2018 ANNUAL REPORT
Letter from the President & Board Chair
As a place-based foundation dedicated to long-term quality of life in Colorado, Gates Family Foundation takes the long view of most issues facing the state. In 2018, the economies of the Front Range and some portions of rural Colorado continued to expand significantly. The state continued to see substantial in-migration of talent, much of it young. The economy also continued to diversify, with sectors like outdoor recreation, biosciences, and aerospace continuing to grow substantially.
At the same time, Colorado continues to struggle with both new and persistent challenges. The achievement gap in K-12 public education remains one of the greatest in the United States, and many urban school systems are more segregated by race and income today than they have ever been. Growth and change have brought huge issues with respect to housing affordability, gentrification, and displacement. Other parts of the state have not shared in this prosperity. Portions of eastern, southern, and far northwest Colorado have not seen similar gains in employment and economic opportunity.
Growth also continues to put pressure on the state’s land and water resources. Despite a relatively wet and snowy winter in 2018-19, most parts of the state continue to battle with prolonged drought, increased wildfire danger, and early signs of the impact of climate change. Recreational pressures on public lands and unique resources like Colorado’s fourteeners have never been higher. In the urbanized Front Range and some mountain valleys, mobility challenges are also on the rise as communities seek to find scalable alternatives to the personal automobile. The capacity of democratic institutions and civil society to cope with all of the above is challenged by fiscal and structural governance constraints, as well as an evolving media landscape and a significant decline in local journalism capacity.
As you will see in the highlights provided below by the various staff teams, the Foundation’s work in 2018 continued to address these and other important challenges – and opportunities – facing the state. In many ways, 2018 was our most productive year ever.
Thomas A. Gougeon
President
Lauren Cannon Davis
Board Chair
Educational Equity
Innovation zones, rural district improvement, and community engagement were bright spots.
Natural Resources
Water innovations and supporting the launch of a new statewide land trust coalition lead our list of priorities.
Vibrant Communities
Promoting economic opportunity and informed communities were two main areas of focus.
The vision set out in our current strategic plan – to leverage all of the Foundation’s resources in service to the Colorado community – was realized as we put $25.3 million to work pursuing mission-relevant charitable purpose activity in one form or another. That amount includes:
- Nearly $9 million in grants paid through the main Foundation
- More than $11.5 million in grants paid through the eight family funds housed at the Foundation
- Just over $2.4 million operating the Foundation with a team of 12 professionals working in multiple fields
- Nearly $700,000 deployed in Program-Related Investments (PRIs)
- Nearly $1.2 million deployed in Mission-Related Investments (MRIs)
- Approximately $525,000 invested in the Hover Building, the Foundation’s home base, a meeting and event resource for many nonprofit and community partners and the home of the edXchange public education shared-space collaborative
Due to the market downturn in the last quarter of 2018, the Foundation’s total assets declined to $455.1 million at year-end. As of January 31, 2019, the balance had already recovered to $471.3 million.
Our capital grants program received more than 100 requests, and ultimately we made $3.35 million in capital grant commitments, including significant awards to the Aurora School of Science and Technology at the Anschutz Medical Campus, New Legacy Charter School, and the National Western Stock Show.
National Western Center redevelopment
The past year also saw continued growth in the Foundation’s impact investing portfolio. We committed to our sixth PRI, $1 million to Greenline Ventures to support small business lending throughout Colorado. We also added three more market-return impact investments to our portfolio – to support early-stage ed tech tools, sustainable management and conservation of timberlands, and affordable housing and transformative development.
Valerie Gates and Tom Gougeon accept the 2018 Champion of the Land from Colorado Open Lands
We made significant progress on our new website, which now provides more transparency and insights from the Foundation. We were recognized as the 2018 “Champion of the Land” by Colorado Open Lands. The event provided a chance to reflect on Gates’ 40 years of history with the conservation community, as well as our first project with Colorado Open Lands – the conservation of the historic 3,200-acre Evans Ranch at the base of Mount Evans in Clear Creek County.
There were also some significant changes within the staff. Senior Vice President Beth Conover left the Foundation in August after seven years to become executive director of the Salazar Center for North American Conservation at Colorado State University. Russ Schnitzer and Laia Mitchell were promoted to senior program officers, and made co-managers of the Natural Resources and Community Development team. Abby Schaller and Lisa Rucker were promoted to senior program officer roles, and Anna Schmid was promoted to Controller. Sue Dorsey (Senior Vice President – Finance, Administration & Impact Investing) and Melissa Davis (Vice President – Strategic Communications & Informed Communities) got new titles to recognize their work expanding into new areas. And after reviewing more than 330 applications, the team selected Whitney Johnson as a program officer for natural resources and community development.
2018 was an amazing year, full of diverse types of work throughout the state. By design, a significant portion of the Foundation’s impact, grant making, and investing occurs in rural Colorado. It continues to be a privilege to contribute to the legacy of the Gates family in Colorado, to invest in so many of the people and places that make Colorado special, and to work with so many amazing partners in all of the fields the Foundation touches.
Sincerely,
Lauren Cannon Davis
Board Chair
Gates Family Foundation
Thomas A. Gougeon
President
Gates Family Foundation
2018 Financials
2018 Philanthropic Activity:
$25.3 million
| Total Family Fund Grants | |
| Total GFF Grants | |
| GFF PRIs | |
| GFF MRIs | |
| Hover Building | |
| Staff & Administration |
Strategic Grants:
$5,304,427
| Educational Equity | |
| Natural Resources | |
| Vibrant Communities |
Capital Grants:
$3,595,338
| Education | |
| Parks & Recreation | |
| Community Development | |
| Arts & Culture | |
| Well-being of Children, Youth and Families |
| Grantee | Paid in 2018 | Type | Strategic Priority | Area Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ Colorado | $60,000 |
Education |
||
| A+ Colorado | $5,000 |
Education |
||
| Academy of Advanced Learning | $50,000 |
Education |
||
| America Succeeds | $124,000 |
Education |
||
| American Forest Foundation | $124,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Americas for Conservation and the Arts | $30,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Artspace | $50,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Atlantis Community, Inc. | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Atlas Preparatory School | $35,000 |
Education |
||
| Attention Homes | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Aurora Cultural Arts District | $18,000 |
Community Development |
||
| AXL Academy | $250,000 |
Education |
||
| Bellwether Education Partners | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Bent County Board of County Commissioners | $25,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Bethel Community Center | $40,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Big Green | $20,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Big Sandbox | $9,668 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| BikeDenver | $12,500 |
Community Development |
||
| Bridge Emergency Shelter | $80,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| CASA of the Pikes Peak Region | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| CASA of the Seventh Judicial District | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Center for ReSource Conservation | $25,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Central Colorado Conservancy | $63,158 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Central Colorado Conservancy | $75,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Chalkbeat | $75,000 |
Education, Informed Communities |
||
| Charter Board Partners | $20,000 |
Education |
||
| City of Fort Collins | $100,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| City of Montrose | $35,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| City Parks Alliance | $10,000 |
Community Development |
||
| CityCraft Foundation | $42,000 |
Community Development |
||
| CityCraft Foundation | $75,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Civic Canopy | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Climb Higher Colorado | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Coalition for the Upper South Platte | $20,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado Association of Funders | $10,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Colorado Charter Facility Solutions | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado Charter Facility Solutions | $1,250,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado Children’s Campaign | $50,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado Education Organizing Funder Collaborative (CEO) | $60,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado Forum Fund | $80,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado Fourteeners Initiative | $70,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Colorado Fourteeners Initiative | $45,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado Future Farmers of America Foundation | $15,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado Impact Fund | $548,177 |
Community Development |
||
| Colorado Industrial Areas Foundation | $30,250 |
Education |
||
| Colorado League of Charter Schools | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado Open Lands – Conservation Futures Project | $75,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado Open Lands – Land Trust Collaboration Grants | $75,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado Public Radio | $25,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado State University | $37,500 |
Community Development |
||
| Colorado Succeeds | $30,000 |
Education |
||
| Colorado West Land Trust | $100,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Colorado West Land Trust | $95,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado West Land Trust | $50,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Colorado Youth Congress | $60,000 |
Education |
||
| Community Resource Center | $10,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Community Resource Center | $10,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Conservation Fund | $25,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Conservation Lands Foundation | $100,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Creede Repertory Theatre | $10,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| CrossPurpose | $45,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission | $25,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Denver Botanic Gardens | $100,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Denver Civic Ventures | $40,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Denver Tennis Park | $225,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Denver Urban Gardens | $98,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Denver Urban Gardens | $19,500 |
Community Development |
||
| Denver Water | $100,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| District One | $20,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Dolores River Boating Advocates | $70,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Early Connections Learning Centers | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Edgewater Collective | $27,500 |
Education |
||
| Education Reform Now | $75,000 |
Education |
||
| Elevation Community Land Trust | $75,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Elevation Community Land Trust | $175,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Emily Griffith Foundation | $25,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Empower Schools | $21,519 |
Education |
||
| Energy Resource Center | $15,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Environmental Learning for Kids | $125,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Family Star | $25,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Friends of the Gardens on Spring Creek/City of Fort Collins | $50,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Gold Crown Foundation | $35,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Grand Mesa Arts Center | $30,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Grassroots Foundation | $20,000 |
