Belonging Colorado, a special fund at The Denver Foundation, is thrilled to announce $4.5 million in two-year implementation grants for the first Belonging Colorado cohort. The 15 organizations selected will bring their unique and innovative programs to life, connecting people across divides, addressing shared challenges, and cultivating a stronger, more inclusive sense of belonging throughout the state.
“We are inspired and honored to partner with these organizations doing such meaningful work.”
- Erika Montes, Belonging Colorado program lead at The Denver Foundation
These projects represent a wide range of nonprofits, community-based organizations, and local governments, each playing a role in bridging gaps between communities. From fostering intergenerational connections to uniting diverse cultural and ethnic groups, these organizations are making an impact that will create lasting, positive change and strengthen the fabric of our communities.
“We are inspired and honored to partner with these organizations doing such meaningful work,” says Erika Montes, Belonging Colorado program lead. “These projects are not only innovative—they are essential to creating the kind of connected, inclusive communites we all strive for. We are excited to see how their work will continue to bridge divides and foster belonging in our state.”
Visit the Belonging Colorado website to learn more.
Grant award recipients & project overviews
Organization | Description | Geography |
The African Leadership Group will unite African immigrants and African Americans in Colorado to foster collaboration, promote dialogue, and create shared opportunities for growth, with a focus on community engagement and youth empowerment. | Denver Metro | |
The Village on San Juan project aims to create a supportive, intergenerational housing community for young adults (18-24) who have experienced childhood trauma and seniors (62+) facing homelessness or significant behavioral health needs. | Montrose | |
The "We Are Chaffee’s Future" project aims to bridge the generational and cultural divides in Chaffee County by creating meaningful intergenerational experiences that foster understanding and connection between youth and older adults through storytelling, advocacy, and civil discourse. | Chaffee County | |
The Steamboat Springs Housing Initiative aims to address the city's housing affordability crisis by developing affordable housing solutions for low- and middle-income households. It will support economic health, and improves quality of life through community input and align with the city's 2024 Strategic Plan. | Steamboat Springs | |
Commún’s project aims to unite Southwest Denver’s residents, primarily Spanish, Arabic, English, and Vietnamese-speaking adults, by fostering cultural, linguistic, and generational connections through leadership, mutual aid, and a focus on belonging, equity, and combating gentrification. | Denver Metro | |
The EVCF and Mountain Pride Collaborative project aims to foster understanding and respect across cultural, racial, and socioeconomic divides in Eagle County. It will engage the Latino/a, LGBTQ+, and broader community through cultural exchange, and activities like cooking classes, storytelling, and potlucks to promote dialogue and collaboration. | Eagle County | |
Fort Lewis College is launching an initiative centered around the Cartographies of Belonging exhibition. It will foster reconciliation, belonging, and dialogue across diverse perspectives, particularly focusing on Indigenous peoples' relationships to land and cultural heritage while engaging students, faculty, and local communities in meaningful conversations about shared understanding and healing. | Durango | |
Homies Unidos Denver aims to foster unity among youth in Denver through gang prevention, cultural empowerment, and peer mentorship, offering a safe space for personal growth and shared experiences via skill-building workshops and virtual reality cultural exchange. | Denver Metro | |
Iliff School of Theology is launching a project to promote healing and belonging in Colorado by facilitating dialogue-based initiatives that address racial, political, and religious divides, fostering mutual understanding and reconciliation through community-driven conversations that honor diverse identities. | Denver Metro | |
Museo de las Americas project is a language exchange program that fosters belonging and cultural understanding among Denver’s immigrant and local communities. It will combine language learning with collaborative art workshops and community projects celebrating diverse cultural legacies. | Denver Metro | |
Southeastern Developmental Services, Inc. is launching a community garden initiative to promote inclusion, address food insecurity, and create employment opportunities by bringing together individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and local community members through multigenerational programming. | Lamar | |
TEENS, Inc. is launching a pilot program to bridge divides between urban and rural youth through outdoor leadership and team-building activities. It will support 7th–9th grade youth through a curriculum that includes outdoor recreation, skill-building, and leadership opportunities, while fostering belonging, confidence, and community. | Nederland | |
The Pueblo Food Project is launching an initiative to bridge connections between youth and seniors, and families and the unhoused community, in Pueblo. Through cooking, gardening, and food skills workshops, it will foster relationships, improve mental health, and address food insecurity while celebrating the region's unique food culture. | Pueblo | |
The Outdoor Unidad project, a partnership between ViVe Wellness and the Colorado Mountain Club, aims to connect immigrants to the broader community through outdoor recreation. | Denver Metro |
