Twenty-five years ago, a group of individuals involved in local nonprofits recognized a need in Southwest Colorado to develop a foundation that could connect large gift donors to the causes they cared about and reduce the financial strain felt by many rural nonprofits. Out of their desire to cultivate a flourishing nonprofit sector for the communities of Southwest Colorado, the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado was born.
Fast forward 25 years, and the Community Foundation has grown into a substantial philanthropic match maker, managing more than $13 million in assets and infusing millions of dollars into our nonprofits annually. From our popular community fundraisers like the Community Concerts in the Garden and the Durango Wine Experience to community response initiatives like the Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), we have been at the forefront of connecting local dollars to the causes that matter to our community.
One of the ways we will be celebrating this milestone throughout the year is to donate $25,000 to nonprofits across our five counties and two sovereign nations for each quarter of 2025. For the first quarter, the Community Foundation is providing grants to ten nonprofits with a focus on basic needs from our SPUR Fund (Special Projects, Uniquely Responsive).
In addition to the funds already committed by the Community Foundation, the Michael and Elaine Moravan Foundation has contributed $50,000 to effectively triple the impact of granting for the first quarter. These additional funds will branch out to help us amplify our support during the coldest months of the year, helping organizations across the region with their life-sustaining efforts.
In quarter one, the Community Foundation will distribute $7,500 in assistance to each of the organizations listed:
San Juan Public Health (Silverton, San Juan County)
Good Sam’s (Cortez/Ute Mountain Ute, Montezuma County)
Mancos Food Share (Mancos, Montezuma County)
Dolores Family Project (Dolores, Montezuma County)
Dove Creek Care and Share Food Pantry (Dove Creek, Dolores County)
Healthy Archuleta (Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County)
Pine River Shares (Bayfield/Ignacio/Southern Ute Tribe, La Plata County)
Community Emergency Assistance Coalition and Housing Our Workforce Locally (Durango, La Plata County)
The Warming Center (Durango, La Plata County)
Quarterly funding will focus on a different aspect of community need for each granting cycle, and the grants are unsolicited. We look forward to sharing updates on quarterly granting throughout the year.
If you would like to support the Community Foundation’s SPUR Fund with a donation or learn more about how you can partner with us create a canopy of support for local nonprofits, Donate Here.
