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$1 million Funding Opportunity Aims to Increase Neighborhood Community Engagement in Jefferson County

Community First Foundation (CFF) announces a new grant opportunity for Jefferson County (Jeffco) nonprofits. The Helping Each Other Thrive grant opportunity opens August 31 and aims to help identify partners, engage donors, increase community engagement in neighborhoods and inform the Foundation’s future work.

Community First Foundation is investing $1 million in grant funds to support two types of community engagement efforts for residents living in high poverty areas in Jeffco. Those areas include:

  • building leadership, advocacy or other skills for local residents to become more active on issues important to their community; and
  • supporting organizations working to increase or improve their levels of community engagement among people living in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of poverty.

“Through this funding opportunity, we are interested in learning who is working in these neighborhoods to harness the energy and passion of people, and/or helping people develop the skills they want and need to be more activated and engaged in their community,” said Noah Atencio, vice president of community impact for Community First Foundation. “We want to understand how community-based organizations are serving the needs of these neighborhoods and how they are engaging residents in their work, then, how Community First Foundation can support opportunities to increase social connectedness in these areas.”

“Community First Foundation believes in working with communities to make good happen. It’s core to who we are and what we want to be. We also recognize we can’t do any of the hard work alone, but instead, must do it together, with you, our community,” said Kelly Dunkin, president and CEO for Community First Foundation.

Grant applications must be submitted by September 30, 2021, at 5 p.m. Awards will be announced in October. To be eligible, organizations must be 501(c)(3) Nonprofits and/or government equivalents, or 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, such as neighborhood associations, operating within the defined geographic scope of this grant opportunity.

Learn more or apply at CommunityFirstFoundation.org/grant-seekers/apply-for-a-grant/.

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About Community First Foundation

Community First Foundation has been connecting donors and innovative Colorado nonprofits since 1975. As the community foundation serving Jefferson County, we are committed to activating ideas, people and resources so that all Jeffco communities have the opportunity to thrive. We help donors with philanthropic planning, support nonprofits with grants and resources, and together, build resilient and connected communities. Our work is rooted in radical listening and a commitment to equity and inclusion.

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