By Kristin Todd, President & CEO, NoCo Foundation

What keeps you up at night?

For some of us, it’s family. For others, it’s work deadlines or wondering what the future holds. For Northern Colorado’s mayors and city managers, the worries sound a little different—but they come from the same place of care.

Recently, when I sat in a room with local leaders from across our region, the conversation ranged from long-term water security to downtown vitality to the balance of growth and affordability. It struck me that even though each community has its own story, the challenges—and the hopes—are deeply connected.

That’s why the NoCo Foundation helps bring these leaders together—across jurisdictions, across politics, and across perspectives. When people gather with openness and trust, real collaboration can take root.

How It Began

More than a decade ago, the city managers of Fort Collins and Greeley were looking for a neutral space to meet—somewhere outside formal agendas and city boundaries. They approached the NoCo Foundation, and our team helped create that space.

What started as a few informal conversations grew into the Regional Leaders Initiative, a place where leaders from Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, and beyond could connect, share ideas, and build trust.

Those early gatherings proved something powerful: when leaders talk as neighbors, not competitors, good things happen.

Collaboration in Action

For fifty years, the NoCo Foundation has believed in the power of working together. Our region’s biggest opportunities—and toughest challenges—don’t stop at a city limit sign.

That’s why we’ve expanded our convening work beyond one table of leaders to several, including:

  • The Growing Communities Collaborative, where leaders from our fastest-growing towns share ideas and navigate change together.
  • The NoCo Water Alliance, connecting water providers across Weld and Larimer Counties to plan with foresight and trust. See below.
  • Regional Housing Work Groups, bringing public and private partners together to address affordability and strengthen community infrastructure.

Each effort is a reminder that progress is personal—it starts with relationships and grows through shared purpose.

Real Results

These partnerships have already led to remarkable progress:

  • A first-of-its-kind Loveland–Windsor water-sharing agreement, ensuring mutual support during drought years.
  • The newly created Northern Colorado Water Principles document that underscores the region’s dedication to retaining water here for present day and future opportunities.
  • The Poudre River Improvement Fund, a $100 million philanthropic initiative housed at the NoCo Foundation.
  • A $5 million regional housing investment fund, combining donor generosity with municipal resources to expand local housing solutions.

Each milestone reflects what’s possible when we look beyond borders and choose collaboration over competition.

Better Together

Regional problems require regional solutions—and sometimes, that starts with a simple conversation.

The NoCo Foundation is honored to help create those spaces—where trust grows, ideas take shape, and leaders see how their individual efforts connect to something much bigger.

So when you find yourself awake at night, wondering about the future of this region we all love, know that across Northern Colorado, people are coming together—quietly, steadily—to build it, one conversation at a time.

Learn more about how we convene leaders at nocofoundation.org/community-engagement/convening.