our mission

CHFA strengthens Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development.

our vision

Everyone in Colorado will have the opportunity for housing stability and economic prosperity.

what is chfa?

Created in 1973, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) invests in affordable homeownership, rental housing, businesses, and communities by providing access to capital, capacity building, community engagement, and corporate giving.

chfa board of directors

Amber Hills, Board Chair
President, FirstBank, Lakewood

Nathan Peterson, Chair Pro-Tem
President, Rocky Mountain Home Builders

Rick Garcia, Secretary/Treasurer
Director, Colorado Department of Local Affairs

Julie Brewen
CEO, Housing Catalyst

Steven Cordova
Executive Director, Total Concept

Kerri L. Hunter, CPA
Colorado State Auditor

Jennifer Kermode
Former Executive Director, Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, Retired

Michelle Miles
Investment Banker, Retired

Max Tyler
Former Colorado State Representative, Retired

Sylvia Wirba
Senior Associate Attorney, Wagenlander & Heisterkamp, LLC

Rachel Zenzinger
Colorado State Senator, District 19

direct effect award recipients - round one 2022

In Round One 2022, CHFA donated $440,500 to 34 nonprofits through its Direct Effect program. CHFA received over 40 applications seeking more than $800,000 in combined funding in this round.

The 2022 Direct Effect Award Round One recipients are listed below.

Aspire 3D - $20,000

Aspire 3D was created by Loveland Housing Authority (LHA) to wrap residents in support, elevate their quality of life, and assist them as they increase self-sufficiency. In collaboration with partnering organizations, they provide onsite services and resource navigation at several LHA properties serving previously homeless veterans, older adults, and families. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the expansion of their Strengthening Families in Loveland Together program, which is a two-generation model of place-based community care that strengthens families and provides brighter futures for children. To learn more about Aspire 3D, please visit aspire3D.org.

CASA of Pueblo - $15,000

CASA of Pueblo believes that every child should have the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving home and become a thriving adult and productive member of their community. Their program recruits, trains, and coordinates volunteers to serve as advocates for youth who have been removed from the home due to abuse and neglect and serves as their voice in the community and in the courts as a permanent home is quickly determined. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the general operations of three programs: CASA of Pueblo, Heart of Colorado CASA, and Arkansas Valley CASA. To learn more about CASA of Pueblo, please visit casaofpueblo.org.

Central Mountain Small Business Development Center  - $10,000

The Central Mountain Small Business Development Center helps small businesses and nonprofits grow and prosper. They support under-served rural communities located in Chaffee, Lake and Park Counties. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will invest in three programs. First, the Power of WE (Women Entrepreneurs), a conference that offers thought provoking content, resources, and tools to inspire women's leadership and business development. Second, The Outdoor Industry Summit, an exploration of growth/scale opportunities, stewardship, and education for those operating an outdoor recreation business or nonprofit in Colorado. Lastly, the LeanUp Start & Scale Series which will provide short virtual trainings to support small businesses during startup, pivots, and scaleup processes. To learn more about Central Mountain Small Business Development Center, please visit centralsbdc.org. 

Cloud City Conservation Center - $10,000

Cloud City Conservation Center’s Energy Resource Center works to make Lake County homes safer and warmer, improve Lake County’s housing stock, and supports more resilient Lake County residents as they reduce their energy costs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Energy Resource Center, which provides direct assistance to Lake County residents through Bill Payment Assistance for past due utility bills, rebates and financial assistance for energy audits and energy improvements, financial assistance with health and safety issues, free radon test kits and education, and education on understanding and reducing their energy usage. To learn more about Cloud City Conservation Center, please visit c4leadville.org. 

Colorado Futuretek Inc. - $7,500

Colorado Futuretek’s mission is to provide enrichment training and resources to help African American and other underrepresented minority youth obtain marketable skills in the IT and computer industries and support them in developing interpersonal and entrepreneurial skills. They also work to elevate older adults by providing basic computer and smartphone training and assistance to increase their knowledge and comfort with technology, which contributes to their mental health and their economic well-being. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the youth and older adult training programs by purchasing program materials and providing instructor and student stipends. To learn more about Colorado Futuretek, please visit cftek.org.

Community Hospital - $20,000

Community Hospital’s (CH) mission is to improve the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities they serve. CH is located in Mesa County, which is facing a severe shortage of early childhood education services. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a 7,500 square foot Early Childhood Education Center that CH is building. The center will support children ages six weeks to six years, not only of employees, but many community members, and those from surrounding areas. To learn more about Community Hospital, please visit yourcommunityhospital.com. 

Conejos County Housing Authority - $20,000

Conejos County Housing Authority (CCHA), operates 44 public housing units located in three different municipalities. Recently, CCHA established the area’s first USDA Housing Preservation Program and received a grant which targeted low-income families who cannot afford to make any type of improvements to their homes. The grant provides funds up to, but not exceeding, 50 percent of the cost of a home repair project, with the remaining cost to be paid by the homeowner through a cash match, through the time of volunteers, and/or the homeowner working on the project. However, CCHA has found that the applicants not only need major work, but do not have the means to provide the additional funds or volunteer efforts. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help bridge this gap and allow CCHA to prioritize projects that have safety and/or environmental concerns. To learn more about Conejos County Housing Authority, please visit conejoshousing.org. 

Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce - $25,000

The Cortez Area Chamber is the primary business support and economic development organization in Cortez. They focus on providing logistical support, and connecting businesses to the resources, information, incentives, and training they need to relocate or expand in the area. The Chamber recently renovated a building into a new Chamber Business Resource Center to provide co-working and business incubator space in downtown Cortez, along with convenient access to business training and resources. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help purchase the remaining furniture needed for the space, a security system, and access control system for the building. It will also assist with program development and outreach for the new space and help cover the cost of hiring one-to-two additional staff for the center to increase the hours of operation for the facility. To learn more about Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce, please visit cortezchamber.com.

Ekar Farm - $5,000

Ekar Farm is a communal urban farm, which works to build community, provide experiential and environmental education, and grow sustainably produced fruits and vegetables, expanding access to those in need. Ekar partners with food access organizations serving the most vulnerable neighborhoods in Denver, to reach food insecure families with youth, immigrants, the un-and-underemployed, the unhoused, and BIPOC communities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Ekar’s work to strengthen the capacity for Denver’s neighborhoods to acquire food at the most local of levels. To learn more about Ekar Farm, please visit ekarfarm.org.

Energy Resource Center - $20,000

Energy Resource Center’s mission is to improve home energy efficiency, conserve energy, promote health, increase comfort, and expand Coloradans’ quality of life. Their programs provide free home energy efficiency upgrade work for low-income qualifying clients. Low-income households are often among the oldest housing stock in a community and many require significant home safety repairs that are outside of ERC’s expertise and budget. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the ERC Home Repairs Fund, which allows ERC to take a holistic approach to client situations by addressing any pre-existing home safety repairs needed that prevent clients from being eligible for free weatherization services. To learn more about Energy Resource Center, please visit erc-co.org.

Foothills Regional Housing - $8,000

Foothills Regional Housing’s (FRH) mission is to create vibrant, stable communities, in areas of opportunity, via bold and strategic initiatives and to provide families and individuals with housing options driven by compassion and respect throughout Jefferson County. FRH has 21 affordable housing properties located throughout Jefferson County, serving low-income community members as well as special needs populations including seniors, foster youth, and formerly homeless individuals. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support FRH’s Youth to Independence program and the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program at FRH’s property, AVi at Olde Town. The funding will provide bus passes to each resident in these programs and funding for college textbooks. To learn more about Foothills Regional Housing, please visit foothillsrh.org. 

Friends of DHA - $7,500

Denver Housing Authority (DHA) plans, builds and manages affordable housing and has over 25 years of housing and financial counseling experience with low-income individuals striving for financial stability and home ownership. The access to digital devices, reliable and affordable high-speed internet service, and training to use digital tools and platforms is an is an unmet need facing low-income, public housing residents. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help Friends of DHA purchase up-to-date computers for two community computer labs. This will allow all DHA residents to have the increased access to the tools they need to live in the digital age. To learn more about Friends of DHA, please visit friendsofdha.org.

Greccio Housing Unlimited, Inc - $20,000

Greccio exists to provide stable, safe, and supportive affordable-housing options for individuals and families earning modest incomes who work and live in Colorado Springs. Greccio owns and/or manages 635 apartment units across 28 properties serving more than 1,000 residents throughout Colorado Springs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support Greccio’s eviction prevention programs, Educational Resources for Family Stability Program, and food security program. To learn more about Greccio Housing Unlimited, please visit greccio.org.

Habitat for Humanity of Grand County - $15,000

Habitat for Humanity of Grand County works in partnership with the Grand County community and families in need to build simple, affordable homes. Habitat builds houses that will remain affordable for the long term for families that include those unable to meet their basic housing requirements, struggling single parents, and families with special-needs children. The local need has been especially acute since 2020 because of the twin impacts of COVID and the East Troublesome wildfire that destroyed 366 homes. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help support a full-time Executive Director, which will help the affiliate become sustainable and provide affordable housing in Grand County for years to come. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Grand County, please visit habitatgrandcounty.org.

Housing Catalyst - $5,000

For more than 50 years, Housing Catalyst has been building community in Northern Colorado. As a mission-driven real estate developer, Housing Catalyst is at the leading edge of affordable housing, forging public-private partnerships to build and preserve affordable homes. Housing Catalyst’s goal is goal is to support residents of all ages for long-term stability. Through their Resident Services Program, they provide direct services and connections to local resources that are vital in supporting residents.  One of Resident Services Program’s priority areas is education. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help hire a part-time temporary staff member to focus on building partnerships with schools and family liaison workers through Poudre School District; provide summer enrichment programming; and lead efforts to help children catch up and have greater success in school. To learn more about Housing Catalyst, please visit housingcatalyst.com. 

