CAPITAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLORADO
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. We strive to be responsive to each community’s unique needs and opportunities.
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 solutions
- Projects with evidence of community involvement in setting project priorities
- Projects in rural and low-income areas across Colorado where there are fewer individuals and institutions providing support for capital projects
- Projects that serve individuals and communities of color who have faced historic inequities and lack of access to funding
- Projects with strong engagement and financial support from the organization’s governing board
- Projects that reinforce the foundation’s strategic priorities in K-12 public education, natural resources, community development, and informed communities
- Projects that address climate change, and/or incorporate green building and sustainable development practices
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
- Community Development
- Education
- Natural Resources
- Parks & Recreation
- Well-Being of Children, Youth & Families
Arts and Culture
Artistic expression arouses the imagination, stimulates creativity, and prompts self-discovery. Organizations dedicated to art and culture enrich the spirit and enhance economic vitality. We support capital projects that:
- enhance the cultural quality of community life while also strengthening the economy
- link a community with its heritage and contribute to usable community infrastructure
- serve as an educational resource for children, youth, and adults
Funding examples and limitations:
- We prioritize capital projects that support libraries and museums; community theaters; performing arts organizations; and historic preservation
- When funding historic preservation, we prioritize projects that contribute to community revitalization and/or will result in opportunities for significant community use, over those purely for the sake of preservation
Community Development
Colorado’s economic health is dependent on the vitality of all of the state’s communities — large and small, urban and rural. We support capital projects that:
- create economic opportunity, add to the quality of life, and enhance stability for the residents of a community
- have the potential to reinforce and enhance the economic vitality of a community
- involve partnerships between public and private sector organizations that seek to improve the economic and cultural health of communities
Funding examples and limitations:
- We prioritize capital projects that restore historically significant architecture, revitalize main streets, and/or support heritage tourism that contributes to community revitalization, particularly in rural areas
- We look for opportunities that leverage public-private partnerships to stimulate economic development
- We support a range of affordable housing – including emergency shelters and transitional housing – through our capital grants program
- We support permanently affordable housing through our impact investment in Elevation Community Land Trust, but are unlikely to support this need through our capital grants program
See our recent capital grants supporting Community Development
Education
Closing the achievement gap for children from low-income families and increasing access to high-quality, life-long learning for all Coloradans enhances the economic, social and civic life of our communities. We support capital projects that:
- serve a majority of students from low-income families (who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch)
- build or improve education facilities that will be heavily used by a majority of the community
- increase access to education in rural areas
- provide life-long learning to a broad audience
Funding examples and limitations:
- We prioritize facilities for high-performing charter schools and other autonomous schools, particularly those seeking matching funds for a BEST grant
- Other examples include: rural schools improving facilities for community use; licensed early childhood education centers, particularly in underserved rural communities; and GED, literacy, or vocational training centers
- We generally do not support P-12 private schools or district-owned facilities, or higher education facilities or capital campaigns
Natural Resources
We are committed to the conservation, management, and protection
of Colorado’s natural resources. Projects that qualify for capital grants include:
Parks and Recreation
Appreciation and conservation of Colorado’s natural beauty, resources, and opportunities for outdoor recreation are fundamental to the quality of life and the economy of the state. We support capital projects that:
- protect and steward land and water resources, habitat, and the health of natural systems
- preserve the state’s agricultural legacy
- construct and improve parks, trail systems, and open space for public recreation and access
- provide environmental education and leadership opportunities for young people
