DENVER, December 23, 2020 — The Boettcher Foundation has awarded more than $10.6 million in grants and scholarships in 2020.
The grantees include organizations leading transformational initiatives, connecting communities through infrastructure or programming, and others increasing leadership opportunities. A major focus of the Foundation’s grantmaking also emphasized rural depth and statewide breadth.
“Our philanthropic support this past year reflects our mission to invest in the promise of Colorado and the potential of Coloradans,” said President & CEO Katie Kramer. “2020 was an unprecedented year in so many ways, and we remain as committed as ever to organizations and individuals who continue to lead transformational work in their respective communities.”
The Foundation continued its longtime investment in biomedical research through its support of the Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program. In addition to announcing its 11th class of Boettcher Investigators, Boettcher created the COVID-19 Biomedical Research Innovation Fund and supported the Help Colorado Now statewide relief work in response to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Boettcher Scholarship Program added 42 Scholars to its influential network. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $105 million in 2,672 Colorado students dating back to 1952. Below are additional details about some of our 2020 grant and scholarship recipients.
FOCUS AREA: PROMISE OF COLORADO
San Luis Valley Ski-Hi Event Center ($100,000): Located in Monte Vista, this new facility will feature a conference center and multiple indoor athletic courts. The complex has long served as an anchor for the community and the new, modern version is vital to the future health and prosperity of the region.
Center for African American Health Hudson Street Facility ($75,000): The Center for African American Health is the preeminent organization focusing on the health of Colorado’s African American residents. Their new facility will increase the organization’s capacity to serve clients and collaborate with numerous onsite partners.
Rural Theaters Support Fund ($50,000): Movie theaters are local hubs for entertainment, education, and civic life in rural Colorado. In partnership with other foundations and the State of Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the fund will help ensure rural theaters can reopen their doors after the COVID-19 pandemic.
RISE Planning and Design Support Grants ($25,000): In September 2020, Governor Jared Polis announced the $32.7 million Response, Innovation, and Student Equity (RISE) Education Fund to help Colorado address the learning challenges that students are facing due to COVID-19. Our assistance for RISE planning grants helps eligible educational organizations develop their initiatives and strengthen their applications to the fund.
Prodigy Coffeehouse – Globeville Expansion ($25,000): Prodigy employs future community leaders through an intensive apprenticeship program that builds skills, mindsets, and economic capital for sustainable careers. The second location will double the number of apprentices employed and help unleash the talent of the Globeville neighborhood.
FOCUS AREA: POTENTIAL OF COLORADANS
Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation – Civic DNA Fellows ($25,000): In 2020 we continued to empower Colorado’s leaders through support of the Civic DNA Fellows program. The eight-month, cohort-based experience helps leaders with a demonstrated community commitment further develop their leadership skills so they can increase their civic impact.
Latino Leadership Institute ($10,000): The Latino Leadership Institute (LLI) at the University of Denver advances Latino professionals to positions of influence and prepares organizations for a more diverse and equitable future. The fellowship program and leadership and inclusion trainings emphasize Latino leaders from across Colorado who work in different sectors and industries.
Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Program ($1.8 million): This year’s awards supported eight promising, early career Investigators, allowing them to establish their independent research and be more competitive for major federal and private awards. Each recipient is awarded $235,000 in grant funding to sustain up to three years of biomedical research. Including the class of 2020, 76 Boettcher Investigators have received funding through the Webb-Waring program. Since 2010, Investigators have gone on to earn a collective $100 million in subsequent independent research funding. For more information, please visit here.
Boettcher Scholarship Program ($4.1 million): The 2020 Boettcher Scholar class include the founder of a nonprofit organization that provides cybersecurity services, a composer for ballet and jazz routines, and the founding board member of the Native American Youth Summit. The cohort of 42 Scholars mark the newest class of students who will be the next generation of Colorado’s dynamic thinkers and leaders. The Boettcher Scholar network includes more than 2,600 Alumni who have made their marks in business, government, the nonprofit sector, and academia, among other industries. The four-year scholarship, established in 1952, includes full tuition and fees, a book allowance, and an annual stipend for living expenses. For more information, please visit here.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
COVID Biomedical Research Innovation Fund (Approximately $1 million): In May, the Foundation awarded six grantees with a total of just under $1 million in biomedical research funding to fight COVID-19 and future pandemics. The grantees represent several of Colorado’s top research hospitals, universities – and included several partnerships. The grantees were selected from a pool of 120 applicants; they are collectively leading research efforts around COVID-19 risk factors, treatment, testing, and vaccines. For more information, please visit here.
Help Colorado Now COVID Relief Fund ($100,000): Hosted by the State of Colorado and Mile High United Way and administered by a committee of community leaders from across Colorado, the Help Colorado Now fund has provided more than $20 million to aid Colorado communities affected by COVID-19 and organizations working in prevention, impact, and recovery.
About the Boettcher Foundation
At the Boettcher Foundation, we believe in the promise of Colorado and the potential of Coloradans. Every day we champion excellence across our state by investing in our most talented citizens and high-potential organizations, because supporting their hard work and leadership will enable them to give back for years to come.
