Featured in this Newsletter
- Message from CFC’s President and CEO
- Trust-Based Philanthropy – What We Are Learning
- Caring for Colorado Applicant Feedback
- Safe Futures Fund
- Welcome new Caring for Colorado staff
- We’re Hiring!
Message from Linda Reiner, President & CEO
After a year of watching our national institutions falter and Colorado communities lose critical support for young people and families, I hoped 2026 would bring stability. Instead, the challenges have intensified. Threats of ICE raids and deportations, deep cuts to essential services, attacks on the rights of 2SLGBTQAI+ people—especially trans youth—and growing pressure on reproductive health providers are creating real and immediate harm.
In this moment, Caring for Colorado is committed to holding steady in our support of nonprofit partners while remaining ready to respond to urgent needs, as we did last fall when we provided emergency funding to food banks following SNAP disruptions during the government shutdown. Our Board of Directors has reaffirmed our values and our focus: young people ages 9–25, their families, and those furthest from opportunity. I invite you to read our position statements, which guide our work, and to learn more about our trust-based approach to philanthropy in the article below by Melanie Bravo, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy.
I remain deeply grateful to all the people in our state who are working to support people and meet needs during this very hard time for Colorado. Caring for Colorado is here to help as best as we can. I welcome your feedback.
Earning Trust:
What We’re Learning Through Trust-Based Philanthropy
By Melanie Bravo
I heard someone say, “If we want to build trust, we have to start by being trustworthy.”It’s a simple statement, but something about it really resonated with me. It raises important questions about what trustworthiness looks like for funders, especially at a time when trust feels fragile, and fear and uncertainty are shaping decisions for families, organizations, and communities.
Last year, Caring for Colorado intentionally changed how we approach grantmaking, grounding our work in trust-based philanthropy. At the heart of our approach is a simple belief: those closest to the work are best positioned to lead it. Our role as a funder is to provide resources with flexibility and respect, and to show up (literally and figuratively) as a partner who listens, asks honest questions, and learns alongside grantees, rather than managing compliance.
The shifts we made last year were the result of years of listening to nonprofit partners and recognizing our own role in patterns that make funding harder than it needs to be. Again and again, organizations told us they needed larger, multi-year support that wasn’t tightly restricted, and funder relationships built on understanding rather than oversight. Compared to the previous year, we made significantly larger awards, shifted the majority of grants to multi-year commitments, and prioritized unrestricted funding.
One of the clearest things we’re learning is how much stability matters. Multi-year, flexible funding has allowed many organizations to make choices that were previously out of reach, like retaining staff, adjusting programs as needs change, and responding to crises without having to pause and ask for permission. Several grantees have shared that this flexibility has made it easier to be honest about challenges, rather than feeling pressure to present a polished version of their work. We want our grantee partners to respond to young people’s needs as they are today, not as they were described in a proposal months earlier. Ultimately, we want CFC funding to be the most flexible resources our partners have.
How Feedback Shapes Our Work
By Jeff Bontrager
At Caring for Colorado, we want our grantmaking process to reflect our values and support applicants and grantees every step of the way. After each application cycle, we send an anonymous survey inviting applicants to share their experience. Your feedback guides our learning and helps us improve.
What We Learned
As we prepared for the second year of the Youth Health and Well-Being (YHWB) funding opportunity, we reviewed the previous year’s survey results. Ninety-three (93%) applicants shared their perspectives—thank you!
The feedback highlighted several areas that are working well. Most respondents told us that:
- The purpose and expected results of the funding opportunity were clear (84%).
- The information needed to apply was easy to find (91%).
- The time required to complete the application felt reasonable (82%).
- CFC staff came to site visits prepared, listened respectfully, and demonstrated understanding of their work (100%).
At the same time, we heard clearly where we need to do better. As the graph below illustrates, two out of five respondents (43%) reported only moderate (or worse) overall satisfaction with the application process. And most applicants who were not funded (75%) said they did not understand why their proposal was declined. The most critical and actionable feedback came from applicants who advanced to the second phase but ultimately were not selected.
How We Responded
This feedback was both candid and constructive—and it led us to make meaningful changes in the second year of the YHWB application process, which included:
- Consolidating and streamlining required documents.
- Refining learning and assessment questions to better reflect how applicants describe their work.
- Providing more timely and detailed explanations when an application was declined.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your experience. Your insights directly shape how we learn and improve, and they help strengthen the experience of future applicants and grantee partners.
Safe Futures Fund
Caring for Colorado is proud to support the Colorado Safe Futures Fund (CSFF). Firearms are the third leading cause of injury-related death among Colorado adults and the leading cause of death for youth ages 1-17, making firearm harm one of Colorado’s most urgent public health challenges. The CSFF recently announced $77,000 in grants to 18 Colorado organizations working to prevent firearm-related injuries and deaths. Learn more here.
Welcome New Caring for Colorado Staff
We are pleased to welcome four new staff to the Caring for Colorado team:
Matt Lieber, Data Systems Manager
Matt serves as the Data Systems Manager for Caring for Colorado. In this role, he manages the technical aspects of the grants management system and informs the foundation’s operational systems and interconnectivity.
Laura Roberts, Accountant
Laura serves as the Accountant for Caring for Colorado. In this role, she supports the finance and accounting functions, ensuring the accuracy of the foundation’s financial records.
Avery Smith, Executive Assistant & Board Liaison
Avery serves as the Executive Assistant and Board Liaison for Caring for Colorado. In her role, she supports organizational leaders by managing schedules, coordinating board activities, and ensuring the smooth operation of day-to-day activities.
Kaitlyn Wolfe, Grants Management Coordinator
Kaitlyn serves as the Grants Management Coordinator for Caring for Colorado. In this role, she supports the grants management team and external communications.
We’re Hiring!
Caring for Colorado is looking for someone who is deeply committed to our mission of creating equity in health, well-being, and opportunity for Colorado’s young people and their families.
Open Position:
Philanthropy Lead
Our staff bring their knowledge, creativity, and passion to work for Colorado families every day. Learn more about how to join our dynamic team.
