The Western Colorado Community Foundation (WCCF) offers nonprofit organizations an open Request for Funding (RFF) opportunity as a means to share information with our grants team about funding needs. This is not an application process and there is no guarantee of funding, since the majority of our grant making is donor-advised/donor directed. The RFF is an opportunity for organizations to submit a summary of their funding needs (general operating, project/program or capital campaign) so that the grant team can determine if there is a good fit with one of our donor-advised or field of interest funds. The RFF is available to organizations that operate within the seven counties we serve (Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray and Rio Blanco).

Eligible organizations must be a qualified 501(c)(3), public school or tax-exempt public service agency providing services within WCCF’s seven county region. Organizations should also be registered with the Colorado Secretary of State and be in good standing.

Questions should be directed to Tedi Gillespie, Director of Grants and Community Outreach through our contact form.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Western Colorado Community Foundation (WCCF) Community Grants for 2021 focused on helping youth regain skills and build resilience, coming out of COVID. WCCF recognizes the clear need to help our youth recover academic and social emotional skills lost during the past year of disruption and isolation due to the pandemic.

The goal of 2021 Community Grants for Recovery and Resilience for Youth! is to fund projects that help youth recover and rebuild academic, coping, and resilience skills to come through COVID stronger and more successful.

This process is closed for 2021.

Resources for Housing Related Needs in Mesa County

Applications for funding NOW OPEN!

The Bray Cares Foundation supports organizations that operate within Mesa County to provide support for housing-related needs.

Now in it’s third year of funding, the Bray Cares Foundation awarded grants to five organizations to address this issue in 2020, including Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, HomewardBound, Joseph Center, and Karis, among others.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Applications close Friday, October 15, 2021

Resources for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment

​Formerly the Bridge House, the Brownson Memorial Fund affiliated with WCCF in 2004, becoming WCCF’s first field of interest fund. Since 1985, the Brownson Memorial Fund has granted over $370,000 to organizations addressing substance abuse prevention and treatment in Mesa County. The Mesa County Substance Use Resource Guide was created as a result of a partnership between the Brownson Memorial Fund and the Mesa County Opioid Response Group.

Read the latest newsletter here.

Applications for 2021 are now closed.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

These grants are for the purpose of improving education by supporting special projects, professional development of teachers, classroom environment improvements, field trips, etc.

Applicants must be a certified teacher ( no administrative or support staff) from one of the following schools:

Crystal River Elementary
Carbondale Community School
Carbondale Middle School
Roaring Fork High School
Ross Montessori
Bridges High School

Up to $1,000 in funding may be requested. The review committee will make final selections and candidates will be informed of the outcome.

This grant application cycle ran in Spring 2020 and is currently closed but will have a 2021 cycle.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Small Grants that Make a Difference

This process closed October 16, 2020.

The community leaders who established this fund are fond of quoting Eleanor Roosevelt, “Energy can be generated for the solution of all kinds of problems by having a small amount of money in the right place.”  Mesa County Small Grants are available for Mesa County projects where a modest amount of dollars ($200 to $500) in the right places will make a difference.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Grant application will return in 2021.

The Mt. Callahan Community Fund  was established in 2002, by local community leaders to benefit the people in communities from Parachute to Battlement Mesa.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

The San Juan County Community Fund (SJCCF) was established by local community leaders in order to help local nonprofits through the distribution of annual grants. This is made possible with support from both the Western Colorado Community Foundation – Dave and Mary Wood Fund, and Citizens State Bank.

Citizens State Bank (CSB) has been in operation for over 100 years with locations in Ouray, Ridgway, Silverton and Naturita. CSB partners with people and businesses to make the communities they serve successful today and sustainable tomorrow.

This opportunity is open for applications. The deadline for completion is September 24, 2021.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Click here to read full brochure

The Two Rivers Unrestricted Endowment Fund (T.R.U.E.) was established in 2018, by local community leaders to benefit the people in communities from Carbondale to New Castle. The theme for 2021 funding was: Make an Impact. Rebuild and Renew your organization.

This opportunity is now closed for 2021.

Congratulations to our  2021 T.R.U.E grant recipients
• River Bridge Regional Center
• A Way Out
• Voices
• Summit 54
• Smiling Goat Ranch
• River Center
• Center for Independence
• Carbondale Clay Center
• Family Resource Center
• The Meeting Place

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

The new Surface Creek Community Fund was established in 2019 by local community leaders to benefit the towns of Austin, Cedaredge, Cory, Eckert, and Orchard City in Delta County.

This opportunity is now closed for 2021.

To learn more about Surface Creek Community Fund click here.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Funding Available for Organizations Serving Veterans in Mesa and Delta Counties

Eligible organizations must be a qualified 501 (c) (3), public school, or tax-exempt public service agency providing services within Mesa and/or Delta County

The Trutta Fund is managed by the Western Colorado Community Foundation and supports organizations that serve veterans and their families. The Fund is named in honor of the USS Trutta SS 421, which was established by the donor as a way to support and give back to those who served.

Applications for 2021 are now closed.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Click to read full brochure

The Ouray County Community Fund was established as an endowed fund by local community leaders in Ouray County in order to build resources to help local nonprofits through annual grant distributions.

This opportunity is now closed for 2021.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Click to read full brochure

WECF grant funding is available to organizations that primarily operate within the three communities we serve (Hotchkiss, Paonia and Crawford). This funding is made possible from WECF’s community grants endowment and from generous donors in the North Fork Valley.

This opportunity is now closed for 2021.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

 Improving Access to Health Care

This process closed October 30, 2020.

The Western Colorado Health Fund offers funding for clinics, hospitals and other organizations to address issues of access to health care and to improve health care delivery in smaller, rural communities in our region. Tax-exempt organizations with programs to improve resident health through innovative or creative staffing arrangements, new technologies or other program, system or infrastructure investments are invited to submit an application. Preference will be given to programs serving less populated communities.

Any time you access the system, there may be other application opportunities open. Please ensure you are applying to the correct funding opportunity.

Please review the information in at Online Grant Center before registering as a user. Once you have reviewed the process, you may register a new user account. The system is very user friendly and will walk you through everything you need to know,  but you can access these tutorials to understand the process before creating an account.

Each grant opportunity has its own application deadline.  Be sure to check under each individual opportunity for the correct deadline.

Each grant opportunity has its own funding range. Please refer to the description and purpose of the grant opportunity for more detail.

There is no application process for donor-advised funds. Donors that have established donor advised funds make grants to nonprofit organizations based on their own areas of interest. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to register their organization through our Online Grant Center as an informal means to share information with WCCF staff. WCCF staff may be aware of donor-directed funds that would have an interest in supporting your organization or project.

General Project Budget Template

If you are applying on behalf of a charitable organization (such as a church or school) that is not registered with the Colorado Secretary of State then you can fill in the CO SOS number as zeros.