Foundations that fund environmental groups in Colorado
These 25 foundations made grants to environmental groups in Colorado in the most recent IRS filing I have for each. None of them ticked the box for giving only to preselected organizations, and each filing gives application instructions or a website. That doesn't prove a foundation takes applications, and some on this list may not. The text below is copied from the filings, most of them for tax year 2024, so check a foundation's website or call before you apply.
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Gates Family Foundation
- $200,000 to Western Landowners Alliance, Denver: Project support
- $125,000 to Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, Golden: Operating
- $100,000 to Montezuma Land Conservancy, Cortez: Project support
How to apply: Capital grant applicants should use the common grant application available on the foundation's website: www.gatesfamilyfoundation.org. Please reference our website for more information about our initiated grant making.
Deadlines: Proposal deadlines: march 15 and september 15.
Restrictions: The foundation supports capital projects, which are typically building purchase, construction, expansion, renovation, and/or land acquisition, as well as other forms of initiated grant making for capital, program, operating and other...
The New-Land Foundation Inc
- $30,000 to Ecoflight, Aspen: Environment
- $30,000 to Energy and Conservation Law, Durango: Environment
- $30,000 to Western Mining Action Project, Lyons: Environment
How to apply: All grant applications must include: - completed application form - narrative proposal (5 pages or less) - list of board and executive staff members - budget of organization and project, including sources and amounts of support obtained - federal tax exemption ruling - annual...
Deadlines: To be considered at a board meeting, a completed proposal must be submitted by march/august 1st.
Restrictions: All grant application materials should be sent by email to the email address included on the application form. You will receive a confirmation that the application has been received. The new-land foundation receives many more applications...
The Colorado Health Foundation
- $170,000 to Montezuma Land Conservancy, Cortez: Community solutions
- $107,500 to The Small Town Project, Rocky Ford: Thriving young people; general donation to support organization or program
- $50,000 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Longmont: Thriving young people
How to apply: The online application can be found at www.coloradohealth.org. Online application to include organization's financial statements for most recent 12 months, and fiscal sponsor agreement and financials if using a fiscal sponsor to apply.
Deadlines: Grant application deadlines: february 15, june 15, and october 15.
Restrictions: Types of organizations funded: colorado organizations classified as tax-exempt under irs revenue code 501(c)(3); colorado public agencies, including state and local governments. Grant applications are considered for funding if they align...
The Schmidt Family Foundation
- $275,000 to High Country News, Paonia: Capacity building, supporting indigenous communities' land stewardship,...
- $250,000 to Natural Capitalism Solutions Inc, Longmont: Encouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels
- $156,962 to Global Greengrants Fund Inc, Boulder: Advancing sustainable agriculture in africa
How to apply: Online process, please see details at the websites: https://tsffoundation.org/ https://www.schmidtmarine.org/
Deadlines: Online process, please see details at: https://tsffoundation.org/. Https://www.schmidtmarine.org/
Restrictions: Online process, please see details at the websites: https://tsffoundation.org/ https://www.schmidtmarine.org/
Wells Fargo Foundation
- $80,000 to Triple Bottom Line Foundation, Lakewood: Energy programs
- $50,000 to Alliance for Collective Action, Denver: Environmental programming
- $25,000 to River Network, Boulder: Environmental programming
How to apply: https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate-responsibility/community-giving/grant-process/
Deadlines: Applications are accepted from february 1 through october 1.
Restrictions: https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate-responsibility/community-giving/grant-process/
Kettering Family Foundation
- $50,000 to Yampa Valley Sustainability Council, Steamboat Springs: Yampa valley sustainability council internship program
- $40,000 to Yampatika Outdoor Awareness Association, Steamboat Springs: Growing environmental education for all youth in northwest colorado
- $27,000 to Colorado Water Trust, Denver: Collaborative solutions to restore colorado's yampa river
How to apply: Applicants must complete the request summary on the foundation's website: www.ketteringfamilyphilanthropies.org. If there is sufficient trustee interest an expanded proposal will be requested. Proposals are required to be submitted electronically according to directions...
Deadlines: Proposal deadlines are january 31 and july 31 of each year.
Restrictions: Restrictions may apply - see the foundation's website for further information.
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F
- $10,000 to Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, Ft Collins: Charitable
- $7,000 to Kiva Center, Boulder: Charitable
- $4,000 to Ecoflight, Aspen: Charitable
How to apply: Four copies of foundation forms, narrative with purpose, program, other funding sources, and institution report.
Deadlines: May 1
Restrictions: Generally none, although grants are not awarded to individuals.
Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation
- $150,000 to Confluence Center of Colorado Inc, Grand Junction: Capital for stream preschool, to be
- $150,000 to Wild Bear Nature Center, Nederland: Capital for the early childhood prog
- $10,000 to The Trust for Land Restoration, Ridgway: General operating support
How to apply: Applications must be submitted through our online grantee portal supported by giving data by 5:00 pm on the deadline date. Grant seekers are encouraged to call one of the foundation's program officers prior to submitting an application.
Deadlines: Thursday, january 15, 2026; friday, may 1, 2026; tuesday, september 1, 2026
Restrictions: The foundation funds early childhood development, and initiatives and special projects. Organizations are limited to one grant request in any 12- month period.
Arie and Ida Crown Memorial
- $175,000 to Coalitions and Collaboratives Inc, Denver: General operating
- $100,000 to Peaks To People Water Fund, Fort Collins: General operating
- $5,000 to Eagle Valley Land Trust, Edwards: General operating
How to apply: Visit https://www.crownfamilyphilanthropies.org to apply online
Deadlines: Visit https://www.crownfamilyphilanthropies.org for more information
Restrictions: Visit https://www.crownfamilyphilanthropies.org for more information
The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment Inc
- $60,000 to River Network, Boulder: Chesapeake office
- $5,000 to River Network, Boulder: Chesapeake bay executive director cohort
- $5,000 to Conservation Lands Foundation, Durango: General support
How to apply: Refer to the foundation's website, www.campbellfoundation.org, for guidance.
