This year, we are celebrating 40 years of capacity building across Colorado.
Our Core Ideology
Vision
A strong and impactful nonprofit ecosystem leads Colorado to a just and equitable future.
Mission
CRC supports, strengthens and galvanizes change-makers across the nonprofit ecosystem, working together to create a more equitable Colorado.
Core Values
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We believe in increasing equity across Colorado.
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We create bold change through curiosity and accepting challenges.
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We respond with agility to the needs of our partners.
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We center community in our work with deep listening.
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We strive to do better through a growth mindset.
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We practice respect and trust as a team.
Strategic Goals
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CRC equips individuals within our sector with knowledge and resources to more effectively lead within their organizations and communities.
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CRC strengthens the organizational health of our partners so they can better meet their missions, with a focus on impact and equity.
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CRC convenes networks across the nonprofit ecosystem to catalyze community-centered power to lead transformational change.
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CRC invests in our own organizational and financial infrastructure to ensure we are well-positioned and able to meet the needs of our partners and community.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
Inclusivity Statement:
Community Resource Center believes that working towards diversity, equity, and inclusivity, in all that we do is more than just a nonprofit best practice – it is an ethical imperative. It is at the core of our values and is instrumental in advancing our mission. We are committed to the ongoing process of fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment within Community Resource Center and throughout our partnerships with individuals, organizations and networks across Colorado.
Past accomplishments:
- Completed a robust internal DEI assessment to identify strengths and areas of growth
- Hosted trainings for CRC board and staff on topics like Foundations in Equity, Minimizing Micro-aggressions and Indigenous Enslavement in Southern Colorado
- Offered trainings in Spanish with live interpretation
- Created a DEI checklist for all events, updated after each event
2021 accomplishments:
- Created a survey for collecting demographic and identity information from the CRC team
- Hired four bilingual Organizers, which was a product of prioritizing the hiring of bilingual folks that could expand our reach as an organization
- Presented a “Power of Pronouns” training to all VISTAs
- The Southwest Regional Leadership Committee formed a DEI Learning Group to meet, learn and reflect following regional DEI trainings
2022 goals:
- Explore challenges, identify opportunities and drive the integration of equity and inclusion into CRC’s organizational culture
- Provide opportunities and resources to deepen understanding of DEI concepts and practices internally
- Collect data and feedback from our team to build a foundation for advancing DEI efforts
- Support CRC leadership, the Program and Operations teams and other working groups to implement their equity goals
A Word from Our Leadership
For 40 years, Community Resource Center (CRC) has worked across the state of Colorado to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector and, in turn, build stronger, more resilient communities. We know that our impact has been a direct result of the passion and commitment of leaders, activists and doers who believe that together, we can create a better Colorado and world.
In 2021, we intentionally engaged in gathering feedback from our partners across the state through surveys, focus groups, storm boards, and safe, in-person events. We heard repeatedly from individuals, organizations, and the networks that make up our sector that they need significant and meaningful capacity building.
The stakeholder feedback we received led us toward updates of our core ideology, program design and delivery. We remain steadfast in our belief in the power of nonprofit organizations to affect change and support thriving communities. Our mission to support, strengthen, and galvanize change-makers across the nonprofit ecosystem, working together to create a more equitable Colorado, is more relevant than ever before.
We invite you to review our annual report to better understand how we responded and learn more about the people and communities whom CRC has impacted.
Maria Fabula, President & CEO, She/Her
Mary Zanotti, Board Chair, She/Her
In 2021, we listened and we responded.
We faced challenges in 2021 that were similar to many organizations and people, including the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and a historic country-wide shortage of job-seekers. Our reaction? Listening and responding.
LISTENING
Through surveys and workshops, we made distinct program changes that reflected the needs of the communities we support. We created more efficient and engaging virtual education sessions and roundtables and saw higher participant satisfaction because of it. Our partners are our most valued assets, and our mission is to uplift and support organizations and their change-makers to create a more equitable Colorado.
