A Regional Approach to the Housing Challenge in Northern Colorado
In February 2024, the NoCo Foundation launched a new report, Northern Colorado Intersections: Pursuing Regional Well-Being, to bring focus to our region's most pressing issues. The report identified housing affordability as one of northern Colorado's primary challenges. Regional population growth, increasing housing and construction costs, and a challenging regulatory landscape, have caused the demand for affordable and attainable housing to far outpace supply. Many low- and middle-income earning households are overly burdened by the cost of housing or simply being priced out of homes in many communities in our region. For individuals and families experiencing homelessness, finding resources that can lead to stable housing can be challenging.
The NoCo Foundation will be joining a broad and growing network of affordable housing organizations, advocates, funders, developers, and champions across Northern Colorado that has for years been working to address the housing challenge for the benefit of our region's economic vitality and well-being. The NoCo Foundation believes that a regional, coordinated approach is necessary to prevent displacement, support economic growth across communities, and address shared issues like housing and homelessness.
Housing at a Crossroads Report
As part of our regional housing initiative, the NoCo Foundation recently created this report to build a shared understanding and momentum for change across Northern Colorado. Featuring a people‑centered look at the data, the report highlights both the scale of our housing challenges and what it will take to change course.
Check out the digital report here.
New Investment in Regional Housing Strategy
A $5 million investment from the NoCo Foundation will launch the NoCo Housing Initiative and create new opportunities for philanthropy and impact investing to make meaningful change across the full spectrum of housing needs—from homelessness to rental housing and homeownership. The investment will be funded by reallocating existing assets and grants from fundholders in the following areas:
Grants
$650,000 matching grant to support construction of the Fort Collins Rescue Mission’s new Homeless Resolution Center.
This will provide essential services to those experiencing homelessness and help them transition toward stability.
Down Payment Assistance
Down Payment Assistance Shared Equity Fund
Creates a revolving resource for low- to middle-income families to achieve homeownership and make their first step on the housing ladder more accessible.
Impact Investing
Impact Investing Loan Fund for Housing Construction Projects
Offering flexible capital to incentivize new housing developments and expand affordable rental and ownership options.
Staff
NoCo Foundation Regional Housing Officer
A dedicated position to mobilize a regional housing strategy in Larimer and Weld Counties, bringing together stakeholders and investors to address challenges collaboratively.
Working Together to Bring More Housing
In April 2025, we cohosted a regional brainstorming session with the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce with more than 45 housing professionals from different sectors in attendance. From that conversation emerged five main topics of opportunity and challenge that will guide new task forces designed to drive actionable change. The five topics and workgroups are:
Cash – setting up tools and building relationships to bring new capital to the system
Every 4th Thursday, 2:30-4:00 pm
Cost – determining which elements of building cost can be impacted, and creating strategies to reduce costs
Every 2nd Wednesday, 1:00-2:30 pm
Partnerships – leveraging relationships to bring creative partnerships and ideas to housing across the region
Regular meeting to be determined
Public & Political Will – developing shared messaging about the need for affordable and attainable housing
Every 4th Tuesday, 3:00-4:30 pm
Regional Strategies – working to create workshops for regional leaders to talk about collaborative solutions to housing affordability
Every 3rd Thursday, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Interested in partnering to bring innovative impact investing financial vehicles to the housing issue in our region? Donors who want to contribute to this initiative, please contact donorservices@nocofoundation.org.
The NoCo Housing Initiative does not distribute funds to individuals. We will work with housing related organizations to distribute the affordable housing investment funds to eligible applicants.
For individuals seeking information on sheltering and housing stability assistance, please visit 211 Colorado, Homeward Alliance, or Neighbor to Neighbor.
