The Yampa Valley Community Foundation (YVCF) recently awarded over $466,000 through its Community Grants Cycle to support Animals, Arts & Culture, Health & Human Services, Education, Recreation, and Environmental organizations in Routt and Moffat Counties. This is an increase of 65% in total dollars over last year’s grant cycle.
The annual grant cycle is an opportunity for YVCF to educate itself regarding current needs in the Yampa Valley. Grant proposals are researched and analyzed by a Grants Committee comprised of 20 community volunteers from Routt and Moffat Counties and YVCF Board of Trustees members.
“The success of our Community Grants program is a direct result of the hard work of the grants committee in reviewing and analyzing applications,” explained Helen Beall, Community Impact Manager at YVCF. “The committee is extremely knowledgeable about our nonprofits. They work diligently to ensure funding is allocated where it will have the greatest community benefit.”
Over the summer, the committee reviewed 74 applications and awarded grants to 72 organizations, funding an average of 91% of those organizations’ requests. In 2020, $281,780 was awarded to 61 organizations. Grants were allocated in the following sectors:
- 3% – Animals
- 16% – Arts & Culture
- 9% – Education
- 15% – Environment
- 47% – Health & Human Services
- 11% – Recreation
This year, YVCF allowed grant requests up to $7,500 for unrestricted purposes from nonprofits providing services in Routt and/or Moffat County. This is an increase from a maximum of $5,000 in previous years. This change reflected lessons learned during the pandemic, which reinforced the need for flexible funding allowing nonprofits to continue serving their clients while adapting their programming to tackle big community issues.
“We are proud to continue to provide and increase our community grants for general support,” said Tim Wohlgenant, Executive Director of the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. “We firmly believe that our grant recipients are best equipped to decide how their grant awards should be spent.”
The total dollars granted significantly surpassed previous grant cycles, in great part because of YVCF’s partnerships with the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, Donor Advised Fund Holders, community donors, and other YVCF-managed Granting Endowments. “We are so grateful for the donors who generously supported this year’s Community Grants Cycle, and the trust they place in YVCF and the grants committee to be good stewards of their contributions,” said Traci Hiatt, Donor Engagement Manager at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. “This is effective philanthropy at its finest.”
For a complete list of nonprofits and organizations funded through the grant cycle visit: https://yvcf.org/non-profits/grants/
2021 Community Grants Committee: Rob Race, Carol Davidson, Mindy Falzarano, Karen Parks, Pam Williams, Carol (Shine) Atha, Suzy Sayle, Brian Harvey, Rod Morgan, Will Melton, Nicole Piret, Jeff Merage, Judy McGinnis, Andrea Camp, Audrey Danner
Financial Analysis Sub-Committee: PJ Wharton, Gretchen Donnan-Daley, Tom Krabacher, Mike Illenberger, Christopher Godfrey
The Yampa Valley Community Foundation is the primary source for philanthropic resources and education for both donors and nonprofit organizations in Northwest Colorado. We promote thoughtful, individualized charitable giving and create endowments that have meaningful impact in the Yampa Valley. In all that we do, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation operates with the highest integrity. We are the gold standard in client services and a trusted resource to the community. Our work is impeccable, impactful and transparent to those we serve.