What We Fund through Grantmaking

Our funding focuses on populations whose health needs are not being met due to income, age, race, ethnicity, geography or other barriers.

We evaluate grant applications that fit within or across our 10 priority areas.

Each funding opportunity or program offers criteria about eligibility and applicant deadlines.

Typically, we consider grants for project, general operating support and capacity building. On occasion, we also consider requests for capital funding if the proposed efforts have a demonstrable link to our priority areas. In each case, funding opportunity or program criteria guide specifically what will be funded and in general we define these areas as follows:

  • Project: specific sets of activities carried out over a defined period of time
  • General operating support: support for an organization's day-to-day expenses to enable it to carry out its mission
  • Capacity building: strengthening an organization by enhancing financing, governance, planning and other business capabilities
  • Capital: improving an organization's facilities or infrastructure

Who can apply?

Generally, we make grants to the following types of organizations:

  • Colorado organizations classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3)
  • Colorado public agencies, including state and local governments

New or emerging organizations without 501(c)(3) status are permitted to apply through a tax-exempt organization acting as fiscal sponsor. The fiscal sponsor must maintain full discretion and control over any awarded grant funds and should have the organizational capacity to manage and accept the risks involved with fiscal sponsorship. Additionally, the project must be aligned with the fiscal sponsor’s charitable mission, and the fiscal sponsor’s Board must approve of the project as furthering the sponsor’s charitable mission prior to applying for a grant to the Colorado Health Foundation. Please download the Foundation's fiscal sponsor policy and sample memorandum of understanding (MOU). If you have any questions about your organization's eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact us at 303-953-3600 and ask to speak with our grantmaking department.

Note: If a public support test requirement to retain public charity status applies to your organization, as a public charity grantee of the Colorado Health Foundation, it is essential that you ensure the grant your organization receives will not cause it to lose its status as a publicly supported charity.

What We Don't Fund through Grantmaking

We do not award grants to organizations that willfully discriminate against a particular class of individuals. To be eligible for funding organizations must abide by all applicable local, state, and federal anti-discrimination laws in hiring, employment practices and when providing services.

Generally, the Foundation does not make grants to or for the following:

  • Individuals
  • Programs that require membership in a certain religion or advance a particular religious faith (faith-based organizations may be eligible for funding if they welcome and serve all members of the community regardless of religious faith, and provided that they do not require participation in activities that are specifically religious)
  • For-profit organizations or programs operated by, or for the benefit of, for-profit organizations
  • Debt retirement
  • Fundraising events
  • Endowments

Questions?

Please contact our Grantmaking Operations department at 303.953.3600.

Ready to Apply?

Press enter / return on your keyboard to search