Equity-Focused Leadership Grant

The Equity-Focused Leadership Grant by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation aims to foster diverse leadership in the nonprofit sector by providing up to $10,000 to organizations that support BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled adults. This initiative addresses the racial leadership gap and promotes equitable opportunities for marginalized professionals, ensuring they can pursue executive roles. With an annual funding of over $3.5 million, the foundation reinforces its commitment to inclusive community engagement and innovative leadership development in Denver.

Equity-Focused Leadership Grants
The Equity-Focused Leadership Grants program seeks to nurture a pipeline of diverse leaders committed to driving positive change within their communities. The nonprofit sector has consistently struggled with a lack of diversity of staff – especially at the executive level. This persistent racial leadership gap negatively impacts the career trajectories and well-being of BIPOC professionals who face systemic barriers that prevent them, and others from historically marginalized communities, from pursuing pathways to executive leadership. To help address these disparities and build on our longstanding commitment to support leaders who affect change, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation seeks to support the pipeline of potential leaders through the Equity-Focused Leadership grants which provide up to $10,000 to six (6) organizations that support the leadership development of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or adults with disabilities aspiring to lead in the nonprofit sector.
Process
Grant awards will be determined by a panel of BSF staff and community members who will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:
Development and use of innovative, culturally relevant methods to supporting leaders Degree and depth of community involvement in both identifying and addressing the issue(s)/need(s) of aspiring leaders Centering BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disability and/or other underrepresented communities and their lived experiences in program design and implementation Potential for the program to cultivate leaders who champion systems changeOrganizational commitment to fair wages/stipends for program staff/collaborators

Eligibility

Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organizationOrganization based and majority of programs occur in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, or Jefferson countiesOrganization’s primary mission includes the leadership development of adults who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ and/or people with disabilitiesMajority of organization’s senior leaders (staff and/or board) identify as BIPOC , LGBTQ+, and/or people with disabilities

Ineligibility

The following programs are not eligible: College or university-supported programs Youth development programs (under the age of 18) Programs that have a religious affiliation or purpose  Scholarships for individuals