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DWE Partnership

A Taste of the Nonprofit Sector

We are excited to offer a nonprofit grant component to the Community Foundation’s largest fundraiser, the Durango Wine Experience. In addition to a taste of wine, our guests also receive a taste of SW Colorado’s nonprofit sector.

We will select 10 nonprofits to receive a $2,500 grant, along with the opportunity to share their missions with key constituents by volunteering at the DWE Walkabout on Friday, April 24 and at the DWE Grand Tasting on Saturday, April 25. Check out the video below highlighting some of last year’s grantees.

Grant requirements include providing four volunteers for each day (it does not need to be the same people each day). Volunteers need to be physically able to stand/walk for four hours and be able to carry approximately 30 lbs., helping our wine vendors as needed:  carrying ice, greeting guests, ensuring alcohol does not leave the premises, and other duties. Volunteers can be staff, board members, or other organization reps – anyone that represents your organization well and knows how to work a crowd!

The time commitment Friday, April 24, is 3:15 to 8:00 PM. The time commitment Saturday, April 25, is a pre-assigned, three-hour shift between 8:30 AM and 8:30 PM. On Friday, your volunteer team will be paired with one of our Friday Walkabout locations in downtown Durango. On Saturday, your team will work under the big tent at the Smiley Building.

Your organization will have the opportunity to share your mission with the valuable demographic of Wine Experience attendees — visiting with DWE guests while concurrently carrying out your volunteer duties. You may bring limited marketing brochures, handouts, etc. to the Walkabout on Friday. Your volunteers will wear a DWE apron, and should plan to represent your organization in some creative way – think t-shirts, hats, name tags, etc.

To learn more about the events, visit DurangoWine.com.

We will select organizations across multiple nonprofit sectors and geographic locations.

To be eligible to apply, organizations must be a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) or be a project or organization under the fiscal agency of a 501(c)(3) organization. If you received this grant in 2026, you are not eligible to apply in 2027.

Here are our nonprofit partners from 2026:

Aspen House & Aspen Services (Archuleta County); Mancos Valley Resources (Montezuma County); Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County, Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, Durango Farmers Market, Durango PlayFest, Durango Winter Sports Club, Riverhouse Children’s Center, Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, and Volunteers of America (La Plata County).

2026 Nonprofit Timeline

  • Application will open: January 9
  • Application will close: February 9
  • Final organizations will be announced: Mid-February
  • All-grantee planning meeting: Friday, February 27, 9:00 – 9:45 AM – save the date in case you are selected – one rep from each organization is required to attend.
  • Mandatory Zoom meeting for all volunteer participants: Thursday, April 16. Every volunteer must attend.
  • All-grantee wrap-up meeting: May 12, 9:00 – 9:45 AM

This application is now closed.