Rocky Mountain Health Foundation (RMHF) is a private foundation based in Grand Junction, Colorado. It funds organizations working on community health, including basic needs, access to physical and behavioral healthcare, and specialized disability services.
Key facts about Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
In short: Rocky Mountain Health Foundation gave $4.9M across 322 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Colorado. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 84-1424932
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,922,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 322
- Average grant
- $15,286
- Median grant
- $13,675
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (47 of 229, 2025)
- Total assets
- $92,834,410
- Primary geography
- Colorado (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The Foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The next Basic Needs application cycle is fall 2028.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$92.8M
+8.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.9M
+23.8% YoY
Grant Count
322
+17.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
+5.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rocky Mountain Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Rocky Mountain Health Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 47 of 229 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $17K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 28% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 130% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s funding priorities include basic needs such as food, temporary housing, safety, transportation, and support for immigrant, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities. Its Healthcare Fund supports direct physical and behavioral healthcare and specialized disability services. The Simple Gifts Fund also includes community coalitions, community gardens, peer support groups, respite care and in-home supports, and efforts to secure affordable health insurance.
Grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the range of organizations supported. River Center of New Castle says it identifies and addresses unmet community needs through compassionate volunteerism. Gunnison Valley Health Foundation says it supports high-quality healthcare in Gunnison County and surrounding areas. Housing Solutions for the Southwest describes its mission as providing a seamless system of affordable housing services in southwest Colorado. The Pinon Project says it strengthens its community through comprehensive services for children and families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, RMHF made 322 grants totaling $4,922,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $108,000, with a median of $13,675. All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado. The largest listed grant was $108,000 to Hilltop Community Resources Inc. in Grand Junction for emergency funding. Other notable awards included $54,000 to River Center of New Castle for emergency funding, $45,000 to Gunnison Valley Health Foundation for workforce development, and $42,000 each to Housing Solutions for the Southwest and The Pinon Project for emergency funding.
Review Cycle
The next Basic Needs application cycle is fall 2028. The next Healthcare Fund cycle is fall 2026. The Simple Gifts application opens in January each year.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation: Basic Needs Fund Grant
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
Amount
US $10,000 - US $35,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation: Healthcare Fund Grant
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
Amount
US $10,000 - US $40,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation: Simple Gifts Fund Grant
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
Amount
Up to US $15,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Rocky Mountain Health Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The eligibility quiz asks whether an organization serves Western Slope residents and has staff residing within the 22 Western Slope counties. In 2025, all reported grant dollars went to Colorado recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 322 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2019) to $4.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 322 grants totaling $4.9M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hilltop Community Resources Inc ($270K across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $979K.
Grant Size Distribution
1,232 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,215 grants of 1,232 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hilltop Community Resources Inc Grand Junction, CO | Emergency Funding | $108,000 |
| River Center of New Castle New Castle, CO | Emergency Funding | $54,000 |
| Hilltop Community Resources Inc Montrose, CO | Emergency Funding | $48,000 |
| Hilltop Community Resources Inc Grand Junction, CO | SAFETY | $45,500 |
| Gunnison Valley Health Foundation Gunnison, CO | Workforce Development | $45,000 |
| Housing Solutions for the Southwest Durango, CO | Emergency Funding | $42,000 |
| Liftup of Routt County Steamboat Springs, CO | Emergency Funding | $42,000 |
| The Pinon Project Cortez, CO | Emergency Funding | $42,000 |
| Grand Valley Catholic Outreach Grand Junction, CO | Multi-Need | $41,500 |
| Counseling and Education Center Grand Junction, CO | Behavioral Health | $41,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Reported grantmaking by filing year:
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,922,000 | 322 |
| 2024 | $3,975,500 | 275 |
| 2023 | $3,967,000 | 272 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $92,834,410 | $85,784,798 | $82,253,098 |
| Revenue | $5,729,332 | $5,805,330 | $3,221,089 |
| Expenses | $5,899,620 | $4,888,451 | $5,128,590 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,604,347 | $4,655,603 | $4,899,741 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,529,065 | $5,612,956 | $2,776,908 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,312,590 | $4,137,862 | $3,815,262 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michaelle Smith as executive director; Bernie Buescher as board chair; Bob Tesch as past chair/director; Joey Montoya Boese as vice chair/secretary; Rick Geisman as treasurer/finance chair; Kathleen McInnis as grants chair; and Amy Davis, Andrew Karow, Hollie VanRoosendaal, and Kyler Rae Hijmans as directors.