Funding examples and limitations:
- We prioritize park and recreation facilities in smaller, rural and/or low-income communities
- Land conservation and easement purchases outside of our two “focused landscapes” (Southeast Colorado and the San Luis Valley) are eligible for support from our capital grants program
- Other examples include: greenways and trail systems; urban public spaces and community gardens; and outdoor/indoor recreation facilities
- We only consider school athletic or recreation facilities when they will be widely used by the community, in addition to the school
See our recent capital grants supporting Parks and Recreation
Well-Being of Children, Youth, and Families
Healthy individuals have greater opportunities to be productive members of society who contribute to the economic, social and cultural life of their communities. We prioritize capital projects that:
- develop greater self-sufficiency, including the well-being and independence of disadvantaged families and the elderly
- increase leadership and life skills
- promote good health and well-being rather than cure disease
Funding examples and limitations:
- We support job training centers, family resource centers, and transitional housing facilities
- We support youth mentoring organizations, community centers and senior centers
- We rarely support medical and dental facilities, though in rare occasions will prioritize those in remote rural areas with service to low-income populations
- We do not fund mental and behavioral treatment facilities for adults; senior care facilities; or hospice facilities
- We only fund faith-based organizations that serve and welcome all individuals, and do not require participation in religious activities
- We do not fund animal service or animal welfare organizations
See our recent capital grants supporting the Well-Being of Children, Youth, and Families
Deadlines
Gates reviews capital grant applications TWICE each year. Annual deadlines are:
- March 15 (for a mid-June decision)
- September 1 (for a mid-December decision;
NOTE this is changed from previous deadline of Sept. 15)
Applicants must have at least 30% of their project budget raised prior to being considered.
Inquiries
Prior to submitting a proposal, many applicants find it useful to contact Lisa Rucker to review the substance of the proposed project. We also accept inquiries that follow the Narrative Section III of the Colorado Common Application for Capital Grants.
How to Apply
Have questions about requirements, restrictions, and how to submit?
Capital Grants Team
Carol Menard
Office/Assistant Grants Manager
Lisa Rucker
Senior Program Officer/Grants Manager
Recent Capital Grants
| Year | Grantee | Amount | Type | Strategic Priority | Area Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Elevation Community Land Trust | $1,000,000 | |||
| 2023 | National Wildlife Federation | $120,000 | |||
| 2023 | Denver Arts and Venues | $200,000 | |||
| 2023 | Montbello Organizing Committee | $130,000 | |||
| 2023 | Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver | $120,000 | |||
| 2023 | Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley | $75,000 | |||
| 2023 | Arrupe Jesuit High School | $50,000 | |||
| 2023 | Boys & Girls Clubs of Chaffee County | $50,000 | |||
| 2023 | Momentum Advisory Collective | $50,000 | |||
| 2023 | Atlas Preparatory School | $30,000 | |||
| 2023 | GES Coalition | $25,000 | |||
| 2023 | Squared Network (The) | $150,000 | |||
| 2023 | New Legacy Charter High School | $100,000 | |||
| 2023 | NeighborWorks of Southern Colorado | $75,000 | |||
| 2023 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $75,000 | |||
| 2023 | Bluff Lake Nature Center | $75,000 | |||
| 2023 | Sedgwick County | $75,000 | |||
| 2023 | FrontLine Farming | $60,000 | |||
| 2023 | Volunteers of America | $55,000 | |||
| 2023 | Pine River Shares | $53,750 |
Finally, also in 2023 a total of $410,956 previously committed by Gates to the 
A total of $1,110,956 committed to the 
In 2019, the Community Development program committed $932,500 in strategic grants to 13 organizations and $465,000 in responsive capital grants to 12 organizations. New impact investments supporting vibrant communities in 2019 included a $500,000 MRI to 
Our Focus Landscapes initiative, a key element of our Natural Resources program, underwent a comprehensive review, revision, and re-launch in 2019. This initiative was launched in 2011 to help Colorado achieve landscape-scale conservation through the protection of private lands in specific geographies. A great deal of progress was made in North Park, southeast Colorado, and the San Luis Valley, resulting in more than 200,000 acres of farm and ranch lands conserved, along with their associated ecological values. The strategic review process was done in close partnership with the land trust organizations representing those geographies, providing lessons-learned and an exploration of emerging opportunities. The revised Focus Landscapes initiative will first focus on two geographies: