The West Elk Community Fund (WECF) Grant

The West Elk Community Fund (WECF) is a charitable investment account created in 2018 to support the communities of Paonia, Hotchkiss, and Crawford. Through competitive grants, it funds local nonprofits and community improvement projects, having distributed over $214,000 since its inception. The fund operates with contributions from community-minded donors and is managed by a local steering committee that reviews applications annually, ensuring ongoing support for local initiatives.

The West Elk Community Fund (WECF) is a charitable investment account to benefit the people of Paonia, Hotchkiss, and Crawford. Donations are used to support local nonprofit organizations and community improvement projects through a competitive grants application process.
West Elk community leaders partnered with the Western Colorado Community Foundation in 2018 to establish a permanent charitable endowment that distributes annual grants into the community for generations to come. Community-minded donors who share a connection to the place they live and a commitment to making their community better can make contributions of any size.
A local steering committee made up of community leaders reviews applications and awards grants once a year.
Since its establishment in 2018, the West Elk Community Fund has distributed more than $214,000 in grants to nonprofits in North Fork Valley.