The Telluride Foundation is a community foundation established in 2000 and based in Telluride, Colorado. The organization is dedicated to strengthening the Telluride region through philanthropy and grantmaking. The foundation was founded on the principle of "giving while living," with initial support from Telluride Ski Resort owners Ron Allred and later Hideo "Joe" Morita, who each contributed $100,000 as part of 13 founding contributions. The foundation has been nationally recognized as the fourth most active grantmaker in the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.6M
+9.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.0M
-6.0% YoY
Grant Count
74
+7.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
-12.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Telluride Foundation's mission is to "improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and visit our community" and to "enrich the quality of life of the residents of the Telluride region."
The foundation funds initiatives across seven focus areas:
- Arts & Culture
- Early Childhood Development
- Education
- Athletics
- Health
- Human Services
- Environment & Climate
Grantmaking
Grants typically range from $500 to $40,000, depending on available funds and the nature of each request. The foundation awards grants for general operating support, existing and new programs and projects, conferences and seminars, consulting services, matching funds, technical assistance, and start-up funds. Collaborative project requests from multiple organizations are also accepted.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Telluride Foundation awards grants to nonprofits and local governmental entities serving people living or working in San Miguel County (including Rico), Ouray, and western Montrose counties in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024)
- Total assets: $18,620,405
- Total revenues: $6,942,077
- Total expenses: $5,805,520
Giving (2024)
- Total giving: $3,233,044
Staffing
- Employees: 8
Financial Management
88% of every dollar spent is allocated to program expenses versus supporting expenses. The foundation files two tax returns annually: one for the Telluride Foundation and one for Tri County Health Network (its healthcare initiative).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,620,405 | $17,066,932 | $15,702,846 |
| Revenue | $6,942,077 | $5,608,220 | $3,726,350 |
| Expenses | $5,805,520 | $5,243,455 | $4,860,457 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $365,741 | $357,063 | $-516,442 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Telluride Foundation
Community Grants Program
TELLURIDE FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to $1.5 million total; individual grants range from $1,900 to $90,000
Deadline
October 26, 2026
Neil Armstrong Scholarship
TELLURIDE FOUNDATION
Amount
$20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Strokes of Genius Scholarship
TELLURIDE FOUNDATION
Amount
$5,000 per award
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Paul Major – President and CEO
- April Montgomery – Vice President, Programs
- Elaine Demas – Vice President, Operations
- Karen Byrom – Financial Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANNE ANDREW | CHAIR - EXECUTIVE BOARD | 2 | — |
| DIANA FARRELL | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| ARNIE CHAVKIN | DIRECTOR | 0.75 | — |
| BOBBY STEIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BRIAN O'NEILL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CHRIS PUCILLO | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| DAN JANSEN | DIRECTOR | 0.75 | — |
| DAN TISHMAN | VICE - CHAIR EXECUTIVE BOARD | 0.5 | — |
| DANNY CRAFT | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DEEDEE DECKER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ED BARLOW | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| J TOMILSON HILL | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| JESSE JOHNSON | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| KAREN CONWAY | VICE - CHAIR EXECUTIVE BOARD | 1 | — |
| KENDRA BALLARD | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| KEVIN HOLBROOK | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| KIM FULTON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LILIANA RACINE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LIZ KORMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| MEGAN MCMANEMIN | DIRECTOR - GRANTS CHAIR | 0.75 | — |
| REGINA LOPEZ-WHITESKUNK | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| ROSS VALDEZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| GENE WEIL | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| STEVE RAYMUND | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| RICK CHAVOLLA | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| TRICIA MAXON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TULLY FRIEDMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| XIMENA REBOLLEDO LEON | DIRECTOR | 0.75 | — |
| BOB WHEELER | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| JASON CORZINE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 45 | $237,722 |
| ELAINE DEMAS | EMPLOYEE | 40 | $161,302 |
| APRIL MONTGOMERY | EMPLOYEE | 40 | $131,314 |
| ANNEMARIE JODLOWSKI | EMPLOYEE | 40 | $110,904 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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