Education |
||
| Greenline Ventures LLC | $177,344 |
Community Development |
||
| Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government | $94,500 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Healthy Community Food Systems | $30,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Heart J Center for Experiential Learning | $30,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| High Country News | $50,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Historic Fraser | $15,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Historic Georgetown | $30,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Jefferson County School District | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Keystone Center | $40,000 |
Education |
||
| Keystone Science School | $90,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| KUTE | $35,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Lake County School District R-1 | $100,000 |
Education |
||
| Laradon | $90,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Lefthand Watershed Oversight Group | $42,500 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Limon Child Development Center | $40,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Lincoln Institute of Land Policy | $40,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Lone Cone Library District | $50,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Luttrell Barn Cultural Center Foundation | $21,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Lyme Timber Company LP — Forest Fund V | $422,227 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Lyons Regional Library | $40,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Meals on Wheels of Boulder | $15,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Mesa County Valley School District #51 | $30,500 |
Community Development |
||
| Mesa County Valley School District #51 | $125,000 |
Education |
||
| Metro Denver Mobility Choice Blueprint | $25,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Mile High Connects | $75,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project | $20,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Museum of Contemporary Art | $60,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| National Black Child Development Institute | $25,000 |
Education |
||
| National Western Stock Show | $250,000 |
Community Development |
||
| National Western Stock Show | $50,000 |
Community Development |
||
| National Wildlife Federation | $60,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| New Legacy Charter High School | $100,000 |
Education |
||
| North Fork Pool, Park and Recreation District | $30,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| North London Mill Preservation | $11,670 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Older Adults Technology Services | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Outdoor Alliance | $65,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Palmer Land Trust – Bessemer Farmland Exchange Project | $60,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Palmer Land Trust – Hanratty Farms | $275,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Paradox Valley School | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Project Worthmore | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Qualistar Early Learning | $100,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Radian | Placematters | $24,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Ralston House | $25,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| RE-1 Valley School District | $30,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Re:Vision | $50,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Reach Capital II | $220,000 |
Education |
||
| Redline Contemporary Art Center | $20,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Regional Transit-Oriented Development Fund | $513,669 |
Community Development |
||
| Ricardo Flores Magon Academy | $50,000 |
Education |
||
| Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust | $40,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust – Del Norte Riverfront Project | $25,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Rise Above Violence | $10,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| River Network | $100,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| RiversEdge West | $30,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Roaring Fork School District | $10,000 |
Education |
||
| Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Educational and Charitable Foundation | $50,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Rocky Mountain Preparatory School | $300,000 |
Education |
||
| Rocky Mountain Preparatory School | $5,000 |
Education |
||
| Rocky Mountain Public Media | $50,000 |
Capital Project Support, Informed Communities |
||
| Rocky Mountain Public Media | $70,000 |
Capital Project Support, Informed Communities |
||
| RootED | $300,000 |
Education |
||
| RootED | $4,000 |
Education |
||
| Roots Elementary School | $80,000 |
Education |
||
| San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition | $25,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Sand County Foundation | $13,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Sonoran Institute | $100,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| South Park Schools Foundation | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Steamboat Health and Recreation Association | $50,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Streetsblog Denver | $35,000 |
Community Development |
||
| STRiVE | $50,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Teach For America | $220,000 |
Education |
||
| The Delores Project | $20,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership | $75,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Trust For Public Land | $125,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Trust For Public Land | $50,000 |
Community Development |
||
| University of Colorado Foundation | $10,000 |
Community Development |
||
| University of Denver – Colorado Media Project | $85,000 |
Informed Communities |
||
| Valley Settlement Project | $30,000 |
Education |
||
| Village Exchange Center | $50,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado | $40,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| WalkDenver | $25,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Walking Mountains Science Center | $75,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| West Colfax Business Improvement District | $26,000 |
Community Development |
||
| Western Landowners Alliance | $75,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Western Resource Advocates | $100,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Windward Fund – Water Funders Initiative | $125,000 |
Natural Resources |
||
| Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism | $25,000 |
Education |
||
| YouthPower365 | $30,000 |
Capital Project Support |
||
| YouthZone | $25,000 |
Capital Project Support |
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: 
Supporting the conservation of Colorado’s natural resources is a unique privilege, and is a role the Foundation assumes with honor and humility. Our work is only as strong as our grantees and funding partners. I remain confident in the vision and direction provided by our strategic plan, and we continue to work diligently to position ourselves to respond effectively to emerging challenges and opportunities.