Local Organizations Can Use New Grants to Tackle Community Issues

Fort Collins tops national rankings for best places to live. Locals even nicknamed it “the Choice City.” But many local organizations know that it is not a choice city for everyone.

• The most recent U.S. census data showed 16% of Fort Collins residents living below the poverty line, above the state level of 9%. The census data comes from the 2019 American Community Survey, five-year estimates.
• Nearly 60% of students experiencing homelessness in Poudre School District do not graduate in four years, according to the district’s graduation statistics (page 6).
• Sixty percent of renters in Fort Collins are cost-burdened, meaning that the household spends more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the City of Fort Collins Housing Strategic Plan(page 30).

Local nonprofits, schools, and government units are using new grants to act on these issues and more. Bohemian Fund grants from Bohemian Foundation support organizations in their work to make Fort Collins a more equitable place. Each organization can apply to receive a grant of up to $30,000.

Last month 36 organizations received grants totaling $587,000. Some highlights include:

• Beats By Girlz gives women, girls and gender-expansive individuals access to technical tools to make music. The organization will use a grant to challenge longstanding sexism, racism, and classism in the music industry.
• Homeward Alliance will use a grant to support their Family Housing Program. Homeward Alliance uses data to understand community needs. Recent numbers from Poudre School District showed 1,387 students did not have safe and stable housing during the 2019-2020 school year. Data from across the state shows 68% of students experiencing homelessness are students of color.
• La Cocina is an organization that relies on the expertise of Latinx individuals and families it works with to design solutions. La Cocina will use a Bohemian Fund grant for La Cocina’s¡Las Favas! program. It works with Latinx women who care for children in their homes and Latinx families with young children.

The next chance to request a grant is coming up. The application opens on January 27 and closes on February 24. Find out how to make a grant request during a workshop January 25, January 26 or February 1. Register at BohemianFoundation.org/bohemian-fund/workshops-applicant-support. A group of community reviewers and Bohemian Foundation staff selects applicants for awards.

Here is a complete list of organizations that received grants last month:

A Little Help, A Little Help for Older Adults in Fort Collins

Access Center, CSU, Indigenous Science Arts Technology and Resilience (ISTAR) Camp

ALIGHT, General Support

Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County, General Support

Beats by Girlz Inc., Beats by Girlz Fort Collins

Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, General Support

CASA of Larimer County, CASA Program

Catholic Charities & Community Services of the Archdiocese of Denver, Inc., Samaritan House Fort Collins shelter

Center for Public Deliberation, CSU, General Support

ChildSafe Colorado, Inc., General Support

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, General Support

Crossroads Safehouse, Inc., General Support

Department of Design and Merchandising, CSU, Fashion FUNdamentals

Department of Human Development and Family Studies, CSU, Campus Connections

Food Bank for Larimer County, Fresh Food Share

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Nonprofit Partner, Opportunity Program Expansion

Foundation Music School, General Support

Homeward Alliance, Family Housing

Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, CSU, Centering the Voices of BIPOC Youth in Wildlife Conservation in the West: A Project-based Learning and Leadership Program

La Cocina, Dejando Huellas: Introducing Las FAVAS and their impacto Latinx!

Larimer County Partners, Inc., General Support

Launch: Community Through Skateboarding, General Support

Live the Victory, Inc. dba The Matthews House, The Matthews House Youth and Family Center

Neighbor to Neighbor, Inc., General Support

Project Self-Sufficiency of Loveland-Fort Collins, Healthy Families Program

School of Education, CSU, Caminos Partnership

Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center, SAVA Center’s Speak Up! Program

Sound Affects Music, Sound Affects Performances

Special Olympics Colorado, Inclusive School Programming for Students With and Without Intellectual Disabilities

Sustain Music and Nature Inc., Trail Sessions

The Avery Center, General Support

The Family Center/La Familia, General Support

United Way of Weld County, Coordinated Assessment and Housing Placement System (CAHPS)

Vindeket Foods, General Support

Voices Carry Child Advocacy Center, Safety Smarts

Volunteers of America, Colorado Branch, AmeriCorps Seniors – RSVP

Bohemian Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2001. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Bohemian Foundation supports local, national, and global efforts to build strong communities. Visit BohemianFoundation.org for more information.