What Our Members Are Doing

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." 

 

The Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, started by Gary Community Ventures, helps Black and African American communities build a foundation of intergenerational wealth and financial well-being, primarily through home ownership. First-time Black and African American homebuyers in the Denver metro area can utilize up to $40,000 in down payment assistance. Since its soft launch in September 2021, the Dearfield Fund has provided down payment assistance to more than 40 homebuyers and plans to support another 500 homebuyers in the next five years.  Meet New Managing Director Aisha T. Weeks and watch Dearfield Fund’s new Johnson Family video that personalizes the meaning of home ownership.  

 

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