Deadlines: Ongoing
Restrictions: Refer to the foundation's website, www.campbellfoundation.org, for guidance.
Hillman Family Foundations
- $20,000 to Boulder Watershed Collective, Boulder: Wildfire resilience and adaptive management in gold hill
- $20,000 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Longmont: Northern colorado fire restoration and mitigation
- $12,500 to Growing Gardens, Boulder: Promoting food access and education for historically marginalized communities in longmont
How to apply: Requests should be sumbitted via the hillman family foundation online portal. The application process begins with the submission of a brief letter of intent (loi) through the fluxx grant portal summarizing the project for which the organization is seeking funding. Included as...
Deadlines: No deadline.
Restrictions: Each applicant must present evidence of a charitable, tax-exempt status. Further, each applicant must provide information clearly indicating that any contribution made to it by the hillman family foundations, will be considered a...
Dun Foundation
- $5,000 to Eagle Valley Land Trust, Edwards: Public charity
- $1,000 to Protect Our Winters, Boulder: Public charity
- $1,000 to Eagle River Watershed Council, Gypsum: Public charity
How to apply: No grants to charities have been made; only direct contributions.
Deadlines: No grants to charities have been made; only direct contributions.
Restrictions: No grants to charities have been made; only direct contributions.
The Joseph Henry Edmondson Foundation
- $5,000 to Richards Rubbish Roundup, Colorado Springs: General Operating Support
- $1,000 to Colorado Native Plant Society, Denver: General Operating Support
- $1,000 to Friends of Monument Valley Park, Colorado Springs: General Operating Support
How to apply: For details regarding the application process, please see the foundation's website at: www.jhedmondson.org
Fidelity Foundation
- $300,000 to Denver Urban Gardens, Denver: Technology & equipment
- $200,000 to Garden of the Gods Foundation, Colorado Springs: Renovation
How to apply: Https://www.fidelityfoundation.org/applying-and-reporting/letter-of-inquiry/
Restrictions: Http://www.fidelityfoundation.org/grantmaking-guidelines/
Fairfax Foundation
- $215,000 to Trees Water & People, Fort Collins: General
- $50,000 to The Kiva Center, Boulder: General
How to apply: Grant requests should include an exemption letter supporting the exempt status and intended use of funds.
Deadlines: Applications are accepted at any time. Response can be expected within two months.
Restrictions: Grants made only to recognized charitable organizations. No restrictions based on location, charitable field or institution.
The Kresge Foundation
- $145,000 to River Network, Boulder: Project support grant to expand and deepen the engagement of community-based...
- $100,000 to Greenlatinos, Boulder: Project support grant to expand the impact and effectiveness of climate justice framework...
How to apply: See www.kresge.org or email grantsmanagement@kresge.org
Deadlines: See www.kresge.org or email grantsmanagement@kresge.org
Restrictions: See www.kresge.org or email grantsmanagement@kresge.org
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc
- $200,000 to Greenlatinos, Boulder: To provide general operating support for the america the beautiful for all coalition and...
- $35,000 to Colorado Open Lands, Lakewood: To support conservation efforts for the northwest (craig) or southern (pueblo) regions
How to apply: See part xiv, grants process statement
Deadlines: See part xiv, grants process statement
Restrictions: See part xiv, grants process statement
Park Foundation Inc
- $125,000 to Environment America Research and Policy Center Inc, Denver: Project support
- $75,000 to River Network, Boulder: Project support
How to apply: Written request identifying organzation and purpose of funds
Deadlines: Quarterly deadlines - vary year to year date is first friday of every quarter
Nextfifty Initiative
- $150,000 to Healthy Air and Water Colorado, Denver: General support
- $30,000 to Small Town Project, Rocky Ford: General support
How to apply: Please see to www.next50foundation.org for details.
Deadlines: Nextfifty initiative will have two grant application cycles.
Restrictions: Please see to www.next50foundation.org for details
Wilburforce Foundation C/O Lisa Weinstein
- $120,000 to Conservation Lands Foundation, Durango: Environmental - growing an inclusive and equitable community-based conservation movement...
- $45,000 to Western Mining Action Project, Lyons: Environmental - general support 2024
How to apply: See foundation's website at wilburforce.org for grant guidelines
Deadlines: See foundation's website at wilburforce.org for grant guidelines
Restrictions: See foundation's website at wilburforce.org for grant guidelines
Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc
- $60,000 to Natural Capitalism Solutions Inc, Longmont: For its presidential climate action project
- $50,000 to Green Corps Inc, Denver: For general support
Arcus Foundation
- $100,000 to Global Greengrants Fund Inc, Boulder: Support for the agroecology funds agroecology initiative for rights-based, locally led...
- $9,500 to Global Greengrants Fund Inc, Boulder: 2024 agroecology fund membership support
How to apply: Statement 24
Deadlines: Statement 24
Restrictions: Statement 24
Cs Fund
- $52,500 to Global Greengrants Fund, Boulder: Agroecology fund
- $31,500 to Global Greengrants Fund, Boulder: Agroecology fund
Marshall L and Perrine D Mccune Charitable Foundation Inc
- $35,000 to San Juan Citizens Alliance, Durango: General operating support
- $35,000 to Trees Water & People, Fort Collins: General operating support
How to apply: See statements
Deadlines: See statements
Restrictions: See statements
Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation
- $50,000 to Yampa Valley Sustainability Council, Steamboat Springs: Unrestricted
- $10,000 to Community Twine Recycling, Fort Collins: Unrestricted
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