For years, leaders of local community groups in Commerce City had been organizing and advocating for change, yet funders often overlooked their innovative approaches and unique insights. In 1997, however, after receiving feedback from the community, The Denver Foundation extended an opportunity to partner with these groups.
This partnership led to the creation of Commerce City Community Enterprises (CCCE, now Cultivando), a group formed to harness local leadership and drive community-led solutions. Cultivando is an organization led by Latina and Indigenous women who live in the communities they serve. It cultivates the leadership of the Latino community to promote health equity through advocacy, collaboration, and social change.
Barriers for grassroots groups and communities
Prior to 1997, traditional philanthropy followed a familiar formula. Funding went to well-established nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and to organizations that had a history of managing significant grants. These organizations often provided services like food banks or shelters, where funders could identify a need and decide what solutions could address those needs with little input from local community members or the people who received these services.
This approach left little room for grassroots groups, especially in communities like Commerce City. These were areas outside Denver’s central philanthropy scene—geographically and in terms of perceived risk.
Listening that sparked change
In a 1996 survey by the National Committee on Responsive Philanthropy, community members voiced their skepticism towards The Denver Foundation and highlighted the disconnect between funders and the communities they claimed to support.
For The Denver Foundation, the feedback was a turning point. It became clear that in addition to the lack of funding, there was a lack of trust. Communities needed to be heard—and they needed funders to act differently.
The Strengthening Neighborhoods program was born out of this realization. The program would support community-led projects focusing on a community’s strengths and assets, rather than solely focusing on their needs and deficits. Strengthening Neighborhoods encouraged active participation from community members, allowing them to identify their own priorities and lead the initiatives.
Proving potential
Cultivando was the first Strengthening Neighborhood’s grantee — a newly formed community group that had not yet obtained its 501(3)(c) status. Instead of funding immediate services, the first grant funded an asset-based survey project, where the group focused on mapping the community’s strengths, elevating leaders, and listening to what residents wanted. These factors marked a significant departure from traditional funding at the time.
Cultivando quickly became a champion for other grassroot organizations, and a leader in community development. Some of its early accomplishments included its curbside recycling campaign and its community inclusiveness project. Cultivando’s continued partnership with The Denver Foundation, along with the success of other grantees and new requests from other community groups, gave The Denver Foundation the validation it needed to continue the Strengthening Neighborhoods program. Initially planned as a five-year initiative, The Denver Foundation decided to extend it to an ongoing program that still exists today.
David Portillo, the officer for Strengthening Neighborhoods, reflected on some of the program’s early lessons and shared, “If you look for leaders, you will find leaders. Strengthening Neighbors has helped to shift perceptions, showing how philanthropy and grassroots leaders could work together in ways that weren’t happening before.”
Growth in leadership and influence
What followed the launch of Cultivando was a cascade of transformation, both on an organizational and individual level. One of the many leaders who rose through Cultivando was Maria Zubia. Zubia is a health care professional with a passion for addressing issues affecting Latino families. She participated in the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program, representing Cultivando, and was a member of the first graduating class in 2002.
She went on to serve on The Denver Foundation’s board of trustees, the Adams 14 School District School Board, and the LatinasGive! giving circle, among many other leadership roles. Through these positions, she used her influence to further amplify her advocacy for marginalized communities. Over the years, Cultivando has also created meaningful change across the community. Its environmental justice advocacy led to successful litigation against Suncor, holding the corporation accountable for air pollution. It has grown from a small collective into a robust organization with a staff of more than 8, influencing policy change and implementation at the state level while nurturing future leaders through its own curriculum, “Cultivando Mi Liderazgo”. Leaders from Cultivando have gone on to establish other impactful organizations, like Adelante Community Development – a nonprofit organization serving Latino families and entrepreneurs.
The Strengthening Neighborhood’s staff and the program—they were always so invested in asking us about what we thought, what we were doing, and how.
- Maria Zubia, member and leader at Cultivando/CCCE
For the first 11 years, The Denver Foundation was Cultivando’s sole funder. Over time, Cultivando’s success attracted additional funders, establishing the community-led model as a trusted approach to driving change throughout Colorado. Today, The Denver Foundation has funded Cultivando for 27 years.
Transformational change
As The Denver Foundation celebrates its centennial, we reflect on our history and the valuable lessons we’ve learned—including that lasting progress comes from collaboration and truly listening to communities. Cultivando’s story highlights that when communities are given the tools, trust, and autonomy to build on their strengths, they lead the way in creating transformational change. As we look to the next 100 years, we remain committed to building partnerships that amplify community voices and drive sustainable, inclusive progress.
Strengthening Neighborhoods Endowment Fund
Join us in continuing this legacy of trust and innovation. By supporting the Strengthening Neighborhoods Endowment Fund, you’re helping ensure residents, and grassroots organizations like Cultivando will be equipped to develop their own solutions to unique local issues forever.
