DWE Nonprofit Partners

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 25 and at the DWE Grand Tasting on Saturday, April 26. 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 25, is 3:15 to 8:00 PM. The time commitment Saturday, April 26, 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 2024, you are not eligible to apply in 2025.

Here are our nonprofit partners from 2024:

Adaptive Sports Association — Durango Independent Film Festival — Habitat for Humanity of La Plata County — Humane Society of Pagosa Springs — La Plata Historical Society/Animas Museum — Mancos FoodShare — Music in the Mountains — San Juan Citizens Alliance — Southwest Conservation Corps — Stillwater Music

2024 Nonprofit Timeline

Application will open: January 8
Application will close: February 7
Final organizations will be announced: Mid-February
All-grantee planning meeting: February 26, 9:00 – 9:45 AM – save the date in case you are selected – one rep from each organization is required to attend.
Mandatory meeting for all volunteer participants: April 17, 5:30-6:30 PM OR April 18, 12:00 – 1:00 PM. Every volunteer must attend ONE of these meetings.
All-grantee wrap-up meeting: May 14, 9:00 – 9:45 AM