Achieving the vision of access to health for all Coloradans will only be accomplished by the efforts of many. This level of change requires a collaborative effort by individuals, public and private organizations, and government.
The Colorado Trust's strategic grantmaking supports the development of a coordinated system of policies, programs and services that:
- Expand health coverage, and
- Improve and expand health care.
The Trust issues Requests for Proposals (RFP) and welcomes responses from nonprofit organizations and governmental entities across Colorado. When a competitive funding opportunity is available, a detailed RFP with related instructions and specific application deadlines is posted to our website. Sign up to be automatically notified by email of future funding opportunities.
On occasion, The Trust also invites organizations that are focused on strategies specific to achieving access to health to submit individual, non-competitive proposals.
Note: The Colorado Trust does not accept unsolicited requests for funding.
Eligibility
In response to an RFP or an individual invitation issued by The Trust, the following types of organizations are eligible to apply for grants:
- Nonprofit organizations that are exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as "not a private foundation" under Section 509(a)
- Independent sponsored projects of a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization acting as a fiscal agent
- Government and public agencies.
The Colorado Trust does not make grants for the following:
- Political campaigns or voter registration drives
- Capital funding for the purchase, construction or renovation of any facilities or other physical infrastructure
- Operating deficits or retirement of debt
- Indirect allocations (excluding fiscal agent fees)
- Religious purposes.
Below is a listing of all 2010 grantees of The Colorado Trust:
Expand Health Coverage
Bighorn Leadership Development Program (Colorado State University)
Providing leadership development training for Coloradans to better enable them to advocate for an improved health care system and implement policies that expand access to health.
Outreach.Colostate.edu/GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $214,888
Colorado Area Health Education Centers (University of Colorado Foundation)
Conducting consumer training in advocacy through five regional AHEC centers statewide focusing on policy changes to expand access to health.
www.ucdenver.eduGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $700,000
Colorado Children's Campaign
Developing a health cost model and advocating for fiscal and policy changes to improve the health care system through "Looking Forward" – a collaborative project with the Bell Policy Center and Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, as well as other funders and nonprofit advocacy organizations.
www.coloradokids.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $350,000
Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved - Advocacy for the Medically Underserved
Advocating for improved health care outcomes and experiences for low and moderate income Coloradans.
www.ccmu.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved - All Kids Covered Initiative
Examining the status of children's access to health coverage and health care throughout Colorado.
www.ccmu.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $32,000
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
Increasing awareness and providing education to health consumers statewide about barriers to health access, and strengthening advocacy efforts for policy changes to increase access to health care.
www.cohealthinitiative.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute (Colorado Center on Law and Policy)
Advocating for fiscal and policy changes to improve the health care system through "Looking Forward" – a collaborative project with the Bell Policy Center and Colorado Children's Campaign, as well as other funders and nonprofit advocacy organizations.
www.cclponline.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
Colorado Health Institute - Colorado Household Survey
Supporting the development of a series of issue-briefs based on the Colorado Household Survey data to inform policymakers nationally and in Colorado on health reform efforts.
www.coloradohealthinstitute.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $25,000
Colorado Multi-ethnic Cultural Consortium
Providing a meaningful voice for ethnically- and geographically-diverse health consumers, including faith communities, on mental health, health and behavioral health.
cmecc.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
Colorado Nonprofit Association - Fiscal Education Project
Help nonprofit organizations in Colorado better educate their constituencies and the broader population about Colorado’s fiscal challenges.
coloradononprofits.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $25,000
Colorado Rural Health Center
Ensuring that state policy and health leaders understand and support the health needs of rural Colorado through a combination of efforts including research, education, communications and advocacy.
www.coruralhealth.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
Innovation Network
Leading a team of Colorado evaluators in partnering with selected Trust grantees to measure the effectiveness of their advocacy efforts to expand access to health in a changing health policy landscape.
www.innonet.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $847,600
Project Health Colorado
Through a combination of communications, advocacy, leadership, media and network-building efforts, this three-year strategy – Project Health Colorado – is helping to increase awareness, understanding and support for making health care and health coverage work better for every Coloradan. This effort to build public will for improved access to health is an innovative blend of grassroots strategies and an overarching communications campaign.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2013 | GRANT AMOUNT: $9.6 million
Southern Colorado Collaborative (Colorado State University)
Helping members of Colorado's south and southeastern communities to identify their health needs and advocate for improved access to health, in partnership with CSU-Pueblo's Hasan School of Business, Action 22 Foundation, the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center, and the Center for Immigrant and Community Integration, Catholic Charities Diocese of Pueblo.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $200,000
University of Denver - State Fiscal Study
Supporting a comprehensive study of state and local government financing in Colorado to improve the state's ability to expand health coverage and care.
