How policy advocacy helped deliver over $13M in grants for housing, transit projects
Four Front Range communities, including two in Metro Denver, received over $13.3 million to fund infrastructure improvements that will support up to 720 units of affordable housing and better transit ridership. These grants are a result of HB24‑1313, showing how our policy work can turn into real, tangible benefits for communities.
2026 Policy Positions
As a community foundation, we are proud to provide grants to nonprofits in the community to advance our mission. For 100 years, we have activated this kind of funding to meet the most pressing needs of the community. Several years ago, we heard from the community that we could supplement our grantmaking by offering our voice to policy and advocacy efforts. In this way, we could support systemic changes to positively impact our community. We are proud to be engaged in this way in our fifth legislative session.
The Denver Foundation awards $387,500 to 18 organizations working on policy change
In 2025, The Denver Foundation awarded $387,500 to 18 organizations working to accelerate policy change at the local and state levels in alignment with our policy framework. The framework and policy principles outline the foundation’s efforts toward advancement of our priority areas: climate and environment, economic opportunity, housing, and youth well-being.
The Denver Foundation 2025 Ballot Guide
The Denver Foundation has assessed the state and local ballot issues to determine how we can best support these efforts. Our positions align with our mission, vision, and values; our 2025 policy principles; and the individual campaigns’ needs. We know there are many issues that our board, staff, and community care deeply about, but we cannot support all these important issues, and our principles help guide these difficult decisions.
Meeting the Moment: Supporting our nonprofit partners and fundholders
Nonprofits are facing growing challenges due to federal funding cuts and ongoing uncertainty, threatening essential programs and services. As an organization that prioritizes listening to community needs, we asked all our partners, including nonprofits, donors, and our ACCI (Advisory Committee for Community Impact), how we can support them now. In response, we are stepping up to fill critical gaps, provide resources that help organizations continue serving communities, and help fundholders make the biggest impact.
Leading & Learning: 2025 End of Legislative Session Event
Representatives Ryan Gonzalez (R-Weld) and Emily Sirota (D-Denver) joined us on June 12 to recap the Colorado 2025 legislative session, reviewing the state budget, potential ballot topics, and federal impacts on Coloradans. Rep. Gonzalez shared his approach to stakeholder engagement, his party’s priority issues, and how he prepared for this session as a first-term legislator. Rep. Sirota discussed how the Joint Budget Committee prepared the long bill, the education funding formula, and Colorado’s safety net systems.
Statement from our President & CEO
For 100 years, The Denver Foundation has supported the community we serve when it needed us most, and our neighbors need us now. Our role as a community foundation has always been to bring people together and to protect and support all our neighbors. At this inflection point in our history, the foundation will continue to serve as a beacon, working to inspire hope in everyone who calls this place home. Throughout our history, we have been guided by shared values of respect, dignity, inclusion, and a spirit of collective good. These values have been at the core of our work for the past century and are embedded in our nation’s history. As we look to our next 100 years, the foundation reaffirms our commitment to these values as we endeavor to create a community where everyone can thrive.
Supporting our immigrant neighbors in 2024
In 2024, our funding to support immigrant communities primarily focused on legal aid, nonprofit operational support, and policy and advocacy. Additionally, our donors contributed $1.67 million through donor-advised funds to support immigrant and refugee organizations in 2024. Given today’s uncertain climate, we will continue to coordinate and strategize with our partners – community members, nonprofits, and donors– to support our neighbors and invest in immigrant communities. We believe that we can work together to where all of us, no matter where we are from, have the opportunity to thrive, and where our community benefits.
Civic Fabric Fund awards $267,250 to 13 nonprofits working on local and state policy
The Denver Foundation 2024 Ballot Guide
The Denver Foundation, Axios Denver, and Next50 host ballot measure event
Civic Fabric Fund supports nonprofits working to Get-Out-The-Vote
Ways to Engage: Leading & Learning Focus on the 2024 Legislative Session
2024 Policy Positions
Lessons learned from Foundations on the Hill
40 Under 40: Naomi Amaha
We support legislation to protect tenants from unsafe housing
What They’re Saying: Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap 2.0
The Denver Foundation urges action on housing crisis
The Denver Foundation is running the fund for one of the mayor’s biggest housing initiatives
Our bike tour visited all 78 Denver neighborhoods and sparked innovative changes
November elections are right around the corner, we have you covered!
Our staff help new mayor set vision for Denver
We hosted an open house for Denver’s elected officials
Place-Based Policy
Ways to Engage: Leading & Learning Focus on the 2023 Legislative Session
2023 Policy Positions
Denver municipal election run-off June 6: Resources to help you prepare to vote!
The Denver Foundation joins partners to host mayoral forum
