August 24, 2023
Featured in this Newsletter:
100+ Grants Awarded: More than $6 Million Going to Organizations Across Colorado
Grantee Spotlight: Increasing Access to Family Child Care and Homeownership in Ouray
Funding Opportunities Closing Soon: Statewide Public Policy Advocacy and DOLA Nonprofit Infrastructure Grants
New Team Members: Welcome Jocelyn Bowyer and Amy Maillet
100+ Grants Awarded: More than $6 Million Going to Organizations Across Colorado
2023 Statewide Grantees Announced
Caring for Colorado’s Board of Directors recently approved 98 grants totaling $5,454,500 to nonprofits across the state under the Foundation’s 2023 statewide responsive grant cycle. These awards further CFC’s purpose of creating equity in health, well-being and opportunity for Colorado’s children and families. Grants support nonprofit and community-based organizations in three areas of focus Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Youth and Strong & Resilient Families. Read more about the 2023 statewide grantees and their work.
“We deeply appreciate the work nonprofits are doing to support and improve the lives of children, youth and families in our state.”
– Linda Reiner, President and CEO
Placed-Based Efforts in Pueblo: Children, Youth & Families Grant Awards
This year, $570,000 in funding was provided to nonprofits through the Sperry S. and Ella Graber Packard Fund for Pueblo. The Fund’s community-based advisory board awarded grants to 16 nonprofits in support of their efforts to create equitable opportunities and improve the quality of life in Pueblo County.
The Fund’s advisory board, consisting of nine community leaders, was grateful to the engage in meaningful conversations during site visits with applicants. The staff of awarded organizations demonstrated grit and resilience as they pivoted services and programming to meet the needs of children, youth and their families in a post-pandemic reality. Read more about the 2023 Pueblo grantees and their work.
Grantee Spotlight: Increasing Access to Child Care and Homeownership in Ouray
Caring for Colorado Foundation is happy to support the integration of new, attainable housing in a rural community while also increasing access to child care, in a child care desert. The Rural Homes Project is a pilot project that is building new workforce housing in Norwood, Ridgway and Ouray, Colorado. Homes can be financed affordably for individuals and families who would not otherwise have access to housing stability in these communities. Support is being directed to first-time home buyers purchasing gap financing, with an emphasis in making this opportunity available to Latino individuals and families.
In Ouray county, Rural Homes has allocated two homes designed for family child care to help build a sense of community. They will be constructed within state licensing codes for family child care homes. In partnership with Bright Futures, a 12-week family childcare business accelerator training cohort will be offered as a requirement for candidacy. Altogether, this innovative model is named the Rural Homes Early Childhood Initiative (RHECI).
Bright Futures completed a community needs survey and discovered a 45% deficit in child care in Ouray, based on the 2022 Kids Count Census. Potential homeowners in the 12-week cohort will learn business principles and how to run and operate a family child care home. “Everything from marketing, record keeping, pre-licensing and homeowner readiness will be covered,” said Valentina Estrella, the Rural Homes Early Childhood Coordinator at Bright Futures. The RHECI allows individuals to be able to stay home with their children and succeed both as an entrepreneur and build generational wealth as a homeowner.
“A lot of interested participants are saying this is a saving grace to them. To be able to have a pathway to homeownership, which is virtually impossible for most folks these days, is amazing. One survey response was, ‘It would definitely be an answered prayer.'”
– Valentina Estrella, Bright Futures
Even while Rural Homes is working to provide affordable housing, it’s challenging in certain industries with a very low profit margin. “To bring child care into a community, providers need extra incentives and financial support to have the home where they can actually provide care,” said Rural Homes Manager, Paul Major. “Rural Homes helps with down payment assistance and other financial resources, including business development, to meet the dual goals of homeownership and small-business development.”
With the passage of Proposition 123, the potential to replicate and scale the rural homes model throughout Colorado is greatly enhanced. More work needs to be done to pilot test the model and to document key learnings. Houses in Ouray will be move in ready in Summer of 2024. Bright Futures will be recruiting early next year for a cohort that will run in the spring. For more information, visit the Bright Futures website.
Funding Opportunities Closing Soon: Statewide Public Policy Advocacy and DOLA Nonprofit Infrastructure Grants
Public Policy Advocacy Grant Applications Due September 14
Part 1 of our statewide grant application for funding in Public Policy Advocacy is open. Organizations can provide a brief overview of the proposed work and demonstrate alignment with Caring for Colorado’s Public Policy Advocacy funding areas. Caring for Colorado will review all submissions and invite organizations to move forward to Part 2.
We have several resources available to help you determine alignment with our focus area. For more information about the process and to complete the Part 1 application, visit our Seeking a Grants page or view our Q&A webinar.
Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Application Closes in One Week
Applications close on Thursday, August 31, 2023. For more information about the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant opportunity, visit our website here (English/español).
La solicitud de la Subvención para Infraestructura de Organizaciones Sin Fines de Lucro cierra en una semana
Las solicitudes se recibirán hasta el jueves 31 de agosto de 2023. Para obtener más información sobre la oportunidad de subvención para infraestructuras sin fines de lucro, visite nuestro sitio web aquí (inglés/español).
New Team Members: Welcome Jocelyn and Amy
Please join us in welcoming two new team members to Caring for Colorado Foundation!
Jocelyn Bowyer is our Operations Manager. She ensures that operations, human resources, finance, logistics and technology are met with high standards to advance the foundation’s mission. A fourth generation Coloradan, Jocelyn has volunteered with Girls Inc. of Denver and the Boys and Girls Club of Denver. She is also an Alumni of the Colorado Children’s Chorale. Read more about Jocelyn.
Amy Maillet is our Strategic Communications Director. She leads the communications and brand strategy for Caring for Colorado and its initiatives to improve opportunities for kids and families to thrive. She was born in Colorado and has volunteered with Denver Scholarship Foundation, Institute for Leaders in Development and Denver Public Library. Read more about Amy.
We’re Hiring! Join our dynamic team and work to catalyze change so that every child in Colorado has love, stability, support and opportunity. Learn more and apply!
Vice President of Initiatives and Partnerships
Grants Manager