Foundations & Grantmakers in Colorado
3,591 grantmakers in Colorado reported grants on their latest 990s. The 1,411 that made at least 5 grants gave $2.5B. The largest by giving are Christian Community Foundation Inc, Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund and The Denver Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Colorado grants
Foundation giving in Colorado at a glance
Active grantmakers
3,591
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$2.5B
from the 1,411 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$20K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$81K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Colorado by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Community Foundation Inc | Colorado Springs | $161.8M | 1,651 |
| 2 | Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund | Denver | $143.5M | 304 |
| 3 | The Denver Foundation | Denver | $131.7M | 1,184 |
| 4 | The Colorado Health Foundation | Denver | $102.2M | 684 |
| 5 | Colorado Gives Foundation | Arvada | $91.0M | 2,211 |
| 6 | United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee | Colorado Springs | $85.6M | 57 |
| 7 | Poudre Valley Health Care Inc | Fort Collins | $77.1M | 19 |
| 8 | Ahimsa Foundation | Niwot | $73.1M | 5 |
| 9 | Daniels Fund | Denver | $69.7M | 1,593 |
| 10 | The Ryan Foundation | Greenwood Village | $52.0M | 16 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 6 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 180 · 21%
- Human Services 94 · 11%
- Health 71 · 8%
- Environment & Animals 59 · 7%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 59 · 7%
- Recreation & Sports 58 · 7%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (47% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Colorado
- Christian Community Foundation Inc $161.8M · 1,651 grants
- Rose Community Foundation $27.8M · 531 grants
- Aspen Community Foundation $17.4M · 466 grants
- Community Foundation of Northern Colorado $16.0M · 268 grants
- Community Foundation Boulder County $14.1M · 281 grants
- Western Colorado Community Foundation Inc $8.0M · 194 grants
- Pikes Peak Community Foundation $6.5M · 190 grants
- Weld Community Foundation $3.8M · 85 grants
Showing the largest 8 of 20 with at least 10 grants.
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Most open to new grantees in Colorado
Foundations based in Colorado whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Enterprise Fund | 100% (24) | 24 in 2025 | $10K |
| 2 | Creative West | 89% (39) | 44 in 2025 | $17K |
| 3 | The Macleod Charitable Foundation Inc | 79% (22) | 28 in 2025 | $3K |
| 4 | Pikes Peak United Way | 78% (32) | 41 in 2025 | $34K |
| 5 | Mighty Arrow Family Foundation | 77% (55) | 71 in 2024 | $22K |
| 6 | Colorado Garden Show Inc | 74% (32) | 43 in 2025 | $13K |
| 7 | The AJL Charitable Foundation | 74% (34) | 46 in 2024 | $15K |
| 8 | Disabling Barriers | 71% (25) | 35 in 2024 | $48K |
| 9 | Western Union Foundation | 71% (15) | 21 in 2024 | $169K |
| 10 | The Groundfloor Media Foundation | 71% (15) | 21 in 2025 | $7K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 1,411 grantmakers in Colorado with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Christian Community Foundation Inc
Colorado Springs, CO
Assets
$746.4M
Grants
1,651
Total Given
$161.8M
Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund
Denver, CO
Assets
$720.3M
Grants
304
Total Given
$143.5M
The Denver Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,184
Total Given
$131.7M
The Colorado Health Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$2.9B
Grants
684
Total Given
$102.2M
Colorado Gives Foundation
Arvada, CO
Assets
$527.1M
Grants
2,211
Total Given
$91.0M
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee
Colorado Springs, CO
Assets
$623.2M
Grants
57
Total Given
$85.6M
Poudre Valley Health Care Inc
Fort Collins, CO
Assets
$11.7B
Grants
19
Total Given
$77.1M
Ahimsa Foundation
Niwot, CO
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
5
Total Given
$73.1M
Daniels Fund
Denver, CO
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
1,593
Total Given
$69.7M
The Ryan Foundation
Greenwood Village, CO
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
16
Total Given
$52.0M
Caring for Denver Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$114.8M
Grants
95
Total Given
$43.6M
Energy Outreach Colorado
Denver, CO
Assets
$50.6M
Grants
115
Total Given
$38.2M
Gates Family Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$423.7M
Grants
374
Total Given
$36.3M
Rose Community Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$399.6M
Grants
531
Total Given
$27.8M
Catena Foundation
Carbondale, CO
Assets
$596.4M
Grants
80
Total Given
$27.2M
Junior Achievement USA
Colorado Springs, CO
Assets
$70.1M
Grants
97
Total Given
$27.0M
Mile High United Way Inc
Denver, CO
Assets
$80.2M
Grants
314
Total Given
$24.3M
The Catholic Foundation No Colorado
Greenwood Village, CO
Assets
$211.7M
Grants
196
Total Given
$24.1M
Zoma Foundation Inc
Denver, CO
Assets
$529.5M
Grants
45
Total Given
$23.0M
Avenir Foundation Inc
Lakewood, CO
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
6
Total Given
$20.8M
The New Horizons Foundation Inc
Colorado Springs, CO
Assets
$116.3M
Grants
310
Total Given
$20.7M
Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation
Denver, CO
Assets
$477.1M
Grants
486
Total Given
$19.8M
The Weld Trust
Greeley, CO
Assets
$578.9M
Grants
102
Total Given
$18.7M
Aspen Community Foundation
Basalt, CO
Assets
$62.3M
Grants
466
Total Given
$17.4M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Colorado
What are the largest foundations in Colorado?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Christian Community Foundation Inc ($161.8M across 1,651 grants), Charter Fund Inc D/B/a Charter School Growth Fund ($143.5M) and The Denver Foundation ($131.7M). Together the top 10 account for 40% of the $2.5B given by the 1,411 grantmakers in Colorado that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Colorado?
The typical grant is about $20K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $81K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Colorado?
Yes. We found 20 community foundations in Colorado with grant activity. The largest by giving are Christian Community Foundation Inc, Rose Community Foundation and Aspen Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Colorado foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Colorado from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.