In 2023, Out Boulder County joined a diverse coalition of organizations called Communities Lead, Communities Thrive who successfully lobbied to pass HB22-1356, Small Community-based Nonprofit Grant Program, to provide infrastructure funding to small organizations serving historically underrepresented, underserved, or under-resourced communities. The resulting program has now been launched with grant applications being accepted this summer; see below for details.
While Out Boulder County is not eligible to apply for this program, we are committed to its mission and may be able to serve as a fiscal sponsor for interested applicants. Please reach out to our Executive Director, Mardi Moore (she/her), if you are interested in this potential for your organization.
The Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program Information
The Nonprofit Infrastructure (NPI) Grant Program is a statewide grant program for small, community-based nonprofit organizations that provides services to communities that have been historically underrepresented, underserved, or under-resourced. This grant is designed for nonprofits in historically-marginalized communities that need help building capacity following the COVID-19 pandemic and is administered under the direction of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA).
Organizations with annual budgets between $150,000 and $2,000,000 that can show they have been impacted or disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and have a track record of providing effective, culturally appropriate, and relevant programs and services to their communities who have historically been underrepresented, underserved, or under-resourced in Colorado may apply.
This program provides funding for infrastructure, not programming or capital improvements. Infrastructure includes:
Strategic planning and organizational development
Professional development for staff and board
Research
Data technology, data collection and/or technology infrastructure
Marketing and communications
Existing program expansion, development or evaluation
$33,100,000 in grants will be awarded, with selected organizations awarded up to $100,000. The application timeline is July 5, 2023 through August 31, 2023.
The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) is collaborating with eight Regional Access Partners (RAPs) Network to help select and administer grants within their particular regions, emphasizing a hyper-local focus on teamwork and support. Organizations will apply for the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant directly through the RAP that oversees the county in which the organization is primarily headquartered.
Determine who your regional access partner is here: https://dlg.colorado.gov/regional-access-partners
For Boulder County organizations, the RAP is the United Way of Larimer County:
(970) 407-7000