www.du.edu/economicfuture/HealthCareStudy.htmlGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $25,000
Increase Outreach & Enrollment
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing – Outreach Specialist
Through a new staff position, increasing outreach to and enrollment of children who are eligible for – but not enrolled in – Medicaid or CHP+.
www.colorado.govGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
County of Boulder - Colorado PEAK
Develop and implement a statewide train-the-trainer and toolkit model to promote and support use of the new Colorado Program Eligibility and Application Kit (PEAK), an online application to help individuals and families apply online for medical and food assistance benefits.
www.bouldercounty.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $200,000
Expanding Outreach and Enrollment for Children & Youth
Using innovative, community-based, multi-ethnic outreach strategies, 19 grantees are working to identify and enroll eligible, but uninsured, children and youth in Medicaid and CHP+. Grantees represent county-coordinated collaborations; after-school programs; clinics; agencies serving low-income families, homeless families and abused children; a school district; and an affordable housing provider. Several grantees are also participating in a Trust-funded evaluation conducted by the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center to assess program effectiveness and identify models for replication.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $3,300,000
Identifying Outreach and Enrollment Resources & Gaps
Developing an interactive web-based map of health care coverage outreach and enrollment strategies in Colorado to identify gaps, support referrals to enrollment services and provide stakeholders with a dynamic, state-level analysis of outreach resources.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $70,000
University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center, Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences
Conducting an evaluation of public insurance outreach and enrollment programs in community-based organizations funded by The Colorado Trust. The evaluation will determine the programs’ impact on enrollment, retention and utilization of Colorado's public health insurance programs. For select grantees, the team is also conducting a cost analysis to examine the cost per client of implementing a case management approach to CHP+ and Medicaid outreach, enrollment and retention.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $1,000,000
Improve Health Systems
Cavity Free at Three
Through the Colorado Area Health Education Center, preventing oral disease in young children statewide by changing delivery systems, and strengthening the capacity of safety nets to provide preventive oral health services to high-risk, high-need pregnant women and their babies (up to age 3). Educating dentists, physicians, nurses, dental hygienists and public health practitioners about early childhood caries, and providing them tools to further promote oral disease prevention education and services. Co-funded with Caring for Colorado Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, Rose Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.
www.cavityfreeatthree.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $300,000
Cavity Free at Three – Evaluation
Researchers at Denver Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine are using a randomized, controlled trial to determine the impact of Colorado Partnership for Children's Oral Health, formerly known as Cavity Free at Three, on the prevalence of dental caries in children under three years of age. The evaluation will also assess parent and caregiver satisfaction with the program, changes in knowledge and behavior of program trainees, and clinical barriers to program adoption. The evaluation is co-funded by The Colorado Trust, Caring for Colorado Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, Rose Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.
www.cavityfreeatthree.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $100,000
Center for Improving Value in Health Care – Colorado All-Payer Claims Database Planning Grant
Supporting development of the state’s All-Payer Claims Data Base for the purpose of transparent public reporting of health care information.
www.civhc.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $180,000
Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence - Care and Career Transitions
Improving transitions of care by strengthening home health nursing clinical and leadership competencies, and putting in place quality and patient safety improvements.
www.coloradonursingcenter.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2013 | GRANT AMOUNT: $50,000
Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program
Providing support services that enable and encourage private pediatric and family practices to devote at least 10% of their practice to publicly insured children, including an enhanced reimbursement program that CCHAP offers in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and Colorado Access that promotes and rewards comprehensive preventive health care.
www.cchap.orgMOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $300,000
Colorado Children's Healthcare Access Program - Healthy Mothers Project
Providing support services that enable and encourage private obstetrical and family practices to provide comprehensive prenatal care to publicly insured pregnant women.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $140,156
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing – System Improvements
Strengthening staff, planning, outreach and public education efforts to support the development and implementation of health care system improvements in Colorado. As well, through the Colorado Governor's Building Blocks to Health Care Reform and Executive Order D 005 08, establishing the Center for Improving Value in Health Care to identify and pursue strategies for quality improvement, cost containment and improved population health.
www.colorado.govGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2007-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $946,830
HealthTeamWorks - Patient-centered Medical Home Pilot Evaluation
A multi-state, quasi-experimental evaluation of the Patient-centered Medical Home (PCMH) model in Colorado is being conducted by the Harvard University School of Public Health. This evaluation will identify factors associated with the implementation of the PCMH model as well as the outcomes related to patient and physician experiences, changes in quality of care measures and cost. With claims data from the participating insurance companies, the evaluation will examine utilization and costs for patients in the pilot sites relative to similar patients in the comparison groups.
www.commonwealthfund.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $200,000
HealthTeamWorks – Patient-centered Medical Home Pilot
Along with The Commonwealth Fund, HealthTeamWorks is implementing a patient-centered medical home demonstration project in Colorado to improve primary care delivery by aligning high quality, coordinated care with financial incentives.
