Grant Application Guidelines
The Denver Post Community Foundation, with funds raised through The Denver Post Season To Share, is committed to helping those less fortunate in our community improve their lives and become self-sufficient. With the generous support of donors and partners, grants are made to qualified nonprofit organizations in Metro Denver that focus on Children and Youth, Health and Wellness, Homelessness and Hunger.
Grant Making Focus Areas
Children and Youth
All children should have the chance to succeed in life and opportunities to help them reach their full potential by being on track for success in the classroom and in life.
Funding will focus mainly on out-of-school time programs that support the development of children and youth in the community, ages 5 – 18. Programs must be evidence-based and demonstrate positive outcomes in academic achievement and/or social and emotional development and show ongoing relationships with children/ youth beyond a one-time encounter. Programs must also focus on youth with barriers to success, serving at least 60% who qualify for free and reduced lunch or other low-income indicator.
Health and Wellness
Everyone deserves access to services that help them be healthy, including physical, behavioral and dental health care.
Funding will focus on established programs providing access to affordable, high-quality health care services for low-income residents in underserved communities. Programs of interest include community health centers serving under- and uninsured populations that provide integrated care and K-12 school-based health centers in schools where at least 60% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. Organizations must be able to demonstrate positive health outcomes for clients in addition to other output measures.
Homelessness
The issue of homelessness persists in our community and providing housing and services is important in working to end homelessness and support families and individuals.
This funding area supports prevention services and/or long-term housing strategies with multiple wrap-around services for individuals and families. Eligible programs include homelessness prevention programs that provide short-term financial support (i.e. rent, utilities, mortgage) to maintain current housing and supportive and transitional housing (six months or more) with additional supporting services. Programs must effectively demonstrate impact by tracking clients who are able to maintain housing and/or those who transition into and maintain more permanent and/or stable housing.
Hunger
Families and individuals deserve access to nutritious, supplemental food in order to meet their daily needs and to help support them in work and school.
Funding priority is given to established providers with large-scale programs or initiatives that reduce food insecurity. Eligible organizations and programs must meet the following criteria: effectively use data to make organizational decisions; provide client-choice services; offer nutritious food options; work in geographic areas where gaps for and access to nutritional services exist; support enrollment in SNAP/benefit programs; and provide warm referrals to other community supports.
Guidelines for Funding Consideration
The Denver Post Season To Share supports eligible nonprofit organizations and programs that help low-income children, youth and families access services to overcome obstacles impeding progress out of poverty and towards stabilization and self-sufficiency.
Funding consideration is given once per year to programs that meet criteria in one of the issue areas already mentioned. There is a competitive application review process and funding is not guaranteed to any organization, returning or newly invited.
The 2024/25 Grant Opportunity is Now Closed
If you are interested in a future Season To Share grant, please review the information on this page to determine if you qualify. If your organization falls under more than one issue area, please select the best fit.
Letters of Inquiry for the 2024/25 Season To Share grant cycle were accepted from May 15 – June 30, 2024. The next opportunity to submit an LOI will be May 15, 2025.
Season To Share grantees from the past three years, did not need to submit an LOI unless you were asking for a different program.
Email notifications with further information will be sent out in late-September 2024. Emails will be sent to the Primary Contact we have on file. (Please make sure we have your current contact information.)
The Denver Post Season To Share is a competitive and limited grant opportunity – full grant applications are by invitation only.
Application Details
Season To Share, a program of The Denver Post Community Foundation, uses an online application process that mirrors the Colorado Common Grant application questions and attachments.
A grant request must not exceed 10% of the general operating budget for the organization or if requesting program support, 30% of the program budget.
Application Requirements
Eligible organizations/programs will:
- Meet the specific grant making criteria in one funding area
- Have active 501(c)3 federal tax-exempt status (IRS letter dated within the last 5 years)
- Demonstrate one full year of program services and financial reporting
- Report strong measurable outcomes
- Have clearly presented goals, objectives and strategies
- Show sustainable and diversified funding streams
- Demonstrate a solid, stable financial position
- Serve vulnerable and low-income residents of the Denver metropolitan area (restricted to Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties)
Ineligible funding requests include:
- Capital campaigns or endowments or other reserve funds
- Public or private schools
- Government agencies
- Programs that do not fit funding guidelines or grant making strategies
- Organizations that practice discrimination of any kind
- Other foundations or nonprofits that distribute money to recipients of its own selection
- Individuals
- Religious organizations in support of religious programs
- Research projects or programs
- Influencing legislation or supporting candidates for political office
- Start-up funding
For more information, please email dpcommunity@denverpost.com.