The Cielo Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2007 and based in Boulder, Colorado. The foundation focuses on providing need-based scholarships for vocational and technical education, positioning trade and technical schools as viable alternatives to traditional four-year colleges. The foundation's name, "Cielo," means "sky" in Spanish, reflecting their tagline "The Sky's the Limit!"
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$68.6M
-8.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.8M
+22.7% YoY
Grant Count
34
+47.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$258K
-17.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cielo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission centers on helping individuals with demonstrated financial need enter the job market quickly and competitively through trade and technical schools without incurring significant debt. The foundation recognizes that job opportunities are abundant for individuals with vocational training, often leading directly to employment after graduation.
Primary funding focus:
- Vocational and technical education scholarships
- Trade school certification programs
- Community college vocational training programs
- Two-year or shorter vocational training programs
Grantmaking
Applicants should review "What We Can and Cannot Do" and application requirements before applying. The foundation currently does not accept applications for esthetician programs. Applications are available in English, with Spanish applications noted as coming soon.
Grant Range
Up to $20,000 per scholarship
Average Grant
$1,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Cielo Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary geographic focus includes:
- Boulder and Denver metropolitan areas, Colorado
- National grantmaking across multiple states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Texas, and Wyoming
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (as of 2023):
- Total assets: $75,081,628
- Annual grants distributed: $7,139,803
- Total expenses: $8,106,855
Financial Summary:
- Assets increased 2.6% from previous year
- Total revenues: -$1,301,187 (2023)
- Investment income and dividends: $1,703,333
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: -$2,623,673
Staffing:
- 0 full-time employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $68,615,562 | $75,081,628 | $84,249,407 |
| Revenue | $3,937,354 | $-1,301,187 | $1,034,160 |
| Expenses | $9,586,715 | $8,106,855 | $8,650,477 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,871,976 | $7,248,090 | $7,595,383 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,089,566 | $523,112 | $1,296,090 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,405,617 | $4,351,693 | $4,614,509 |
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
105 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($8,525,000), The Beauty Collective ($53,800), Cdl School - United States Truck Driving ($39,805).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 160 DRIVING ACADEMY COMMERCE CITY, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $275 |
| COMPASS NURSING ARTS LAFAYETTE, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $1,275 |
| DENVER HEALTH DENVER, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $1,665 |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND COVINGTON, KY | DONATION | $8,525,000 |
| FRONT RANGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WESTMINSTER, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,207 |
| GALS INC LAREDO, TX | SCHOLARSHIP | $10,861 |
| IBMC COLLEGE FORT COLLINS, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $8,590 |
| KMG LIFE DENVER, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $4,201 |
| MSU DENVER DENVER, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $6,980 |
| THE BEAUTY COLLECTIVE LAKEWOOD, CO | SCHOLARSHIP | $53,800 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Judith Cogen — President
- Alan Cogen — Vice President
Both leaders work part-time with compensation of $30,000 each. The foundation is supported by the Estate of Lee Cogen.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN COGEN | VICE PRESIDENT | 3 | $30,000 |
| JUDITH COGEN | PRESIDENT | 3 | $30,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation maintains an active scholarship program with rolling applications throughout the year. The foundation's website emphasizes the value of vocational and technical education as a pathway to employment, highlighting that these programs allow students to study subjects of passion while spending less on tuition and increasing job placement opportunities upon graduation.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Cielo Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary mission centers on helping individuals with demonstrated financial need enter the job market quickly and competitively through trade and technical schools without incurring significant debt. The foundation recognizes that job opportunities are abundant for individuals with vocational training, often leading directly to employment after graduation. **Primary funding focus:** • Vocational and technical education scholarships • Trade school certification programs • Communi…
How do I apply for a grant from The Cielo Foundation?
**Scholarship Awards:** • Scholarship range: Up to $10,000 for vocational certification programs • Grant range: Up to $20,000 per scholarship • Applications accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year • Open to applicants regardless of language spoken or documentation status • Need-based selection criteria **Recent Activity:** • 24 awards distributed in 2023 • Annual giving of $7,139,803 (2023) • 23 grants awarded in 2024 • Average grant size: $1,000 **Application Process:** Applicants shou…
Where does The Cielo Foundation make grants?
The foundation's primary geographic focus includes: • Boulder and Denver metropolitan areas, Colorado • National grantmaking across multiple states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Texas, and Wyoming
What size grants does The Cielo Foundation award?
In 2024, The Cielo Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $8.8M — an average of about $258K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Cielo Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Cielo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Cielo Foundation's EIN?
The Cielo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1166378. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Cielo Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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