Eastern Colorado

In December of 2015, community leaders from Eastern Colorado formalized an arrangement for the creation of the Eastern Colorado Community Fund (ECCF) – a component fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado.

The ECCF provides community foundation services to everyone in Eastern Colorado.

We are in the midst of the largest transfer of wealth in history, as heirs move away from rural America. This wealth is often forever lost from these rural communities. If just a small percentage of inter-generational wealth was gifted back to its community of origin, it could provide substantial dollars for long-term community benefit.

Eastern Colorado Community Fund

The ECCF has its own distinct identity and a full-time Eastern Colorado director, currently based in Haxtun, CO. All funds established to benefit Eastern Colorado communities — whether Donor Advised, Scholarship, Designated, Field of Interest, or Unrestricted — are part of the Eastern Colorado portfolio of funds. A local ECCF advisory board – comprised of two members from six Northeastern Colorado counties – is responsible for grantmaking from the unrestricted portion of ECCF portfolio of funds.

Donors are encouraged to consider leaving a lasting legacy for Eastern Colorado through major gifts such as real estate, mineral rights, water rights, and estate gifts. Over the long term, these gifts will strengthen future generations in the areas of education, the arts, recreation, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and more. These community assets will provide the basis for creating and retaining jobs, attracting new commercial ventures, and expanding existing businesses and industry. The combined effect will be heightened opportunities and economic growth across the region.

Sterling Community Fund

The Sterling Community Fund is an endowment created by local residents to provide a sustainable funding source for projects that make Logan County a more attractive place to live, raise a family, establish a business, and retire. Click here for information.

For more information about the ECCF or to view a list of current funds, click here. Contact ECCF Director, John Chapdelaine with any questions or to learn more.

In the News

• Chapdelaine helps others leave a legacy, Sterling Journal-Advocate, March 31, 2022
• Fund hits major milestone: $2 million, Sterling Journal-Advocate, January 3, 2022
• ‘Why’ the Sterling Community Fund?, Sterling Journal-Advocate, July 12, 2021
• Eastern Colorado Community Fund awards four scholarships, Sterling Journal-Advocate, June 28, 2021
• NJC Foundation partners with ECCF, Sterling Journal Advocate, June 4, 2021
• Save the date for ‘A Stroll in the Park’, Sterling Journal Advocate, April 23, 2021

Eastern Colorado Community Fund Board of Directors

Thanks to the community leaders who initiated the Eastern Colorado Community Fund and shaped its vision: