Past Events

Panelists

• Matt West, Poudre River Public Library District
• Claire Bouchard, United Way of Larimer County
• Ella Fahrlander, Community Foundation of Northern Colorado

Funding

• United Way of Larimer County

• • Website – https://uwaylc.org/ 
  • Contact – Claire Bouchard, Vice President of Community Impact, email hidden; JavaScript is required,
  • Description – Community needs change over time, which is why the United Way of Larimer County encourages nimble and innovative human services. Right now, through United Way, you can benefit our community in four ways:
    • EDUCATION: You can help our kids learn. Through United Way of Larimer County, our local preschoolers are better prepared for school, and local students are better prepared to enter the workforce. Education is the best way to ensure a strong economy and a vibrant community.
    • FINANCIAL STABILITY: You can help your neighbors in need. Through United Way of Larimer County, local citizens can better navigate challenging times and get on the road to self-sufficiency. Financial stability is the best way to decrease the need for future social services. 
    • COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: You can help inspire more civic participation. To get more people involved, United Way of Larimer County recruits and engages volunteers, encourages collaboration, creates a pipeline of civic leaders, and engages community employers. The most successful communities demonstrate high levels of community engagement.
    • NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE: You can help our nonprofit organizations be as efficient and effective as possible. Through United Way of Larimer County, our local nonprofits benefit from professional development, shared services, outcome evaluation, and more. Excellent nonprofits are vital to creating and maintaining a resilient community.
  • Grants – https://uwaylc.org/Grant-Process 
    • Applications that are currently open until June 2021:
      • Innovation Grants
        • https://uwaylc.smapply.io/prog/innovation_grant/ 
      • Nonprofit Excellence Grants
        • https://uwaylc.smapply.io/prog/nonprofit_excellence_grant/ 
  • Volunteer Resource Center – https://www.nocovolunteers.org/agency-on-boarding/ 
    • For Larimer County nonprofit agencies to register and post volunteer opportunities

• Community Foundation of Northern Colorado

• • Website – https://nocofoundation.org/ 
  • Contact – Ella Fahrlander, Chief Engagement Officer, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – The Community Foundation offers monetary support to nonprofits and charitable projects through grant and project distributions. We carry out the wishes of our donors by investing in the vision, passion, and expertise of impactful organizations.
  • Grants – https://nocofoundation.org/nonprofits/grants/ 
  • Nonprofit Loan Program – https://nocofoundation.org/nonprofits/nonprofit-loan-program/ 

• City Of Fort Collins Small Business and Nonprofit Assistance Program

• • Website – https://www.fcgov.com/business/small-business-assistance-program 
  • Contact – 
    • Josh Birks, email hidden; JavaScript is required
    • SeonAh Kendall, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – The City of Fort Collins is launching a financial assistance program through CARES Act funds to provide relief to businesses in the amount of up to $7,500. The City is distributing a total of $1.6M to businesses and nonprofits through the program by the end of the year. This assistance will not have to be repaid. The application will be available starting Tuesday, September 8th and close on Wednesday, September 23rd.

• Chinook Fund

• • Website – https://chinookfund.org/
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • 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 September 21st)
  • 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.

• Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Colorado

• • Website – https://cdola.colorado.gov/
  • Contact – Tamra Norton, Director of Financial Assistance, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Link to Fund Development Roundtable Recording
  • From Padlet – 
    • DOLA is aware of the need for child-care support in rural communities. They could help fund physical facilities through local municipalities and could also help fund facilities for homeless/domestic violence shelters
    • DOLA is a pass through agent for CARES act funding. These funds support nonprofits in their direct relief work.

• Buell Foundation

• • Website – https://buellfoundation.org/ 
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Link to Fund Development Roundtable Recording
  • Description – At the Buell Foundation, we invest in Colorado’s future every day. We do this by demanding quality – of our grantees, of the early childhood system, of ourselves. We partner with programs and organizations to ensure that there is a quality system in place that allows all children to be valued, healthy, and thriving. Our strategy includes funding in two primary areas of interest: early childhood education and development and teen pregnancy prevention.
  • Grants – https://buellfoundation.org/our-grantmaking/overview/ 
    • Application deadlines: Tuesday, September 1, 2020; Friday, January 15, 2021; Monday, May 3, 2021; Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Resources

• The Poudre River Public Library District

• • Website – https://www.poudrelibraries.org/ 
  • Contact – Matt West, Business Librarian, Poudre River Public Library District email hidden; JavaScript is required, linkedin.com/in/matthew-west-colorado
  • Support for local nonprofits include: 
    • No Charge Assistance
    • Industry Research
    • Data Analytics
    • Competitor Research
    • 1:1 Business Help 
  • Nonprofit Resources – https://read.poudrelibraries.org/nonprofits/
  • Business Resources – https://read.poudrelibraries.org/adult/business/ 
  • From Padlet –
    • The Poudre Library District has bilingual services that would like to connect to Spanish speaking businesses and nonprofits.

• Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center

• • Website – https://www.epnonprofit.org/ 
  • Contact – Alison Rivers, Program and Development Coordinator, email hidden; JavaScript is required 
  • Description – The Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center’s (EPNRC) mission is to provide tools that support, connect, and inspire community nonprofits.  The values of the EPNRC are capacity building, community and collaboration. 
  • Funding Opportunities by Month – https://www.epnonprofit.org/fundingbymonth.html 

• Boys and Girls Club of Larimer County

• • Website – https://www.begreatlarimer.org/ 
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County (BGCLC) has a vision to provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living healthy lifestyles.
  • Emergency childcare for essential workers – https://www.begreatlarimer.org/blog/boys-girls-clubs-of-larimer-county-open-emergency-childcare-for-healthcare-professionals-and-first-responders/ 

• YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center

• • Website – https://ymcarockies.org/ 
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – YMCA of the Rockies puts Christian principles into practice through programs, staff and facilities in an environment that builds healthy spirit, mind and body for all. We will accomplish this by serving conferences of a religious, educational, or recreational nature; providing unifying experiences for families; offering traditional summer camping experiences for boys and girls; and serving our staff with leadership opportunities and productive work experiences.
  • Scholarships, including for child care – https://donate.ymcarockies.org/donate/annual-giving/scholarships/ 

• Community Resource Center, Colorado Grants Guide

• • Website – https://crcamerica.org/resources/colorado-grants-guide/ 
  • Contact –  Toddy Walters, Membership & Volunteer Coordinator, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – Colorado foundations have responded to the COVID-19 crisis and the Colorado Grants Guide® has timely information on emergency and recovery grant funding. This grant funding tool will help you save time and find funding to support your critical work. The Colorado Grants Guide® is Colorado’s leading online tool for grant funding research. This comprehensive resource guide contains over 650+ profiles of local foundations and trusts, corporations, national funders, and government agencies that support Colorado nonprofit organizations. The searchable database allows grantseekers to research funders and provides critical information like giving interests, application criteria, guidelines, deadlines, and past grantee information.

• Community Resource Center, Common Grant Application User’s Guide

• • Website – https://crcamerica.org/resources/common-grant-forms/common-grant-application/
  • Contact – Toddy Walters, Membership & Volunteer Coordinator, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – The User’s Guide combines the collective thoughts and experience of grantmakers, grantseekers, and technical assistance providers to explain the intent of each question, to offer tips on crafting a well-rounded answer, and to provide an easily accessible source of help for people writing a grant application. The User’s Guide is not a replacement for a discussion with a specific foundation about your proposal.
  • User’s Guide – https://crcamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/CGA_Users_Guide_Revised_6-2010.pdf

• Colorado State University, Resources for Grantseeking

• • Resources for Grantseeking – https://www.research.colostate.edu/rao/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2018/10/CSU-Grant-Resources-Overview-8.11.2017.pdf

• Colorado State University Child Trauma and Resilience Assessment Center

• • Website – https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/ctrac 
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – The Child Trauma and Resilience Assessment Center provides resilience-based trauma assessments and offers recommendations that focus on helping youth and families recognize, understand, and value their own strengths in responding to and healing from trauma. We also offer training and consultation to professionals serving children impacted by trauma, as well as training for Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate students.
  • Resources – https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/ctrac/resources/ 

• Colorado State University Office of the Vice President for Diversity

• • Website – https://diversity.colostate.edu/ 
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – Through community collaboration, we provide leadership, accountability, and education to advance an inclusive university culture that prioritizes equity at individual, organizational, and structural levels.

