Western Slope

Through the Rural Action Network™ Community Resource Center (CRC) convenes a powerful network of nonprofits, community leaders, funders, and changemakers to tackle persistent issues, develop and cultivate rural leadership, align and increase the giving of philanthropy with the needs of rural nonprofits to support thriving and just communities across rural Colorado.

In 2022 the Western Slope Regional Leadership Committee (RLC) will work to develop shared agreement on a pressing cross-sector issue the RLC can work on and bring regional partners to the table to lead transformational change.  We work in a highly collaborative manner with RLC members bringing their lived experience, connections, and local networks to these efforts. We are building a wide-ranging committee of leaders from across the region with expertise in their local communities from direct service providers, to community volunteers, to representatives of local governments  – all have a seat at the table.

Rural Philanthropy Days™ (RPD) is a statewide program that provides nonprofit leaders the resources they need to lead effective and sustainable organizations. Western Slope RPD™ serves nonprofit organizations in Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, and Pitkin counties. To become involved in the Western Slope’s Regional Leadership Committee to help plan interim programming please contact Rebecca Gorrell at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Congratulations to the Western Slope Capacity Building Program Selectees!

Congratulations to Aspen Strong, Counseling & Education Center, Raising A Reader Aspen to Parachute, SpeakUp ReachOut, and Western Slope Conservation Center

Previous Opportunities

Western Slope Capacity Building Program

The Western Slope (WS) Regional Leadership Committee (RLC) seeks to build the capacity of small, regional nonprofits to strengthen their organizational practices, programs, and approaches to meet their missions in this moment of profound transition and challenge.

Members of this Capacity Building Program will participate in six hours of one-on-one coaching, three meetings, ongoing professional development and evaluations, will receive a $500 stipend to the organization, and a $500 stipend to apply to any CRC training, roundtable, or a Colorado Grants Guide subscription.

Applications are due November 17th and the program will begin in January of 2022 and go through December of 2022. 

Please email Elaine Brett at email hidden; JavaScript is required with any questions.

Regional Resources

Regional Resources and Partnership Building Workshops

CRC hosted an online regional workshop to connect nonprofits, government agencies, and funders to provide links to resources, share information, and make connections.

  • Western Colorado Community Foundation
    • Website – https://wc-cf.org/ 
    • Contact – Tedi Gillespie, Grants and Community Outreach Director, email hidden; JavaScript is required
    • Description – The mission of the Western Colorado Community Foundation is to promote charitable giving, build and manage charitable funds for community good, and provide grants, scholarships and other resources to benefit the residents and communities of western Colorado.
    • Grants – https://wc-cf.org/nonprofits/grantmaking/ 
  • Aspen Community Foundation
    • Website – https://aspencommunityfoundation.org/ 
    • Contact – Bryan Alvarez-Terrazas, Program Associate,  email hidden; JavaScript is required, (970-319-7598)
    • Description – Aspen Community Foundation builds philanthropy and supports nonprofit organizations by connecting donors to community needs, building permanent charitable funds and bringing people together to solve community problems.
    • Grants – https://aspencommunityfoundation.org/apply/apply-grant-nonprofits/
      • Please note that the current community grantmaking cycle is closed, but technical assistance/capacity-building grantmaking is still available
  • Kenneth King Foundation
    • Website – https://kennethkingfoundation.org/ 
    • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required, (303-832-3200)
    • Description – Our mission is to create opportunity for Coloradans to reach their fullest potential for self-sufficiency through access to entrepreneurship, employment, grantmaking, basic needs and improved quality of life.
    • Grants – https://kennethkingfoundation.org/focus-areas/
  • Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Colorado
    • Website – https://cdola.colorado.gov/
    • Contact – Tamra Norton, Environmental Compliance Officer, email hidden; JavaScript is required
    • Link to Fund Development Roundtable Recording
  • Chinook Fund
    • Website – https://chinookfund.org/
    • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required, (303-455-6905)
    • Description – Chinook Fund supports grassroots organizations working on issues of social and economic justice; by pooling our collective resources, we seed groups making a positive, systemic impact to improve the quality of life for all Coloradans.
    • Grants – https://chinookfund.org/apply/ (upcoming grant cycle closes 9/21)
    • Additional ‘Another World is Possible’ Fund – https://chinookfund.org/anotherworld/apply/ 
      • Rapid response general operating grants to organizations who are currently active and responding to the impact of COVID-19 on their organizations and communities and have a social justice lens.
  • Colorado Creative Industries
    • Website – http://coloradocreativeindustries.org/ 
    • Contact – Margaret Hunt, Executive Director, email hidden; JavaScript is required, (303-892-3870)
    • Description – As a division of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, we support and encourage the innovators, creators, change-makers and dreamers who improve our quality of life and make Colorado creative. We focus on strengthening the vitality of visual, performing and literary arts through promotion, resources and funding opportunities. We believe in bold innovation and the invaluable contributions the arts bring to this beautiful state.
    • COVID-19 Resources – https://coloradocreativeindustries.org/opportunities/resources-to-support-the-arts-during-covid-19/ 
    • Open Opportunities – http://coloradocreativeindustries.org/opportunities/ 
    • Grants – http://coloradocreativeindustries.org/opportunity-type/grants/
  • Vail Valley Partnership
    • Website – https://www.vailvalleypartnership.com/ 
    • Contact – Anna Robinson, Program Manager, email hidden; JavaScript is required, (970-477-4027)
    • Description – Vail Valley Partnership is the regional community development organization, dedicated to the economic vitality of the Vail Valley. We support local businesses. We unite key stakeholders. We lead collaborative efforts throughout the community.
    • Events, including the Nonprofit Learning Series (free) – https://www.vailvalleypartnership.com/full-events-calendar/ 
  • Manaus
    • Website – https://www.manaus.org/ 
    • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
    • Description – Manaus, formerly the Manaus Fund, is a nonprofit that works in partnership with others to solve social injustices. Using the principles of community organizing and human-centered design, we help create sustainable solutions to issues that further equity within our communities.
    • The Manaus Emergency Fund – designed to financially support those who otherwise do not have access to public or traditional funds.
  • Eagle Valley Community Foundation
    • Website – https://eaglevalleycf.org/ 
    • Contact – Susie Davis, Director of Community Impact, email hidden; JavaScript is required, (970-977-1093)
    • Description – The Foundation seeks to work within the community to ensure that all local families, and especially children, regardless of background, have access to services including healthy food, basic healthcare and early childhood education. Access to these foundational resources will support the continued development of a healthy and thriving community.
  • United Way Battlement to the Bells
    • Website – https://unitedwaybb.org/ 
    • Contact – Traci Gurley-Tomashosky, Local Board Chair, email hidden; JavaScript is required, (970-625-8189)
    • Description – United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities from Battlement Mesa to Aspen to advance the common good for all, focusing on education, financial well-being and health.
    • Resource list – https://unitedwaybb.org/covid-19-resources/
  • United Way Mesa County
    • Website – https://www.unitedwaymesacounty.org/ 
    • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required, (970-243-5364)
    • Description – United Way of Mesa County fights for the Health, Education and Self-Reliance of every person in our community. Our work is focused on these building blocks for a good life:
      • Health – People are connected to regular, quality physical and mental health services
      • Education – Parents are supported throughout early childhood development, all children enter kindergarten ready to learn, and more students are reading at grade level by 4th grade
      • Self-Reliance – Residents have access to basic needs in times of crisis
  • Center for Independence
    • Website – https://cfigj.org/ 
    • Contact – https://cfigj.org/contact/ 
    • Description – CFI is governed by people with disabilities – nothing about us without us! We work to uphold the Independent Living philosophy: that people with disabilities have the right to live their lives independently, with dignity, and to their fullest potential. CFI provides information to individuals and businesses about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accessibility guidelines, and other technical assistance. Our Board of Directors and Staff are comprised of 51% or more people with disabilities, which gives CFI insight in the design and delivery of our services.
  • Grand Valley Coalition for the Homeless
    • Website – http://gvch.homestead.com/?fbclid=IwAR3DXcU_LgQleYRJ00v42lz-WZYUbXl5Gz6N6_RG18bjtN35SdtgLd-QJfE 
    • Contact – https://www.facebook.com/Grand-Valley-Coalition-for-the-Homeless-137848576307751/ 
    • Description – We are a coalition of organizations and individuals who work to address the issue of homelessness in the Grand Valley. We meet on the fourth Thursday of every month in the Saccomanno Room at St. Mary’s Hospital at 2635 N. 7th Street in Grand Junction.
      • Member agencies include: Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, United Way, St. Mary’s Hospital, Hope Enrichment Center, REACH District 51, Solidarity Not Charity, Colorado Department of Labor & Employment, Colorado West Mental Health, Colorado Legal Services, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Mesa County DHS, Department of Corrections, HomewardBound, Housing First No More Deaths, Colorado West Regional Mental Health, Grand Junction Police Department (Homeless Outreach Team), Housing Resources of Western Colorado, Christian Food Outreach, Headstart, Joining Hands, School Work Alliance Program, GJ Vet Center, Rocky Mountain Head Start, Karis Foundation, Grand Valley Peace & Justice, Mesa County Public Libraries, The Way Home Committee, DVOP – CDLE, Hilltop, The Salvation Army, American Cancer Society, VA Medical Center, Grand Junction Housing Authority, Western Colorado AIDS Project, Center for Independence, Angel Light/Joining Hands, Marillac Clinic, SWAP & WIA, HOPE of the Grand Valley, and the Colorado Department of Corrections.
  • Grand Valley Peace and Justice
    • Website – http://gvpeacejustice.org/ 
    • Contact – Sherry Cole, Program Coordinator, email hidden; JavaScript is required, (970-985-4253)
    • Description – Grand Valley Peace and Justice was established in 1990. In order to serve the common good of all, we invite all denominations and communities to join with us to effectively create and implement projects and programs on local, national, and international justice concerns. 
  • Grand Valley Task Force
    • Website – https://www.facebook.com/GVtaskforce 
    • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required 
    • Description – Our mission is finding just and equitable solutions for all by shining a light on implicit, explicit, and systemic bias in our community.
      • Identify how bias impacts each system and its related institutions and design strategies to address them.
      • Research how other communities have successfully addressed bias and consider those best practices or programs in designing and implementing local strategies.
      • Identify available baseline data and additional data points that would be useful for measuring task force impact and work with institutions to develop a system for collecting, analyzing, and implementing that data-driven change.
      • Assist community and institutional leaders in evaluating how bias impacts their organizations, including in recruiting and hiring diverse workforces, and support them in developing policies and practices for preventing it.
      • Engage the community by actively seeking input to address issues and implement solutions, including providing safe mediums to receive community input and experiences.
      • Host opportunities for people to learn about bias, interact with others who are different from themselves, and find common ground.
      • Audit each system for accessibility to information in different languages, format, and delivery methods and ensure residents have meaningful access to essential information in their own language.
      • Identify and remove barriers to participation for marginalized community members on local boards and commissions and in other volunteer and business leadership positions.
  • Grand Junction Mutual Aid/Western Slope Mutual Aid
    • Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WSMA970/ 
    • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required 
    • Description – In light of the recent virus and the pandemic, we need to come together as a community, to help one another out. GJ Mutual Aid is for offering surplus items, requesting needed items, and sharing reliable information in Grand Junction and the surrounding areas. We are creating change in our community, and improving each other’s lives. We will get through this.
  • Build Colorado Workforce Development
    • Website – https://www.buildcolorado.com/ 
    • Contact – https://www.buildcolorado.com/contact or email hidden; JavaScript is required, (720-413-1888) 
    • Description – This website is THE source for workforce development programs and opportunities in Colorado’s construction industry. BuildColorado.com details pathways and opportunities for our diverse and expanding population to begin a new career that yields livable wages and benefits, supports our community and economy, and provides the skilled trades workforce needed to build a strong infrastructure and an even brighter future for Colorado.
  • Share resource lists.
  • Spending the time to educate yourself and listen.
  • Recognize, have conversations in our communities and in our workplaces. Try to have the conversations without fear, with an open mind. Be empathetic and acknowledge the struggle.
  • Standing up and saying something rather than avoiding stepping on toes. Bringing folks in and having conversations early on. Sit down at the table with each other to speak about similarities.
  • Put trust into new people’s communication approaches.
  • Start a Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Chapter.
  • Engage in advocacy that addresses systemic racism.
  • Support black owned businesses in our communities.
  • Supporting community organizations and collaborating with organizations that focus on business owners of color.
  • General operating support from foundations. 
  • Talk to partners and grantees about the kinds of diversity training they are doing. 
  • Donate hours of administrative support to help people of color work through complex paperwork.
  • Put a budget line item in for internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work – commit to funding it.
  • Training and monetary support for organizations to offer service and training to staff and community members around racial justice, inclusion, diversity.
  • Hire diverse board members and staff.
  • Conduct focus groups with people of color.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2019 RPD’s