www.healthteamworks.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $1,600,000
Office of the Colorado Governor
Supports a position in the Colorado Governor's Policy Office to assist with the implementation of laws that will increase access to health for all Coloradans.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2007-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $445,280
Regis University – Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
Preparing practicing nurses to work with other health care professionals toward more efficient, effective and interdisciplinary health care systems – from assessing and improving quality of care to improving health outcomes, shaping health care policy, and developing new models of health care delivery.
www.regis.eduGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $73,000
Increase Availability of Care
Build Initiative
Through a national conference held in Denver in February 2009 (co-sponsored by Columbia University's National Center for Children in Poverty), helped state leaders build on emerging best practices from around the country to integrate the health system into the broader early childhood development system. Co-sponsoring the November 2010 BUILD Initiative national conference on the Health Community’s Role in Supporting Young Children’s Social and Emotional Development.
www.buildinitiative.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $50,000
Center for Research Strategies
Design a monitoring tool to assess the progress of health care workforce investments by the Colorado Area Health Education Centers, Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence, Colorado Health Institute and Colorado Rural Health Center.
www.crsllc.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $150,000
ClinicNET
Supporting Colorado non-federally qualified health centers to build their administrative and service capacity in order to secure additional public funding, thereby enabling them to serve more children and low-income working families, particularly in parts of the state where these clinics are the only option for care.
www.clinicnet.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $300,000
Colorado Area Health Education Centers (University of Colorado Foundation)
The Colorado AHECS and the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center are working to encourage rural and underserved high school students to explore health profession careers. The AHECs are also administering a health care scholars program to graduate students in health professions education and training who opt to practice in rural or other underserved sites. Most significantly, this grant developed and continues to support a multidisciplinary curriculum and training program for rural track health professions students.
www.cufund.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $3,000,000
Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence
Building the state's health professions workforce through the Nursing Faculty Retention and Recruitment Program, including a nursing faculty educational loan repayment program.
www.coloradonursingcenter.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $1,200,000
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Office of Primary Care – Colorado Health Service Corps Educational Loan Forgiveness
Improving the health of Colorado's underserved and vulnerable populations by alleviating health disparities resulting from a shortage of primary health care professionals. This purpose will be achieved in part by repaying all or a portion of the educational loan debt of primary care health professionals who agree to practice in a community with a known shortage of providers for a period of service.
www.cdphe.state.co.usGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $304,000
Colorado Health Institute
Building the statewide Health Professions Database to ensure that programs and policies are data-driven and can more strategically address Colorado's provider shortage. Also developing an inventory of health professions academic programs and workforce initiatives in Colorado; as well as conducting workforce, scopes of care, and supply and demand studies.
www.coloradohealthinstitute.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $330,000
Colorado Health Institute - Primary Care Workforce
Building the statewide Health Professions Database to ensure that programs and policies are data-driven and can strategically address Colorado's provider shortage.
www.coloradohealthinstitute.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $80,000
Colorado Health Professions Workforce Policy Collaborative
Managed by the Colorado Rural Health Center, the Collaborative is convening policy leaders, health care providers, educational institutions, and economic development and workforce planning authorities to collectively establish a strategic public policy framework for Colorado that will advance health professions workforce priorities to address the shortage of providers and strengthen the health care system.
www.coruralhealth.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $510,000
Colorado Rural Health Center – Colorado Provider Recruitment Program
The Colorado Rural Health Center is administering the Colorado Provider Recruitment Program to recruit and retain approximately 19 providers annually to work in rural and underserved communities.
www.coruralhealth.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $144,000
Colorado Rural Health Center – Colorado Rural Outreach Program
The Colorado Rural Health Center administers the Colorado Rural Outreach Program to help offset the educational loan debts of approximately 20 health professionals annually in exchange for their commitment to practice in a rural area.
www.coruralhealth.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $152,000
Early Childhood Health Integration
With technical assistance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, supporting the state’s network of Early Childhood Councils – community-based collaboratives that connect children and families to resources and quality services in early care and education, health, mental health and family support – to better integrate health services into their local early childhood system development efforts.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2014 | GRANT AMOUNT: $5,750,000
Early Childhood Health Integration - Evaluation
An evaluation is examining the extent to which the councils integrate health services into their local early childhood systems, as well as lessons learned about factors contribute to systems change.
www.sparkpolicy.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2001-2014 | GRANT AMOUNT: $350,000
Expanding Children's Access to Health Care
Expanding the ability of 14 community health clinics and local public health agencies to provide timely preventive, primary, oral and behavioral health care for children in medically underserved areas.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $4,200,000
SET of Colorado Springs - SET Family Medical Clinics
Expanding medical services to serve as a medical home for low-income and homeless clients and meet the criteria necessary to pursue designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center.
