Colorado Succeeds
Colorado Succeeds is a nonpartisan, business-led organization working to improve education and workforce outcomes. Through policy and advocacy, the organization advances changes intended to improve learner outcomes and strengthen connections between education and employment. Through its employer-led talent strategy work, Colorado Succeeds works with employers and industries to identify shared workforce needs, translate employer demand into talent strategies, and partner with education and training providers to develop or improve solutions responsive to those needs. The organization also supports aligned initiatives designed to expand access to high-quality education, credentials and pathways to economic opportunity.
Colorado Succeeds at a glance
In short: Colorado Succeeds gave $850K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $850K), mostly in Colorado. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $850,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- Average grant
- $850,000
- Median grant
- $850,000
- Total assets
- $5,836,237
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Colorado (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.
Who Colorado Succeeds funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Agile Learner Fund ($850K).
Grant Size Distribution
7 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 6 grants of 7 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2020) to $850K (2025). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $850K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Agile Learner Fund Denver, CO | Contribution to capitalize the Innovation Fund | $850,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,836,237 | $4,805,933 | $4,434,428 | $850,000 | 1 | $169,810 |
| 2024 | $5,550,157 | $4,600,809 | $3,948,518 | — | — | $161,697 |
| 2023 | $4,480,627 | $3,240,639 | $2,528,051 | — | — | $94,405 |
| 2022 | $3,745,695 | $2,867,831 | $2,425,706 | — | — | $15,869 |
| 2021 | $3,295,477 | $4,371,975 | $4,025,633 | $90,000 | 6 | $13,648 |
| 2020 | $2,881,813 | $6,790,386 | $5,508,434 | $90,000 | 6 | $14,266 |
| 2019 | $1,590,659 | $2,595,529 | $2,591,260 | $150,000 | 18 | $19,240 |
About Colorado Succeeds
Based on IRS filings
Colorado Succeeds is a public charity focused on Education, based in Denver, CO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $5.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $850K. Net investment income was $170K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Colorado Succeeds is led by Scott Laband, President on every filing since 2019; 5 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Scott Laband
President
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$203K (2019) → $312K (2025)
Linda Peotter
Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2021
Co-Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Van Brocklin
Director of Communications
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$104K (2023) → $102K (2025)
Madison Knapp
Director of Impact
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$112K (2025)
Brent Abraham
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Kuntner
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cory Foreman
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brooke Borgen
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Demesha Hill
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip Stephanus
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Heyliger
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katie Kruger
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Brinegar
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wes Parham
Director
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Adams
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Ray
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joel Pennick
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Anderson
Vice President Corporate Relations
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$119K (2020) → $125K (2025)
Shannon Nicholas
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$130K (2020) → $192K (2025)
Former officers (20)
- Former: Dave Espinosa (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Katie Zaback (2023–2024) — Vice President of Policy
- Former: Kyle Harris (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Lalitha Christian (2024) — Director
- Former: David Eddy (2019–2023) — Co-Chair
- Former: Bob Deibel (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jeses Salazar (2019–2022) — Co-Chair
- Former: Mark Bundy (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Michele Warren (2019–2022) — Co-Chair
- Former: Rich Herbst (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Bradley Revare (2020–2022) — Director Corporate Development
- Former: Edie Sonn (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Kelly Caufield (2020–2022) — Vice President Government Affairs
- Former: Kim Eunice (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jim Rechtin (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kelly Flenniken (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Philipp Stephanus (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: James Rechtin (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Pat Donovan (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Hollie Velasquez Hovath (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $312K, to Scott Laband (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Colorado Succeeds
How much does Colorado Succeeds give each year?
Colorado Succeeds gave $850K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
How large is Colorado Succeeds?
Colorado Succeeds reported $5.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.8M.
What is Colorado Succeeds?
Colorado Succeeds is a public charity focused on Education, based in Denver, CO. It holds $5.8M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Colorado Succeeds operate?
Colorado Succeeds has awarded grants in Colorado.
What is Colorado Succeeds's EIN?
Colorado Succeeds's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-3221270. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 2, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 22, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Colorado Succeeds funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Colorado Succeeds's focus areas in our free grants database
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Funders with grantees in common
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Assets
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Ralph L Smith Foundation
Kansas City, MO
The Ralph L Smith Foundation made grants for broadly charitable purposes, with 2024 awards ranging from about $2.1 million to $5.9 million; recipients were in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Nebraska. Its 2024 filing is marked as a final return, so it appears to have stopped grantmaking. The filing says it did not restrict giving to preselected organizations and described a process for unsolicited requests, but that guidance may no longer be current.
Assets
—
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Total Given
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Wend II Inc
Bentonville, AR
Wend II Inc funds racial justice, youth, river stewardship, and community-support initiatives, with 2025 grants ranging from $23,050 to $724,972 and a median of $174,713. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Massachusetts. The foundation funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
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Careerwise Colorado
Denver, CO
Careerwise's mission is to forge pathways to meaningful careers through bold advocacy, innovative apprenticeships, and industry led partnerships, creating a dynamic talent ecosystem that connects ambition to opportunity for empowered young people.
Assets
$8.9M
Grants
6
Total Given
$1.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Colorado
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Colorado Succeeds down — hundreds of funders to go?