Advocacy and Justice with Communities of Color Fund Grant

Advocacy and Justice with Communities of Color Fund Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Colorado Health Foundation
Amount: US $50,000 - US $200,000
Last Updated: September 16, 2025

Summary

The Advocacy and Justice with Communities of Color Fund Grant, provided by the Colorado Health Foundation, aims to empower organizations led by people of color to promote health equity. This initiative supports advocacy efforts that address systemic inequities and fosters long-term movement-building. Through grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 annually for two to five years, the Foundation seeks to strengthen community-led advocacy that influences policy changes, ensuring health opportunities for underserved populations.

Overview

The Colorado Health Foundation believes it is essential that every step we take creates fair opportunities for people who health is furthest from reach. This is why our work, and that which we expect in the work of our partners, is rooted in three cornerstones: We serve Coloradans who have less power, privilege and income, and prioritize Coloradans of color. We are informed by the community and those we exist to serve. We do everything with the intent of creating health equity. The Advancing Advocacy and Justice with Communities of Color funding opportunity aims to build power in the advocacy ecosystem with organizations led by or centered on people of color, and that are most critical and closest to the communities for whom health is furthest from reach. It will support both long-term movement-building and the ability of advocacy groups to act when high-leverage opportunities to change influence more equitable policy solutions and civic reforms arise. The Foundation hopes to shift and elevate power and further strengthen a nimble, adaptive, diverse and durable advocacy ecosystem. This funding opportunity will support: A continuum of advocacy efforts focusing on health equity for Arab/Middle Eastern, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous/Native American, Multiracial communities and groups that engage in intersectional work with communities of color (e.g. focusing on Indigenous women, Black LGBTQ+, immigrants and refugees); Long-term movement-building strategies that make decision-makers account to communities and strengthen their power to influence policy; Efforts for racial and economic justice, which will ultimately support health equity for people of color across the state. Grants will typically range from $50,000 to $200,000 annually per organization. Grant duration will range from two to five years. Proposed advocacy efforts must reflect the Foundation’s cornerstones. As part of this funding opportunity, the Foundation will partner with an external evaluator, and grantees will need to participate in activities related to this evaluation

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. To be eligible for funding organizations must abide by all applicable local, state, and federal anti-discrimination laws in hiring, employment practices and when providing services.Generally, we make grants to the following types of organizations:  Colorado organizations classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3)Colorado public agencies, including state and local governmentsNew or emerging organizations (community-based groups) without 501(c)(3) status are permitted to apply through a tax-exempt organization acting as fiscal sponsor.The fiscal sponsor must maintain full discretion and control over any awarded grant funds and should have the organizational capacity to manage and accept the risks involved with fiscal sponsorship.Additionally, the project must be aligned with the fiscal sponsor’s charitable mission, and the fiscal sponsor’s Board must approve of the project as furthering the sponsor’s charitable mission prior to applying for a grant to the Colorado Health Foundation.Organizations should be led by and/or centered on Arab/Middle Eastern, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Indigenous/ Native American, Hispanic/Latinx and Multiracial communities and work to build the power of Coloradans of color to shape public policy decisions that impact health.Proposed work should include each of the following features:Foundation Alignment: Proposed advocacy aligns with and advances the Foundation’s cornerstones in service to our mission. While this funding opportunity is not constrained to specific issue areas, alignment for this funding is deeply tied to the Foundation’s commitment to health equity. We recognize that when communities who have historically had less power and privilege are using the tactics outlined below to expand their power, use their voice and make change – they are fighting against the root causes of health inequities as they themselves define them. Advocacy Focus: Proposed activities should focus on advocacy related to: Public policy at the local, state and/or federal level, including advocating for policy changes, protecting existing policies, improving or supporting equitable implementation of existing policies, and/or building political will Activities focused on engaging, organizing and/or mobilizing specific constituencies or communities around a particular policy issue, set of issues aimed at advancing health equity, and/or civic or structural reforms that will advance health equity Building support for longer-term racial justice actions. Activities that address individual behaviors, provide individual-level advocacy or provide direct services will not receive consideration. Community Informed: Proposed advocacy reflects the health priorities of community members and shows authentic and deep engagement with the community. Aligned organizations are working with the community, not just for the community. Impact: Proposed advocacy efforts should describe how the work will bring health in reach for communities of color who live on low income. Approach: Proposed advocacy should focus on building towards long-term movement(s) that advance health equity and racial justice, not simply securing single policy victories.

Ineligibility

The Foundation will not fund advocacy tactics that involve partisan political activities or any activities that are prohibited for 501(c)(3) organizations.We do not award grants to organizations that willfully discriminate against a particular class of individuals. Generally, the Foundation does not make grants to or for the following:IndividualsPrograms that require membership in a certain religion or advance a particular religious faith (faith-based organizations may be eligible for funding if they welcome and serve all members of the community regardless of religious faith, and provided that they do not require participation in activities that are specifically religious)For-profit organizations or programs operated by, or for the benefit of, for-profit organizationsDebt retirementFundraising eventsEndowments