• City of Fort Collins Social Sustainability, Equity Resources

• • Website – https://www.fcgov.com/socialsustainability/equity 
  • Contact – Janet Freeman, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – As outlined in the City’s Social Sustainability strategic plan, equity and inclusion are frameworks to accomplish the City’s goals of sustaining an environment where residents and visitors feel welcomed, safe and valued in the community. We consider an equitable community to be one where a person’s identity or identities–or what zip code they live in–does not negatively impact their ability to thrive. Because local government is uniquely poised to help dismantle the institutional and systemic impacts of racism and oppression, the City of Fort Collins seeks to proactively address barriers that perpetuate inequity.

• The Conflict Center

• • Website – https://conflictcenter.org/ 
  • Contact – email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – The Conflict Center is a Denver-based nonprofit that works to prevent violence by teaching communication and conflict management skills to youth and adults, and encourages the use of restorative practices in schools to prevent suspensions and expulsions.

• Energy Resource Center

• • Website – https://www.erc-co.org/ 
  • Contact – https://www.erc-co.org/contact/
  • Description – Energy Resource Center is a non-profit construction company assisting income-qualified families through energy efficiency improvements. Work completed includes insulation, HVAC, hot water heaters, lighting, appliances, air sealing and more. These efforts save money on energy bills, reduce demand on natural resources by cutting energy waste, assist with the affordable housing crisis, and create a safe environment in which Colorado residents can thrive.
  • Free energy efficient upgrades for low-income residents – https://www.erc-co.org/free-weatherization/ 
  • From Padlet – services include furnace replacements, energy conservation resources, weatherization assistance.

• Loveland Housing Authority

• • Website – https://lovelandhousing.org/ 
  • Contact – Lori Kempter, Executive Director Aspire 3D, email hidden; JavaScript is required
  • Description – Loveland Housing Authority provides low and moderate income residents of Loveland with opportunities for home and community through housing.

• Be The Gift

• • Website – https://www.bethegift.com/ 
  • Contact – https://www.bethegift.com/contact/
  • Description – Be the Gift is a local nonprofit in Colorado that believes some of the greatest heroes of our time are single moms who give their lives to raise their children and provide for them. With their limited income and all their time poured into their kids, single moms sometimes struggle to maintain and repair their home. Be the Gift’s team of project managers and volunteers work together to provide home repairs for single moms as a gift. We give them a safer, healthier and more functioning home in which to raise their children.

Crowdsourced Ideas and Advice on Collaboration

• Need to pick up the phone! Relationships so critical in our work, now more than ever. Can’t be in-person as much, pick up the phone and call partners, or potential partners. Ask questions and share what you have.
• Use shared language between similar organizations.
• Sharing costs of HR specialist as a consultant with several other nonprofits – this could also help reduce staff turnover. Shared fundraising and marketing services.

Crowdsourced Ideas of How to Support Leaders of Color and Racial Justice Work

• Join local book clubs, including ones offered through the library.
• Stepping up and learning – so many opportunities for education/conversation.
• Bringing together folks who might not agree – the Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnershipis collaborating with the Estes Valley Library to offer Conflict Resolution Month programming, including on having hard conversations Register for any  program in the series (at www.estesvalleylibrary.org/crm2020), and receive info on how to collect a free copy of this year’s featured title,’We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter,’ by Celeste Headlee.
• Be willing to have uncomfortable conversations.
• Addressing the polarization experienced in the community – created a safe space campaign and facilitated hard conversations.
• Providing education and outreach opportunities to make folks aware that you serve all, especially important for crisis services. 
• Community resiliency committee in Estes Park has emerged recently, consider joining or starting a local racial equity committee.
• Ensure staff is diverse and representative of the community. Hire bilingual employees – increases reach and accessibility of your services.
• Elevate voices of clients, students, and families instead of speaking for them, speak with them.
• Develop more deep opportunities for student engagement in your work and program planning.
• Review hiring practices and policies, and work to reduce bias and increase equity in hiring decisions.
• Include DEI questions as a part of your interview process and work to holistically incorporate equity into your hiring decisions.
• Take a hard look at the racial demographics of your organization and ask hard questions.
• Recruit and support new leaders with diverse experiences.
• Set up organizational structure to support BIPOC employees – create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive.
• Seek out training opportunities for staff and board members on DEI.
• Have an internal group look at DEI within your organization.
• Push funders to create new funding processes to allow equal access to awards.
• Funders can demonstrate leadership by doing their own work internally and fund nonprofits to do internal DEI work.
• Fund organizations that  are led by people of color and focus on holistic needs.
• Involve everyone in efforts, have connectors, build good relationships.
• Grow comfortable with being uncomfortable.