Belonging Colorado

Belonging Colorado is a bold, new effort to bring people together in new ways, grow resilience in our state, and expand Coloradans’ sense of who belongs. We are seeking to invest in good ideas for building connections across lines of difference—racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, political affiliation, age, and more. Our state is not immune to the trends of social division and disconnection affecting our nation.

At a time of intense challenges—social, economic, and environmental—it is more essential than ever that Coloradoans work effectively across differences to bridge divides and support the long-term health, resilience, and well-being of our state. Will you join us?

• Belonging Colorado provides training and technical assistance through the Greater Good Science Center to those who want to build their skills and learn more about how to incorporate bridge building into their communities and professional lives. 
• We are investing in community efforts to advance innovative local programs and approaches to building connections across lines of difference. Our request for letter of interest (LOI) will be available June 11, with applications due July 31. 
• We are learning about where Coloradans feel like they do – and don’t – belong through the Colorado Belonging Barometer conducted by the Colorado Health Institute. 
• We are interested in supporting social entrepreneurs with unique ideas on how to advance belonging in our state. Stay tuned for future opportunities! 
• Belonging Colorado is a special fund of The Denver Foundation. 

Belonging Colorado is seeking nonprofit partners and local governments from across the state of Colorado to apply for its inaugural grant opportunity. The Denver Foundation is pleased to invite qualified organizations to submit a letter of interest (LOI) for projects that are designed to foster belonging and connections across lines of difference in a local or regional community or with statewide reach.

From the submitted LOIs, we will invite a set of organizations to develop a full application proposal. Those selected will receive a small grant ($15,000) and technical assistance support to develop their full grant application. From this cohort, we will award grants at the end of up to $250,000 each year for two years to implement their project or program. The fund anticipates awarding as many as 15 applicants in this first round of grantmaking. LOI’s are due on July 31st, 2024. To find more details and submit an LOI, click here. 

If you would like to learn more about this process, you can view a recording of our webinar, which was held on June 25. Click here to watch!

Please review the following resources on bridge building and belonging. 

• Bridging Differences Playbook (Greater Good Science Center) 
• Colorado Belonging Barometer (Colorado Health Institute and Over Zero) 
• Cultivating Contact Guide (Center for Inclusion and Belonging, Welcoming America, and Intergroup Relations and Social Justice Lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst) 

If you’d like to stay updated about Belonging Colorado, subscribe below. Email belongingco@denverfoundation.org if you have any other questions.