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation is led by Michaelle Smith, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 15 of 16 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michaelle Smith
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$149K (2019) → $201K (2025)
Kathleen McInnis
Grants Chair
Director → Grants Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2020) → $1K (2025)
Bernie Buescher
Board Chair
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$375 (2021) → $799 (2025)
Rick Geisman
Treasurer & Finance Chair
Director → Treasurer & Finance Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cassie Comeau
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$225 (2020) → $600 (2025)
Richard Betts
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2020) → $525 (2025)
Imo Succo
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$525 (2022) → $450 (2025)
Paula Lopez
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$600 (2023) → $900 (2025)
Kyler Rae Hijmans
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$825 (2024) → $900 (2025)
Mathew Mendisco
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$900 (2024) → $825 (2025)
Amy Davis
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$750 (2025)
Andrew Karow
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$600 (2025)
Bob Tesch
Past Chair & Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$750 (2025)
Hollie Vanroosendaal
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$750 (2025)
Ricardo Perez
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$750 (2025)
Joey Montoya Boese
Vice Chair & Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Vice Chair & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$582 (2023) → $1K (2025)
Former officers (18)
- Former: Charles Breaux (2019–2024) — Treasurer, Finance & Investment
- Former: Patricia Riddell (2019–2024) — Past Chair & Director
- Former: Robert Tesch (2020–2024) — Board Chair
- Former: Mary Sal Schaefer (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Bernard Buescher (2023–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Errol Snider (2019–2023) — Secretary & Grants Chair
- Former: Theresa Chase (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: John Feeney-Coyle (2020–2023) — Ex-Officio Director
- Former: Alex Sanchez (2023) — Director
- Former: Nelly Navarro (2023) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey Kuhr (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Roller (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Nicole Bernal Ruiz (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Janette Najera (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Sally Schaefer (2019–2021) — Director & Past Chair
- Former: Ellen Roberts (2019) — Director
- Former: Russell George (2019) — Director & Finance Chair
- Former: Scott Rotermund (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 $201K, to Michaelle Smith (Executive Director). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 2768 Compass Drive 109, Grand Junction, CO 81506
Phone: (970) 644-8188
Website: https://rmhealth.org
Frequently asked questions about Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
How much does Rocky Mountain Health Foundation give each year?
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation gave $4.9M across 322 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.0M across 275 grants.
What is Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's typical grant size?
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $13,675, and its average grant was $15,286, across 322 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rocky Mountain Health Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does Rocky Mountain Health Foundation give grants?
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Junction, CO (46 grants), Durango, CO (37 grants), Glenwood Springs, CO (22 grants) and Montrose, CO (22 grants).
Does Rocky Mountain Health Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (41 of 322) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Continuation of Critical Services" (46 grants), "Physical Health" (26 grants) and "Workforce Development" (25 grants).
Who are Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's largest grantees?
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Hilltop Community Resources Inc ($269,500 across 6 grants), Gunnison Valley Health Foundation ($94,500 across 3 grants) and Integrated Community ($82,850 across 5 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Rocky Mountain Health Foundation?
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation reported $92.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Rocky Mountain Health Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s funding priorities include basic needs such as food, temporary housing, safety, transportation, and support for immigrant, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities. Its Healthcare Fund supports direct physical and behavioral healthcare and specialized disability services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rocky Mountain Health Foundation?
The Foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's EIN?
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1424932. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Rocky Mountain Health Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Rocky Mountain Health Foundation by hand.
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