The Colorado Trust Grants Six San Luis Valley Nonprofits via Rural Philanthropy Days

The Colorado Trust, a private statewide foundation dedicated to ensuring all people living in Colorado have the opportunity to thrive, has granted $30,000 to six nonprofit organizations ($5,000 each) in the San Luis Valley as part of the September 2024 iteration of Rural Philanthropy Days.

Rural Philanthropy Days connects funders with nonprofit organizations and government agencies that serve rural Colorado. The biannual event was created in 1991 by the Community Resource Center (CRC) and the Anschutz Family Foundation to strengthen nonprofit-funder relations and address critical needs in rural Colorado communities.

The September 2024 San Luis Valley Rural Philanthropy Days convened nonprofit and funder representatives from Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. The Colorado Trust awarded general operating grants of $5,000 to each of the following organizations:

• Center Viking Youth Club: Based in the town of Center, the club is dedicated to nurturing the overall health, character and future of youth, focusing on their social, educational and vocational development.
• Children’s Specialty Clinic of the San Luis Valley: The clinic serves children with complex physical and behavioral health needs, offering a space for specialty providers to care for children where they are, geographically as well as emotionally and financially.
• Crestone Peak Community Housing: The group develops quality housing and economic development opportunities in an environmentally responsible manner for economically disadvantaged people in Saguache County.
• San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center: This nonprofit organization has provided immigration legal assistance, advocacy and education for the past 37 years, mostly to people from Guatemala and Mexico.
• ScSEED: The organization works to address civic and social connections, compatible economic development, agriculture and environmental conservation, and education and enrichment.
• Team of Empowered Allies: This new nonprofit is dedicated to educating and empowering people by addressing the impacts of social and internalized queerphobia, fostering a supportive environment for exploring self-acceptance, pride and community service.

Since 2009, The Colorado Trust has provided $993,000 in grants to rural Colorado nonprofit organizations via Rural Philanthropy Days and CRC to support the statewide Rural Philanthropy Days program. For more information about Rural Philanthropy Days, visit the CRC website.

About The Colorado Trust 
The Colorado Trust is a foundation dedicated to ensuring all Coloradans have the opportunity to thrive. We partner with organizations across Colorado that are working to make positive changes for people and communities. We provide funding and other resources to help every person living in Colorado have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Our grants support organizations and efforts focused on direct services, policy advocacy, community building, public education and more. We work side-by-side with grantees and community members to ensure grants are solution-based and effective. For more information, visit www.coloradotrust.org.