RESPONDING
We lead the mobilization of the COVID-19 Containment and Response Corps (CCRC) that provided critical support to mitigating COVID-19 outbreaks. Grants are easier to get than ever before with the creation of a new Colorado Grants Guide website that showcases our emphasis on DEI and accessibility within an intuitive and easy-to-use platform. Our organization not only added new staff members, but we also made more connections with organizations throughout all of Colorado.
Our programs continued impacting non-profits, communities and change-makers.
476
nonprofit staff, volunteers and constituents trained on rules and laws of voter registration, nonpartisanship and community engagement tactics
5,720
voters engaged across 20 counties
24
nonprofit partners supported
“Being in the Network has shown us how other organizations are taking the lead in promoting advocacy to their community. It provides us with knowledge and feedback as other agencies are implementing the tools given by RCN.”
~ RCN Member Organization
“It was excellent. I appreciated the materials provided & the information that was shared. The facilitator was skilled, knowledgeable, and brought in real life examples of each of the tools that she shared with us. The session ran smoothly, and I learned a lot.”
~ 2021 training participant
CRC presents workshops throughout Colorado, covering a wide variety of nonprofit management topics designed to provide participants the strategies and skills needed to reach their professional and organizational goals.
The education program builds capacity of nonprofit organizations by providing them with trainings and tools to write grants, solicit donors, engage boards and volunteers, partner with community, and advance their own DEI practices.
Achievements
We served more than 1,300 individuals through 48 public and private training workshops and convenings throughout Colorado.
96% of training survey respondents felt they had a better understanding of the nonprofit sector and 99% of respondents felt the training was useful.
The State of the Sector event convened 150 foundations, government entities and nonprofit leaders and staff to hear from rural and front range leaders.
Our VISTAs provided critical capacity building and people power to nonprofits across the state to help Colorado nonprofits better meet their mission, lead in their work and influence social change.
49
VISTA members were placed at 36 host sites
49,400
hours served with CRC’s Rural Capacity Building Project
Members impacted their nonprofits and communities through:
Social media, marketing and communications;
Identifying and establishing relationships with individual donors and fundraising opportunities;
Coordinating events and trainings for rural leaders;
Tracking more than $330 million dollars in grants from 48 unique funders.
Read the San Luis Valley Rural Broadband Collaborative’s (SLV RBC) Impact Story
We developed the Rural Action Network (RAN) after more than 30 years of supporting rural nonprofits. 2021 was the Network’s first year of programming and it was a smashing success. Our focus on listening and community empowerment helped us serve 1,545 people from 616 organizations representing 56 counties across Colorado.
One of our most significant program successes was in the San Luis Valley, where we convened what became the San Luis Valley Regional Broadband Collaborative (SLV RBC) – a groundbreaking partnership of SLV nonprofit leaders, local government and regional technical experts.
We pushed the agenda with innovative programs and program updates.
Our goal is to include more equitable access to CGG through pricing, the Colorado Common Grant Application and Report and offering nonprofits extra support through subscriptions. Now it is easier to get grants than ever before!
Read Ayan Husein’s Impact Story Through the Vaccine Equity Program
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 created an enormous public health challenge. Communities had to quickly look for solutions to slow the spread of the virus. As the country grappled with how to best respond, it soon became apparent that to help contain the virus, it would be essential to mobilize thousands of Americans to help implement proven public health strategies.
In response, we helped design and launch the COVID Containment Response Corps (CCRC), a public-private partnership between the State of Colorado, nonprofit organizations, private funders and AmeriCorps created to support Colorado Public Health Agencies responding to COVID-19. CRC recruited and supervised over 300 AmeriCorps members in this award winning program between June 2020 and December 2021.
While the program had first focused on utilizing AmeriCorps members for contact tracing, the project expanded in 2021 to include new members and projects that were focused on vaccine distribution and equity as community needs shifted during the pandemic.
Financial Overview
91% of every dollar received went to supporting the delivery of our programs.