  • Over $118,000 economic impact between the communities that hosted the conferences
  • 630 attendees between the two conferences
  • 93% of grantseekers reported that RPD increased their personal & organizational capacity
  • 96% of funders felt that the roundtables established a relationship between grantmakers and grantseekers
  • 90% of RPD participants attended a Funder Roundtable Session
  • 97% of funders agreed that as a result of RPD they have a better understands of the assets and collaborations in the region

Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days

June 12 – 14, 2019 | North Fork Valley, Colorado

From June 12 – 14, 2019 over 300 nonprofit professionals, grantmakers, community leaders, distinguished speakers, and elected officials united in Paonia to exchange knowledge and expand professional networks at the Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days conference.

This opportunity only occurs once every four years in the Western Slope region which is composed of Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa and Pitkin counties. To become involved in the Western Slope’s Regional Leadership Committee to help plan interim programming please contact email hidden; JavaScript is required.

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About the Program

The goal of RPD is to bring increased access to resources to support sustainable rural nonprofits, increase the engagement of funders in rural communities, and encourage effective collaboration on a regional scale.

Meeting the needs of rural Colorado communities is what RPD is all about. Western Slope nonprofit professionals in attendance at the 2019 conference were able to participate in more than 30 professional development opportunities over the 3-day conference.

In addition, the Western Slope RPD Conference provided a powerful opportunity for the state’s most influential funders to meet one-on-one with local and regional grantseekers in a series of Funder Roundtable discussions. This exchange helps to break down barriers and ultimately results in stronger partnerships, increased access to resources and the development of long-term relationships.

Learn About the Statewide Program

Regional Steering Committee

RPD conference activities are collaboratively coordinated by a Regional Steering Committee comprised of rural nonprofit, government and business leaders, Community Resource Center, and local foundation staff.

For more information, please contact:

Nellie Stagg, Senior Program Director, at email hidden; JavaScript is required.