Philanthropy Colorado members are increasingly working to advance racial equity through their grantmaking, investments and initiatives. Here are a few examples:
Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund is the first Black-focused community fund established in Colorado, explicitly providing financial resources and support to Black-led and serving organizations in the seven county Metro Denver area. Since 2020, BRIC has distributed more than $2 million to Colorado Black-led nonprofits. Read more in their new Impacting & Empowering Communities 2020 – 2021 Impact Report
The Women's Foundation of Colorado has two statewide grantmaking programs that further our goal of gender, racial and economic equity. Our Women and Girls of Color Fund is a community-developed, community-led field of interest fund dedicated to investing in and partnering with organizations led by women, girls and nonbinary people of color. Our WINcome program works with direct-service and public policy
organizations to help women and their families meet basic needs and pursue
economic opportunity. It includes distributing flexible cash assistance to women through
direct-service providers.
The Pikes Peak Fund for Racial Equity has joined other community funds of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation, raising equity to the same level as funds for arts and conservation. The Fund for Racial Equity signals the community foundation's growing commitment to making a difference on this issue and will "harness the power of collective generosity in the Pikes Peak region to lower funding barriers for organizations serving and led by communities of color."
organizations to help women and their families meet basic needs and pursue
economic opportunity. It includes distributing flexible cash assistance to women through
direct-service providers.
The Pikes Peak Fund for Racial Equity has joined other community funds of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation, raising equity to the same level as funds for arts and conservation. The Fund for Racial Equity signals the community foundation's growing commitment to making a difference on this issue and will "harness the power of collective generosity in the Pikes Peak region to lower funding barriers for organizations serving and led by communities of color."
The Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, which is incubated at Gary Community Ventures, is an impact fund that seeks to close the racial wealth gap by investing in Black and African American first-time homebuyers in the form of down-payment assistance. Eligible homebuyers in the Denver metro area can utilize up to $40,000 in down-payment assistance, which is repaid along with 5% of their home’s appreciation at the time that they sell, refinance or transfer their home or when it is no longer than primary residence. Since launching in July 2021, the Dearfield Fund has provided $5.7 million+ in down-payment assistance to more than 150 homeowners. The Dearfield Fund is currently developing a wraparound support program and a wealth playbook for new homeowners, and the Fund is exploring opportunities to scale and replicate. Read and watch the Dearfield’s Fund’s 2023 Impact Report to meet several homeowners and the people working behind the scenes. To contact to Dearfield Fund, email info@dearfieldfund.com.
Rose Community Foundation has published a giving guide that provides information about the organizations it has supported that are addressing systemic inequities for BIPOC communities, with a particular focus on lifting up the Black community in Denver.You can find more information here: Racial Justice and Equity Giving Guide.
"The Colorado Health Foundation has been committed, since 2015, to becoming a diverse, inclusive and equity-centered organization. The Foundation’s staff work every day with the intent of creating health equity for all Coloradans, especially those for whom health is furthest from reach due to avoidable, unfair or systemically caused differences. That means we prioritize communities of color in all that we do, and intend to disrupt racist systems and structures by pursuing racial justice as a key pathway to achieve health equity."
United Way of Larimer County is promoting racial equity through its Culture of Equity Cohort Program. The Equity & Excellence cohort of grassroots organizations serving and led by communities of color is building grant readiness through shared learning and 1:1 consulting. The Culture of Equity cohort of larger, white-led nonprofits pursues a parallel efforts to improve the cultural relevance of programs and cultural competency of staff.
MEMBER TESTIMONIAL
"Caring for Colorado Foundation asks our grantee partners to collaborate with others, to stay informed about best practices in their fields, and engage in continuous quality improvement. As funders, we have the same expectations for ourselves. Philanthropy Colorado's member services, peer networks and learning activities help ensure we adopt best practices, measure our progress, and identify opportunities for collaboration with our colleagues."
-- Melanie Bravo (she/her), Vice President of Philanthropy, Caring for Colorado Foundation