The Little Engine that Could: Worldwide Impact through Colorado Gives Day
Did you know the Community Foundation has a fund benefiting Doctors Without Borders? Affectionately dubbed “The Little Engine That Could” by fund founder, Gary Faris, Doctors Without Borders: The Teardrop Fund has grown substantially over its 17 years, supporting the Doctors Without Borders mission to deliver medical relief to people in need around the world.
Read the story of how Colorado Gives Day catapulted the Teardrop Fund to meaningful impact in our November blog.
In the spirit of bringing philanthropy and impact together, the Foundation hosted two distinct appreciation events– a nonprofit celebration and the Gathering of Gratitude.
Nonprofit Celebration
Votes were cast, and the winners are…Nonprofits!
That’s right! On America’s Election Day, November 7, 2023, more than 100 nonprofit leaders from across our region gathered at High Country Beverage to celebrate each other’s hard work and impactful programs. The Foundation has hosted an annual Nonprofit Celebration for 11 years. It’s a special day for nonprofit leaders to gather, reconnect, and kick off the busy end of the year season, including the December 5th Colorado Gives Day.
A big shout out to the event sponsors, High Country Beverage and FirstBank of Colorado! The Foundation is grateful for our business partners’ generosity and commitment to community excellence.
Gathering of Gratitude
Continuing in spirit of celebration, the Foundation welcomed more than 100 of our closest friends to the second annual Gathering of Gratitude earlier this week. Guests were treated to a special performance by distinguished pianist, Tetiana Shafran, and fundholders, supporters, and volunteers enjoyed each other’s company as we celebrated their heartfelt commitment to community.
A highlight of the evening— the 2023 Impact Maker Award was presented to the Paul and Laura Harter family, recognizing their meaningful contributions to a variety of philanthropic projects.
The Foundation Celebrates 2023 National Philanthropy Day Colorado
Paula Edwards, 2023 National Philanthropy Day Colorado Outstanding Volunteer
The Community Foundation is a proud sponsor of National Philanthropy Day in Colorado–a special day set aside to recognize and pay tribute to the individuals and organizations whose contributions improve the quality of our lives, communities, and world. On Thursday, November 9, Foundation staff celebrated at special National Philanthropy Day events held in Denver and in Estes Park.
This year’s National Philanthropy Day was an especially joyous one for the Foundation, as someone near and dear to our hearts, Paula Edwards, received the Outstanding Volunteer award at the Denver event. Paula, who is a former member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, has made Northern Colorado a better place through community building and inspiring the philanthropy of others. Her 40-year tenure as a community volunteer has included serving on boards, guiding committees, and leading campaigns for organizations such as Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Give Next NoCo, Museum of Art Fort Collins, and WomenGive Larimer County, to name just a few.
Giving Season Dates and Deadlines
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… giving season! If you’re planning to make end-of-year grants from your fund or donate into your fund, here are some dates of which to be aware. Gifts to your fund must be postmarked or made online by Sunday, December 31. Most importantly, submit your end-of-year grant recommendations by Tuesday, December 12.
Due to increased grantmaking activity and holiday closures, grant requests received in late November and in December may take longer than the standard 7-10 business day processing time.
Community Champions Move the Needle
Who are Community Champions? Community Champions are donors who make an annual gift to support the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado’s regional engagement work. They are Community Foundation fundholders, businesses, and community members—who share our belief in the power of collaboration—that bringing together people and resources can create solutions to challenging issues in our region.
Learn about how Community Champions are making a positive impact in Northern Colorado. Make your end of year gift today.
Community Fund Committees award $311,650 to area nonprofits
Expanding services for those most vulnerable was a theme in the most recent Community Fund grant cycle. Thirty-eight agencies received a total of $311,650 to implement new and ongoing programs for children, teens, and older adults. This month, the Berthoud, Estes Valley, Fort Collins, and Loveland Community Fund Committees (CFCs) awarded 38 charitable organizations grants totaling $311,650.
“The Community Foundation is honored to support so many meaningful projects,” shared Director of Community Engagement and Communications, Claire Bouchard. “We were overwhelmed with the number of grant applications we received. While our area may be a “Best Place to Live”, not everyone is thriving and there is outstanding need in the community for philanthropists to support. We are pleased to play a small part through our community grantmaking.”
Mary Ericson Transitions to New Foundation Role
We’re pleased to share the newest addition to the Community Foundation Development team. Mary Ericson, former Communications Officer with the Community Foundation, is now serving as a Development Officer!
Mary brings years of development and major gifts experience from her previous roles with The Matthews House and CASA of Larimer County. With extensive knowledge of Northern Colorado and a self-described “unabashed proponent of philanthropy,” we are thrilled to bring Mary’s skills, experience, and energy to the Development team. Congrats, Mary!
Sponsor the next Celebration of Philanthropy
It’s officially fall, but we’re already thinking about spring! It’s not too early to sign up to sponsor the 2024 Celebration of Philanthropy.
This beloved event is happening May 9, 2024, and you or your business are invited to be a special part of it.
Visit our event page to explore sponsorship opportunities and start planning next year’s Celebration!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 CELEBRATION OF PHILANTHROPY SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSORS
Upcoming Events
Colorado Gives Day – December 5, 2023
SAVE THE DATE! Celebration of Philanthropy – May 9, 2024
Breaking Good News NoCo
Showcase your success in our newsletter, on our website, and on social media
Good news is contagious, and we want to celebrate YOU! We invite 501(c)(3) organizations that serve Northern and Eastern Colorado residents to share a success story through Breaking Good News.
Through the support of Community Champions, the Community Foundation brings people and resources together to spark change, channel passion into action, and explore solutions. Learn more about Community Champions.