Southwest Region Grant

The Moniker Foundation's Southwest Region Grant offers eight $12,000 grants and one $15,000 grant (2026) to eligible organizations in a competitive process. Applicants must operate within designated counties and be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. The program emphasizes early childhood education, youth programming, food security, and environmental initiatives; Pitch Days will not be held in 2026. Organizations are encouraged to focus on critical operating activities during the application process.

NOTE:
Prior to each application period, first-time applicants are required to attend a Pre-Application Meeting. Contact the Foundation for more information and to set up the Pre-Application Meeting in the required time period. If your organization is selected to move forward after submitting an application, an official representative must be present at the predetermined date and time for Pitch Day.We will not be hosting Pitch Days in 2026.
The Moniker Foundation
Our Competitive Grants Program operates through a regionally focused approach with three, separate funding cycles per year. The three funding cycles are directly correlated to our three priority regions and feature a slightly abbreviated application process, along with the addition of an in-person presentation component that we call Pitch Day.
Our funding is broken in three different regions as identified by the Board: High Country Region, Pikes Peak Region, Southwest Region.
We will be awarding eight (8), $12,000 grants, and one (1), $15,000 grant.
Continuing this year, we have implemented the sub-focus funding priorities outlined below (in no particular order) to create further transparency in our decision-making process. These priorities represent the current interests of our regional committee. We will continue to accept applications that do not directly align with these outlined priorities, as long they fit within one of the four primary focus areas. That being said, if you still choose to apply, it is important to understand that the probability of success may be much lower than in previous years.
Additionally, it's worth noting that we expect several organizations to fit within the various sub-focus funding priorities, so please understand that this is still a competitive process and there are no guarantees, even if you feel your application makes a strong case. We also recognize and accept that these priorities often overlap and may be applicable in more than one focus area. Although we encourage you to highlight these connections in your application, we ask that you select one primary focus area when you apply and discuss the connections in your case for support
Sub-Focus Funding Priorities
Early childhood care, education and development (0-6yrs)Afterschool, weekend, summer and experiential youth programming (K-12)Food programs & security, agriculture and nutritionEnvironmental education

Eligibility

The applicant organization must operate within one of the three priority funding regions.Southwest Region Counties Served: Archuleta County​La Plata CountyMontezuma CountyThe applicant organization must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity, or under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.The applicant organization's primary focus area must be one of the following: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment; or Health & Human Services.A maximum of one online funding application per organization may be submitted each program year. ​We would like to note that we do not currently have a funding frequency policy in place, but we will consider previous funding frequency in the first round of reviews, as well as when making grant decisions.Organizations may apply for the following support types: capital support, general operating support, program support, or project support.

Ineligibility

At this time, we do not fund endowments or scholarships through this program.