The Denver Children's Foundation
The Denver Children’s Foundation (DCF) is a Denver, Colorado-based public charity that raises funds for organizations supporting at-risk and disadvantaged children in Colorado. Founded in 1987, it grew from its roots as Denver Active 20-30 and became an independent foundation in 2022.
The Denver Children's Foundation at a glance
In short: The Denver Children's Foundation gave $1.3M across 62 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Colorado. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,312,000
- +12.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 62
- +21.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,161
- -7.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,697,609
- +20.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (17 of 62, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Denver Children's Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website invites organizations to apply through its grant process. A Letter of Interest is required and must be approved before an application can be submitted. The website says applications are accepted annually from May 1 through July 31, with registration and applications opening May 1.
- Review Cycle
- The listed 2026 deadline of July 31, 2026, has passed.
- Deadline
- The listed 2026 deadline of July 31, 2026, has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 84 Spruce Street No 504, Denver, CO 80230
Phone: (303) 832-8390
Website: https://denverchildrensfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Denver Children's Foundation
Who The Denver Children's Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Denver Post Community Foundation ($500K). Together the top 10 received $705K.
Grant Size Distribution
224 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 224 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
DCF describes its grantmaking as supporting children in Colorado, with a focus on Denver and surrounding areas. All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Denver Children's Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 62 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2023) to $1.3M (2021). In 2024 it made 62 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Post Community Foundation Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $500,000 |
| Illuminate Colorado Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $30,000 |
| Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center Breckenridge, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $25,000 |
| Minds Matter Colorado Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $25,000 |
| Third Way Center Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $25,000 |
| Clothes to Kids of Denver Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $20,000 |
| Denver Kids Inc Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $20,000 |
| Kids Mobility Network Centennial, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $20,000 |
| Listen Foundation Inc Greenwood Village, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $20,000 |
| Safehouse Denver Denver, CO | Program Operation - Restricted | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,697,609 | $1,757,578 | $1,594,415 | $1,312,000 | 62 | $24,316 |
| 2023 | $1,411,757 | $1,380,745 | $1,399,548 | $1,167,500 | 51 | $2,699 |
| 2022 | $1,450,643 | $1,307,076 | $1,435,715 | $1,217,500 | 53 | $2,016 |
| 2021 | $477,971 | $1,272,350 | $1,255,434 | $1,320,500 | 58 | $35,672 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
DCF’s mission is to develop philanthropic leaders who mobilize the community to improve the lives of disadvantaged children. Its stated funding pillars are Education, Health & Wellbeing, Child Advocacy, and Personal Enrichment. The foundation describes its strategy as supporting children during their formative years and breaking the cycle of poverty.
Examples of the kinds of organizations it supports include grantees whose missions address education, health, safety, and enrichment. Denver Kids says it provides counseling and volunteer mentors to Denver Public Schools students; Illuminate Colorado says it works to prevent child maltreatment; and the Listen Foundation says it helps children who are deaf or hard of hearing access speech, language, and listening therapy. Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center says it expands opportunities for people with disabilities and special needs through outdoor experiences.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, DCF reported 62 grants totaling $1,312,000. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, with a median of $10,000. The filing’s narrative separately states that DCF distributed $1,315,500 during 2024. DCF also reported holding nine events that year to raise funds.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $500,000 to Denver Post Community Foundation, $30,000 to Illuminate Colorado, and $25,000 each to Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, Minds Matter Colorado, and Third Way Center. The Denver Post Community Foundation says its mission includes supporting programs benefiting children, the arts, literature and education, and basic human services. Third Way Center says it operates residential treatment facilities providing care and counseling for adolescents.
DCF’s website describes a review process in which members visit and interview applicants, complete reviews, and make recommendations to a member-led Grant Review Committee; the membership then votes on the proposed grant portfolio. Its website says a Letter of Interest must be approved before an organization can submit a grant application. The site excludes legislative advocacy, regranting, scholarships, general operating support, capital programs, equipment, construction and remodeling, and religious-mission programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Adam Cohen as executive director; Nick Pirnack as president; Cody Phifer as president-elect; and Beau Jenkins as past president as of October 2024. It also lists David Haudenshield and Gino Scarpelli as co-treasurers, James Samuelsen as treasurer and grants chair, and Eric Carlson and Rob Falick as directors. Devon Bolton is listed as a director through September 2024, and Rob Falick as secretary through September 2024 and a director.
The Denver Children's Foundation is led by Adam Cohen, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 16 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Adam Cohen
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$108K (2021) → $130K (2024)
Nick Pirnack
President
Director → President-Elect & Director, 2023
President-Elect & Director → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Samuelsen
Treasurer & Grants Chair
Treasurer & Secretary → Treasurer -Grant Chair, 2023
Treasurer -Grant Chair → Treasurer & Grants Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$3K (2021) → $0 (2024)
Jj Simon
Grants Chair
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Devon Bolton
Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyler Snover
Director
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director, 2023
Treasurer & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jack Hoyt
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Carlson
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Hughes
Director
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beau Jenkins
Past President
President-Elect → President, 2023
President → Past President, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$775 (2023) → $0 (2024)
Cody Phifer
President-Elect
President-Elect → President, 2022
President → President-Elect, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vincent Luparell
Games Manager
General Counsel → Games Manager, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Haudenshield
Co-Treasurer
Treasurer-Raffle Chair → Co-Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rob Falick
Secretary
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Kenney
General Counsel
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gino Scarpelli
Co-Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Adam Massaro (2021–2023) — Past-President
- Former: Lucas Kulma (2022–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Raymond Paolini (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Brett Cunningham (2021–2022) — Grants Chair
- Former: Ethan Gilbert (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Taylor Kennedy (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Erik Taylor (2022) — Events Chair
- Former: Brandon Canfield (2021) — Director
- Former: Bryant Mazzetti (2021) — Director
- Former: Cameron Richards (2021) — Director
- Former: Christian Dinsdale (2021) — Director
- Former: David Shirazi (2021) — Past-President
- Former: Kenneth Monfort (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Michael Fancher (2021) — Director
- Former: Sam Evasick (2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $130K, to Adam Cohen (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Denver Children's Foundation
How much does The Denver Children's Foundation give each year?
The Denver Children's Foundation gave $1.3M across 62 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 51 grants.
What is The Denver Children's Foundation's typical grant size?
The Denver Children's Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $21,161, across 62 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Denver Children's Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Denver Children's Foundation give grants?
The Denver Children's Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (22 grants), Aurora, CO (4 grants), Boulder, CO (3 grants) and Colorado Springs, CO (3 grants).
Does The Denver Children's Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 62 grants with a stated purpose on The Denver Children's Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Operation - Restricted" (62 grants).
Who are The Denver Children's Foundation's largest grantees?
The Denver Children's Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Denver Post Community Foundation ($500,000), Illuminate Colorado ($30,000) and Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Denver Children's Foundation?
The Denver Children's Foundation reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What does The Denver Children's Foundation fund?
DCF’s mission is to develop philanthropic leaders who mobilize the community to improve the lives of disadvantaged children. Its stated funding pillars are Education, Health & Wellbeing, Child Advocacy, and Personal Enrichment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Denver Children's Foundation?
The website invites organizations to apply through its grant process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Denver Children's Foundation's EIN?
The Denver Children's Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2535078. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work The Denver Children's Foundation funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Denver Children's Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Denver Children's Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-denver-children-s-foundation-morg_81e4fa0daab140f487e68771da3eba54
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742535078_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Denver Children's Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-denver-children-s-foundation-morg_81e4fa0daab140f487e68771da3eba54},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Denver Children's Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Denver Children's Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?