2021 Expenses
2021 Income
Total Expenses: $3,699,454
Total Income: $3,735,247
Staff and Board
Board Members
Mary Zanotti (Chair) – Colorado Youth For a Change
Pat Greer (Secretary) – University of Denver
Leslie Baldwin – Boettcher Foundation
Jaclyn Lensen – The Colorado Health Foundation
Brigid McRaith – Mile High Youth Corps
Aaron Miltenberger – Boys & Girls Club of Alamosa County
Lorni Sharrow – Moye White LLP
Chantal Unfug – Department of Local Affairs
Jodi Walker – Kids At Their Best
CRC Staff
Abe Kaul (he/him) – Finance Coordinator
Alex McHenry (she/her) – Program Director – Civic Engagement
Andrew Schwartz (he/him) – Executive Coordinator
Anna Toth (she/her) – AmeriCorps Program Coordinator
Brad Strong (he/him) – Chief Operating Officer
Casey Shivers (she/her)– National Service Training Specialist
Desiree Henderson (she/her) – Regional Event Coordinator
Elizabeth Berkeley (she/her) – Grants Guide Manager
Gabrielle Healy (she/her) – Field Coordinator
Hannah Hostak (she/her) – Operations Manager
Hannah Loiselle (she/her) – Program Coordinator
Katy Sawyer (she/her) – Director of National Service
Maria Fabula (she/her) – President & CEO
Megan Carter (they/them) – AmeriCorps Program Manager
Meredith Grady (she/her) – Human Resources Manager for the COVID Containment Response Corps (CCRC)
Nellie Stagg (she/her) – Senior Program Director
Rebecca Gorrell (she/her) – Chief Program Officer
Sarah Hogan (she/her) – Program Coordinator
Sofia Rodriguez (she/her) – Event Coordinator
Tammy Mulligan (she/her) – Chief Operating Officer
Tayah Wheeland (she/her) – Executive Assistant
TC McCracken (she/her) – Human Resources Manager
AmeriCorps VISTA Members
Aubrey Noble (she/her) – Fund Development Associate VISTA
Drew Bowling (he/him) – Volunteer Engagement Associate VISTA
Ermina Lee (she/her) – Regional Engagement Associate VISTA
Marissa Sanchez (she/her) – Statewide Social Media and Marketing Associate VISTA
Natalie Georgalas (she/her) – Regional Engagement Associate VISTA
Kaylee Harter (she/her) – Statewide Social Media and Marketing Associate VISTA
Kendra Hardwood (she/her) – Program Associate VISTA
Xueqi Ma (she/her) – Donor and Volunteer Engagement Associate VISTA
Organizers
Annie Cioffi (she/her) – Lead Voter Engagement Organizer
Alejandra Russell (she/her/ella) – Voter Engagement Organizer
Doug Ringer (he/him) – Voter Engagement Organizer
Dyann Bezanilla (she/her/ella) – Voter Engagement Organizer
Reyna Martinez Ramirez (she/her/ella) – Voter Engagement Organizer
Virginia Ortiz (she/her) – Voter Engagement Organizer
CRC Interns
Ash Cano (she/her) – Advocacy Intern
Kristen Ashworth (she/her) – Advocacy Intern
Yuri Shane (she/her)– Advocacy Intern
Thanks to our partners and supporters
Colorado Collaborative for Nonprofits:
Colorado Business Committee for the Arts
Colorado Nonprofit Association
Colorado Nonprofit Development Center
Community Shares of Colorado
Spark the Change
AmeriCorps
Boettcher Foundation
Brett Family Foundation
Bright Futures Foundation
The Bright Mountain Foundation
Buell Foundation
Caring for Colorado Foundation
Chambers Initiative
The Colorado Health Foundation
The Colorado Trust
Driscoll Family Foundation
The Denver Foundation
Gates Family Foundation
Kenneth King Foundation
Natural Resources Defense Council
Nonprofit Vote
El Pomar Foundation
Rose Community Foundation
Serve Colorado
Southern Colorado Community Foundation
Western Colorado Community Foundation
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