status? Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, communities of faith, public school districts, and units of government.

Organizations with fiscal sponsorship from a 501(c)(3) are also eligible to apply, with documentation provided with the application. We will not consider applications with inaccurate or missing documentation. How are applications evaluated?

Applications are reviewed based on, in order of importance: commitment to community and constituent leadership and racial equity, alignment with the priority areas and geographic region, community impact, and the organization’s financial health. What does constituent leadership mean?

Constituent leadership means making space for community members and people directly affected by the work to help shape decisions, programs, and organizational direction. The Denver Foundation looks for organizations that ask for input, use that input, and include community members in roles such as board members, staff, volunteers, committee members, and donors. What should I do before applying?

Applications are submitted through TDF Grant Manager , The Denver Foundation’s online grant portal. Can I preview the application questions? Are final reports required?

Yes. Also, if your organization previously received a Community Grants Program grant, you must submit a final report before your organization can be considered for another Community Grants Program grant. Will my application be shared with donors?

The Denver Foundation may share applications with donors and fundholders who may be interested in supporting the organization’s work. Applicants can opt out by indicating in the application that they do not want their proposal shared. Who makes funding decisions?

The Denver Foundation staff and members of the Advisory Committee for Community Impact review grants and make final decisions jointly. The committee includes community members, nonprofit and civic leaders, donors, and other partners. Who can I contact with questions?

Applicants can contact The Denver Foundation at 303. 300. 1790 or cgp@denverfoundation.

org . The foundation recommends reviewing the guidelines and pre-application materials before reaching out. 2026 Community Grants Program Recipients, Cycle 1 2025 Community Grants Program Recipients 2024 Community Grants Program Recipients, Cycle 2 2024 Community Grants Program Recipients, Cycle 1 The Park People.

Photo courtesy: Armando Geneyro. Interested in learning more about our grants? Questions about submitting an application through our online portal?

Find answers to common questions about our grants process and additional funding sources on our website . We also offer additional grant opportunities. Please visit our grant opportunities page for application instructions and submission deadlines.

Are you wondering whether or not your organization is a good fit, or have questions that are not answered above? First, review the slide deck and recording above. They should be able to answer most of your questions.

Still wondering? The Denver Foundation staff are available during office hours. You can contact us at 303.

300. 1790, or cgp@denverfoundation. org to schedule a meeting or ask questions.

Appointments recommended : Many of our staff work on a hybrid schedule and may not be in the office every day. If you would like to meet with a staff member in person, we recommend calling us prior to your visit. This ensures that the appropriate staff member is on-site to assist you.

information@denverfoundation. org EIN: 84-6048381 | 501(c)(3) If you are human, leave this field blank.