www.setofcs.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $400,000
The Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics
Bringing consistent primary, mental and dental health care to children in their communities – particularly for families that have difficulty accessing health care through the traditional system – through clinics, mobile health care vans that serve rural and metro-area counties, and by establishing and servicing new school-based health centers.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $900,000
Additional Programs
Advancing Colorado's Mental Health Care
A joint effort of The Colorado Trust, the Colorado Health Foundation, the Caring for Colorado Foundation and The Denver Foundation to support human services agencies, mental health care providers and others to improve the integration and coordination of mental health services with physical health care so that people can be treated with the services they need most, regardless of where they seek care.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2005-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $4,100,000
Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence – Expanding Advanced Nursing Skills for Leading Quality Initiatives
Expanding the leadership skills of some 140 frontline nurses to implement quality initiatives that improve patient care statewide. The program builds on evidence gained from a HRSA-funded nurse leadership program.
www.coloradonursingcenter.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $380,000
Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence – Nurse Workforce
Conducting a study to identify effective models and systems that involve direct care nurses in decisions related to patient care and nurse work environments. The study will help inform health leaders and policymakers, and improve nurse retention in Colorado and beyond.
www.coloradonursingcenter.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $50,000
Colorado Health Institute
Established in 2003, the Colorado Health Institute (CHI), was created through a funding partnership of The Colorado Trust, Rose Community Foundation and Caring for Colorado. Serving as a reliable and impartial clearinghouse for data and data resources related to Colorado’s health care issues and systems, CHI communicates these data to policy makers, funding organizations, health planners, business and nonprofit community, consumer groups, health care providers and the media.
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2007-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $2,049,977
Equality in Health
Increasing the ability of organizations and educational institutions to provide culturally appropriate health care services to help reduce racial and ethnic health disparities in Colorado.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2005-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $13,100,000
Equality in Health - Evaluation
An evaluation of this effort is examining the link between the increases in grantee organization's cultural competency and reduced health disparities.
www.communityscience.comGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2006-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $944,298
Healthy Aging
Helping senior-serving organizations improve their ability to meet the needs of the state's growing aging population.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2006-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $6,500,000
Healthy Aging - Evaluation
An evaluation of this effort is examining the link between increased organizational capacity and improvements and increases in services for seniors.
www.n-r-c.comGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2006-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $225,000
Homelessness Prevention
Supporting Denver's Road Home and the administration of the Homeless Prevention Activities Program.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2006-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $550,000
Immigrant Integration
Supporting immigrants and established residents in working together for healthy communities.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2003-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $10,733,504
Immigrant Integration - Evaluation
An evaluation of this effort is examining the community planning process, outcomes achieved by grantees and the levels of increased integration experienced in grantee communities.
www.communityscience.comGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2004-2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $1,463,588
John R. Moran, Jr. Health Scholarships
Providing scholarships to health professions students at Regis University's Rueckert-Hartman School for Health Professions and the School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2008 (ongoing) | GRANT AMOUNT: $1,750,000
John R. Moran, Jr. Leadership Award
Recognizing outstanding leadership in communities served by grantees of The Colorado Trust.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2007-2017 | GRANT AMOUNT: $250,000
Office of Suicide Prevention - Gatekeeper Training Program
Training individuals throughout Colorado to be suicide prevention “gatekeepers” – those likely to come into contact with individuals who may be at risk for suicide and connect the suicidal person to the resource(s) he/she needs.
www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/suicideGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $14,760
Partnerships for Health
Improving the coordination of health services at the community level through partnerships that build, strengthen and sustain the infrastructure of Colorado communities.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2005-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $8,600,000
Partnerships in Health - Evaluation
A series of case studies is being conducted to better understand the process of lasting systems change in select grantee communities.
www.triwestgroup.netGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2006-2012 | GRANT AMOUNT: $900,000
Rural Philanthropy Days 2010
Twice yearly, Rural Philanthropy Days (RPD) connects funders to nonprofit organizations doing important work in rural Colorado.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $55,000
University of Colorado Denver, College of Nursing – Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)
Providing technical assistance to nurse education programs statewide to incorporate six quality and safety competencies, including patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety and informatics (i.e., using information and technology to share knowledge, mitigate errors and support decision making). Based on key findings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's national pilot to implement quality and safety education in nurse curricula.
www.qsen.orgGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2009-2011 | GRANT AMOUNT: $115,119
General
25th Anniversary
To acknowledge the milestone of its 25th year, The Trust granted $250,000 to strengthen the work of 10 nonprofit organizations and groups working across Colorado to improve health care for children.
MOREGRANT TIMEFRAME: 2010 | GRANT AMOUNT: $250,000
