The Community Foundation inspires hope, leadership, and generosity in our community by bringing economic stability, professional development, and collaboration to the nonprofit sector. As a community facilitator, we coordinate with nonprofit professionals throughout Colorado to provide capacity-building opportunities that:

• Increase efficiency, resiliency, and success for nonprofits in Southwest Colorado
• Build relationships and facilitate networking between nonprofit professionals
• Create opportunities for peer discussion around best practices
• Enhance relationships across county and geographic boundaries

HR Power Hour

In the last two years, Colorado has added and changed a slew of new policies that organizations need to know to ensure that they’re in compliance (especially if an unexpected audit pops up one day!). Our HR Power Hour will get you up-to-speed and in-the-know, so you can confidently implement these new policies and requirements.

HR Power Hour takes place on Tuesdays at 12 PM from September 9 to October 14, via Zoom. The cost is $10/session or $50 for all 6. Attendees will be entered to win free HR services worth $500!

Our HR experts, Dave Albrechta, Esq. and partner of Aspen Grove Integrative Law, and Jennifer Bassignani, principal of Essential Operations Human Resources Consulting, will cover everything nonprofits need to know to update and optimize their HR practices, including:

• Employment law, Sept. 9
• Successful onboarding, Sept. 16
• Preventing conflict in the workplace, Sept. 23
• Required HR policies, Sept. 30
• Staff contracts, Oct. 7
• Building a culture of feedback, Oct. 14

Learn More & Register Here 

Southwest Colorado Gives Workshops 

September 10: SW Colorado Gives 1.0 – Covering Your Bases

• • This workshop will focus on the most important ways to optimize your page, utilize features and services available on swcogives.org. Perfect for new organizations on the platform and those who want to brush up on the basics.
  • Zoom: 9 – 10:30 AM or 2 – 3:30 PM
  • Registration Coming Soon!

SW Colorado Gives 2.0 – Social Media Workshop

• • This workshop is geared to help you get your 5 most essential social media posts for #swcogives created, scheduled and DONE, so you can focus on your other year-end tasks.
  • October 8, Pagosa: 1st Southwest Bank Community Room: 10 AM – 12:30 PM
  • October 9, Cortez: 1st National Bank Community Room, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
  • October 10, Bayfield: Pine River Library Community Room, 10 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Registration Coming Soon

The Community Foundation is a proud Regional Champion for ColoradoGives! We spearhead local participation in the state’s largest online giving event, Colorado Gives Day. We provide the regional giving platform, swcogives.org, and facilitate the collaborative promotion of more than 100 local organizations across our five counties, as part of Southwest Colorado Gives.

An Agency Fund is a long-term investment fund held and managed by the Community Foundation on behalf of a nonprofit organization. It provides consolidated investment management and convenience. After discussions with the nonprofit organization about objectives for the fund, we would recommend a financial goal. For more information on Agency Funds, please see our Agency Fund Fact Sheet.

Current Agency Funds

• Adaptive Sports Association
• Axis Health System
• Durango Food Bank
• Durango Playfest – Christina Erteszek Fund
• EMS Scholarship
• Flick & Knopick – Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Give Sonlight to the Next Generation
• Kiwanis Club Service
• La Plata County Humane Society
• Montezuma Land Conservancy
• San Juan Mountains Association
• Sheri Rochford Figgs – Durango Arts Center
• United Way
• Women’s Resource Center

The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado supports the nonprofit community through various partnerships and initiatives, as well as provides an opportunity for certain organizations that want to provide charitable services to their community, but need additional support.

To learn more about Fiscal Sponsorship and the application process, please take a look at our Fiscal Sponsorship Packet.

Current Fiscal Sponsorships

• America 250-Colorado 150 Project
• Bear Smart
• Café au Play
• Community Treehouse
• Durango Derailers
• Early Childhood Council of Archuleta County
• Earth Day Durango
• Friends and Neighbors in Need in Archuleta County
• Give a Dam
• Maria’s Literary Foundation
• Sail Durango

The Community Foundation’s LAUNCH Fund assists nonprofits to secure affordable capital to accommodate growth and keep fiscal health a priority. The Community Foundation has partnered with First Southwest Bank and First Southwest Community Fund to provide low-interest loan packages for nonprofits for projects such as the purchase or renovation of real estate or the purchase a piece of equipment. Leveraging First Southwest Bank’s CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) designation, the Community Foundation can provide access to terms that appeal to nonprofit boards and staff.

Grant Writing Resources

The information below is intended to assist nonprofits and funding entities across the region by accurately gauging the overall economic, social and environmental health of the communities in Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan Counties (Region 9).

• Region 9 Data Dashboard
• Livable Wage
• Broadband Roadmap
• Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)
• Community Development Action Plans (CDAP)
• Grant Writing – a monthly Grants Digest can be accessed on this page too!

• Board Source inspires and supports excellence in nonprofit governance, as well as board and staff leadership.
• Blue Avocado is the bimonthly newsletter of American Nonprofits, a membership organization that provides practical financial information and support to U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, staff, stakeholders, and volunteers.
• The Colorado Nonprofit Association is the voice of Colorado’s nonprofit community, offering its members a variety of services and technical assistance on starting and managing nonprofit organizations. Click here to download CNA’s Principles & Practices.
• The Colorado Grants Guide is a comprehensive directory of funding sources published by the Community Resource Center. For information, call (303) 623-1540 or visit CRC’s website.
• The Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable works to increase the quantity and the quality of charitable planned gifts to nonprofit organizations by offering specialized training to its members.
• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Colorado Chapter enables people and organizations to practice effective fundraising through ethical standards, education resources, and networking.
• Thinking of starting a new nonprofit? Click here for some valuable assessment tools from GrantSpace by Candid, and click here for some start-up resources from the Community Resource Center.