Belonging Colorado, a special fund at The Denver Foundation, is excited to announce the organizations selected to join the inaugural Belonging Colorado Cohort. Belonging Colorado is a new effort to bring people together in new ways, grow resilience in our state, and expand Coloradans’ sense of who belongs.
The inaugural Belonging Colorado Cohort supports 15 organizations across Colorado, representing a diverse set of nonprofits, community-based organizations, and local governments. These organizations will develop innovative programs that bring people together across lines of difference to address shared challenges, connect on shared interests, and/or deepen community relationships and heal divides.
“The organizations chosen for this inaugural cohort represent an exciting array of ideas and communities dedicated to building connections across lines of difference.”
- Dr. Janet Lopez, Senior Director of Policy, Partnerships, and Learning at The Denver Foundation
“We were thrilled to see such a high level of interest in this grant opportunity and the wide range of perspectives, experiences, and innovative approaches represented in the applications. The selection process was incredibly competitive,” said Dr. Janet Lopez, Senior Director of Policy, Partnerships, and Learning at The Denver Foundation
Belonging Colorado accepted these 15 organizations into the cohort following a thorough review of more than 330 applications.
A complete list is below.
The full cohort will now participate in an eight-week training to learn more about the science and practice of bridging differences, led by the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC), Belonging Colorado’s implementation partner. The GGSC will offer research-based strategies to help the organizations strengthen their program ideas.
Each organization will receive a $15,000 grant to support their participation in the training; upon completing the training, they will be invited to apply for a two-year grant to implement their program in 2025 and 2026. Funded projects will receive ongoing technical assistance from the GGSC during implementation to maximize their effectiveness.
“It is truly an honor for the Greater Good Science Center to provide ongoing support to these 15 exceptional organizations in the Belonging Colorado Cohort,” said Juliana Tafur, the GGSC’s Bridging Differences program director. “We can’t wait to see them put the science of belonging and bridge-building into action in innovative ways, with programs that will benefit communities across Colorado.”
At the end of the two and a half years, the Belonging Colorado Cohort will have seeded innovative approaches to building connections across lines of difference. Belonging Colorado hopes to highlight these “bright spots” as examples of how organizations and communities can tackle divisions and be agents for belonging, laying the groundwork for even greater belonging activity in our state.
Visit the The Denver Foundation website to learn more.
Organization | Description | Geography |
Effort to bridge African immigrants with African Americans in Denver metro | Denver metro | |
Effort to bridge young adults aged 18-24 formerly in foster care and seniors who share housing in Montrose | Montrose | |
Effort to bring together community partners and community members across generational differences, find commonalities, and create a shared vision for Chaffee’s future | Chaffee County | |
Effort to bridge differences among residents as foundational work to tackle a divisive affordable housing problem | Steamboat Springs | |
Effort to connect a gentrifying and diverse community and create a sense of belonging | Denver metro | |
Effort to bridge Eagle County residents including new immigrants through cooking classes, storytelling, and cultural exchange | Eagle County | |
Effort to bridge divides between tribal and native individuals and other residents through an exhibit and on-campus center to engage the community | Durango | |
Efforts to build connections between newly arrived migrants from Venezuela and Denver resident youth | Denver metro | |
Effort to engage a broader network of diverse faith leaders and bridge differences within the group | Denver metro | |
Effort to bring together newcomers and long-term residents in the neighborhood through community art projects | Denver metro | |
Effort to launch a community garden with the goal of bridging I/DD people with other community members | Lamar | |
Effort to bridge urban and rural youth through outdoor trips and work on conservation projects | Nederland | |
Pueblo Food Project seeks support to engage the diverse Pueblo community in Community Cooking Classes | Pueblo | |
Effort to bridge new arrivals from Venezuela and longer-term immigrants (primarily from Mexico) through access to the outdoors and outdoor recreation | Denver metro |
