Rural Catalyst Grants
The Rural Catalyst Grant Program strengthens the internal capacity of organizations as they work to achieve goals outlined in Boettcher’s Rural Leadership Collaborative meetings. Our Rural Leadership Collaborative meetings are quarterly gatherings where rural leaders come together to discuss strategies that advance their organizations, communities, and regions.
There are two funding cycles to apply for Rural Catalyst Grants.
Overview
These capacity-building grants range from $1,000-$10,000 and are distributed to support the following types of projects:
- Strategic planning: Identifying elements of a blueprint that helps an organization accomplish its goals.
- Convening: Bringing people, ideas, and resources together to move forward an issue, topic, or opportunity.
- Short-term staffing or contractors: Supporting employees or expertise recruited for short-term employment contracts to meet limited, one-time support needs.
- One-time operating costs: Covering expenses related to the operation of the organization or program that are not recurring, such as tap fees, application fees, public outreach, or education material expenses.
Fund work in rural Colorado to move forward on a number of eligible issue areas, including affordable housing, childcare, mental health, rural placemaking, serving immigrant and/or refugee communities, rural water management, and community-to-community collaboration. Check back in January for any potential additions to the above issue areas.
Your Checklist to Apply
- Must be a strategic opportunity rather than general operating support.
- Must address one of the eligible issue areas.
- Must have at least one staff member, volunteer, or board member attend a Rural Leaders Collaborative meeting in 2024 or 2025.
- Sign up for a Rural Leaders Collaborative meeting here if you have not attended one yet.
- Complete the Catalyst Grant Application (refer to timeline).
Questions about the grants process for Rural Catalyst Grants can be emailed to Garrett Mayberry, grants program officer, at garrett@boettcherfoundation.org. Grants will be awarded after a competitive review.
Timeline to Apply - 2025
Note: We prefer that organizations only submit one application of the following grant opportunities (Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grant, Rural Catalyst Grant, or Community Connections Grant) per cycle.
Staff will review inquiries during the acceptance windows, typically responding within six weeks of receipt, to inform organizations if they will be invited to submit a full application.
Additional Types of Grants
Community Connections Grants
Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grants
The Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grant Program strengthens the capacity of leadership organizations that are working to create a more inclusive and accessible leadership ecosystem in Colorado.