GFF Capital Grants

The GFF Capital Grants by the Gates Family Foundation support capital projects for nonprofit organizations in Colorado, emphasizing community needs and sustainable development. With a focus on enhancing public resources and addressing historical inequities, the foundation prioritizes projects that foster education, environmental protection, and community development. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, demonstrating strong community support and effective management. Capital grants are not given for general operating expenses, loans, or projects already completed.

NOTE: Prior to submitting a proposal, many applicants find it useful to contact a program officer of the Foundation to review the substance of the proposed project.
Land, facilities, and civic infrastructure are long-term assets that can transform the ability of nonprofit and community organizations to serve Colorado communities. For this reason, the Gates Family Foundation invests in capital projects across the state, in both rural and urban areas.
Our capital grants are generally limited to comprehensive capital campaigns, which are typically for building purchases, construction, expansion, renovation, and/or land acquisition. Only nonprofit organizations with capital projects that benefit Colorado and its residents are qualified to apply. When making funding decisions, we prioritize:
Projects that address root problems with substantive solutionsProjects with strong evidence of support from the community and the organization’s boardProjects in rural and low-income areas across Colorado where there are fewer individuals and institutions providing support for capital projectsProjects that serve individuals and communities of color who have faced historic inequities and lack of access to fundingProjects that reinforce the foundation’s strategic priorities in K-12 public education, natural resources, community development, and informed communitiesProjects that address climate change, and/or incorporate green building and sustainable development practices
Priority Funding Areas
We fund capital projects within five categories that overlap somewhat with the Foundation’s strategic priorities, but are broader in scope in order to be more responsive to community needs.
Arts & Culture
The Foundation supports cultural organizations that:
Funding examples in this area are:

• libraries & museumscommunity theatersperforming arts organizationshistoric preservation that contributes to community revitalization
• Education
• The Foundation supports major capital projects for:

charter schools that serve a substantial proportion of low-income students (generally, at least 50% of the student body will qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch), have demonstrated high academic achievement, and are utilizing a sustainable financial modelpublic schools in rural areas that have planned capital improvements which are heavily used by the community, and that reinforce the long-term viability of the arealicensed early childhood education centers with particular, but not exclusive, interest in rural areas of the state to assure readiness for elementary school and to strengthen rural economiesorganizations that provide life-long learning and experiential learning to a broad audienceindependent school and public and private university capital campaigns on a highly selective basis
Funding examples in this area:
participation in the matching requirement for a charter school receiving a BEST grantrural school improving its auditorium or athletic field for school and community userural community establishing an early childhood education center to fill an unmet needearly childhood education center making significant facility improvements in order to advance the quality of care for the children servedfacility improvements for an organization that provides adult GED, literacy, or vocational trainingon a highly selective basis, support for public and private universities with campaigns to improve their science, technology, library, and engineering related facilities
Well-being of Children, Youth & Families
The Foundation supports organizations that encourage individuals to:
develop greater self-sufficiency, including the well-being and independence of disadvantaged families and the elderlyincrease leadership and life skillsmaintain good health and well-being rather than cure disease
Funding examples in this area:
human service organizations promoting self-sufficiencycommunity and senior centersfamily resource centersyouth mentoring organizationsnonprofit dental clinicsresidential treatment centers for youthtransitional housing facilitiesjob trainingrural health centers (non-FQHC)
Parks & Recreation
The Foundation supports capital projects that:
invest in land and water protection that safeguards important natural resources, habitat, and the health of natural systemshelp preserve the state’s ranching and agricultural legacy and encourage smart land use patternsconstruct and improve urban and mountain parks and open space for public recreation and accessmaintain the state’s urban and mountain trail systemsprovide recreation, environmental education and leadership opportunities for young peopleencourage the spirit of scientific inquiry as well as the preservation of natural habitat
Funding examples in this area:

• land conservation and easement purchasesgreenways and trail systemsoutdoor/indoor recreation facilitiesurban public spaces and community gardens
• Community Development & Revitalization
• The Foundation invests in projects that:

have the potential to reinforce and enhance the economic vitality of a communityinvolve partnerships between public and private sector organizations that seek to improve the economic and cultural health of communities
Funding examples in this area:
restoration of historically significant architecture that contributes to community revitalizationdevelopment of rural main streets as a means of promoting community revitalizationheritage tourism as a means of promoting economic health for rural areaspublic-private partnerships for economic development

Eligibility

Applicants must be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code")classified as public charities under section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) of the Codebe able to provide tax-exempt documentation issued within the last five years. In limited circumstances.The Foundation also considers grant requests from governmental entities.Capital grant requests are generally not considered until commitments for approximately 30% of the funds needed to complete the project are in place.Grant support is generally confined to organizations that provide services benefiting the state of Colorado and its citizens.Wherever possible, the Foundation seeks to invest its funds in organizations that address root problems with substantive solutions.The Foundation places importance on sound management of an applying organization, including effective leadership of the organization's board that fully supports the project in question.The Foundation expects evidence of strong support for the project from the community.Applicant organizations should incorporate green building and sustainable development practices into their projects whenever possible.

Ineligibility

Although the Gates Family Foundation reviews each proposal separately, it generally does not:Grant funds for general operating or program expenses unless initiated by the Foundation.Provide loans, grants, scholarships, or camperships to individuals.Grant funds for projects that have been substantially completed prior to the next trustees' meeting.Grant funds for conferences, meetings, or studies that are not initiated by the Foundation.Consider more than one proposal from an organization in a calendar year unless initiated by the Foundation, and does not reconsider previously denied proposals.Grant funds to other private foundations or organizations engaged in grant making.Grant funds to retire operating or construction debt.Grant funds for the purchase of vehicles.Grant funds to purchase office or computer equipment unless they are part of a comprehensive capital campaign.Grant funds directly to individual public schools or public school districts unless initiated by the Foundation.Grant funds for medical research or grant funds for the construction of major medical facilities.Purchase tickets for fundraising dinners, parties, benefits, balls, or other social fundraising events.Support religious organizations or activities.Schedule interviews with the Foundation trustees unless the trustees initiate the meeting.Grant funds for political or lobbying activities.Grant funds to supporting organizations described in section 509(a)(3), other than a Type I, Type II or functionally-integrated Type III supporting organization of which is not (and the supported organization of which is not) directly or indirectly controlled by a disqualified person of either the Foundation or a family fund.Grant funds to foreign organizations.