Housing Resources of Western Colorado - $5,000

Housing Resources of Western Colorado’s mission is to help Western Coloradans thrive from an affordable, quality home. They provide direct housing and housing support to thousands of clients a year with services designed to improve affordability, maintain quality housing, and educate people to be smart renters and owners. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the development and delivery of a new Renter Education Workshop. The workshop will help ease the anxiety of Landlord/Tenant relationships and help participants achieve stable rental housing. Students will learn what it means to be a good tenant, the importance of budgeting and paying rent on time, and what they should expect of their property owner. To learn more about Housing Resources of Western Colorado, please visit hrwco.org

Ithaka - $10,000

For over 40 years, Ithaka has been providing affordable housing to individuals and families living in poverty in Colorado Springs. Their work has evolved to a supportive, transitional approach, preparing people with the highest barriers to acquire and maintain stable, affordable housing. Because they serve those with the highest barriers, their transitional programs have longer, flexible time frames allowing for the growth and development of skills and supports needed for future success. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Ithaka’s Senior Transition Program, which aims to serve homeless and at-risk senior citizens in a housing first model. To learn more about Ithaka, please visit ithakahousing.org.

JUST Living Recovery - $15,000

JUST Living Recovery (JLR) provides safe and affordable housing for people in recovery from substance abuse. The rising rates of harmful chemicals and stimulant use, particularly opioids and methamphetamines, have negative health, social, and economic consequences for communities across Colorado. JLR is one of the few mixed-gender, affordable recovery housing options in the state that is particularly welcoming to BIPOC and LGBTQAI+ communities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund JLR’s supportive residence and ongoing recovery programs. To learn more about JUST Living Recovery, please visit justlivingrecovery.org. 

KV Estates HOA - $5,000

KV Estates HOA is creating a place in Saguache County where seniors, families, and single residents all have food security. Saguache County is a food dessert due to a lack of infrastructure and the expansiveness of the county. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will go toward the KV Estates Food Security Project Kitchen Hub, which will have a commercial kitchen installed in the KV clubhouse. The commercial kitchen will be used to provide meals for older adults, children, and the disabled. To learn more about KV Estates HOA, please visit kvhomeownersassociation.com.

Little Mavericks Learning Center - $10,000

Colorado Mesa University (CMU) is the primary access point to higher education on Colorado’s Western Slope. Little Mavericks Learning Center (LMLC) was incorporated in 1978 to provide childcare services to the CMU community. LMLC is licensed to accommodate 214 children and mostly serves the student population at CMU, with 35% of the children either qualifying for Child Care Assistance funding through the state or are on free or reduced lunch. LMLC also provides subsidized care to all CMU-student parents, allowing them the freedom to pursue higher education in order to help them and their families advance to economic security and stability. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help support LMLC’s summer program through staff salaries, van rentals, and field trip fees. To learn more about LMLC, please visit coloradomesa.edu/little-mavs. 

Manna - The Durango Soup Kitchen - $25,000

Manna’s mission is to provide, in the spirit of faith and love, nourishing meals and supportive services in an atmosphere of acceptance and caring for those in need. Manna's vision is to build strength, resilience, and equity in La Plata County, through innovative and holistic services that cultivate a sustainable future with their community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help launch the first comprehensive Community Resource Center in La Plata County. Manna is remodeling their soup kitchen building and transforming it into a Community Kitchen with a Take-out Window, Food Market, and a Resource Center. To learn more about Manna, please visit mannasoupkitchen.org.

NorthWest Colorado Center for Independence - $15,000

The NorthWest Colorado Center for Independence (NWCCI) supports people with disabilities and seniors by connecting them with providers of housing, transportation, employment, assistive technology, access to benefits and independent living services. NWCCI plays a fundamental role in creating more equitable and thriving communities in five rural counties: Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Grand, and Summit. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a home modification program which will help their clients achieve accessibility solutions and more independence. To learn more about NWCCI, please visit nwcci.org. 

Presbyterian Manor - $20,000

Presbyterian Manor has provided affordable housing to seniors in downtown Boulder, since 1963. In recent years, the Manor began providing a meal partnership with a market across the street as they learned that several residents were suffering adverse health effects because of malnutrition due to lack of funds or lack of access. The market closed in early 2021 and residents were left without options. A new program has been established with Community Table Kitchen, which offers residents meals delivered directly to the building. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help lower costs to residents and further expand access. To learn more about Presbyterian Manor, please visit presbymanor.org.

San Luis Valley Great Outdoors - $5,000

San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLV GO!) bolsters economic development in the San Luis Valley by helping organize, support, and guide community initiatives that aim to improve health, transportation, and economic vitality via trails and outdoor resources. SLV GO’s development of trails has had a direct effect on the livability and economic vitality of the communities they work in. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund the construction of the “School to School” trail, a one mile segment in the Eastern San Luis Valley Trail System that would connect the Safe Routes to School Trail to the Baca Nature and Heritage Trail, which further connects the Crestone Charter School to the Colorado College Baca Campus, and ultimately the Town of Crestone to the Baca National Wildlife Refuge. To learn more about SLV GO!, please visit slvgo.com.

San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition - $20,000

San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition’s mission is to foster an equitable local food system that restores the health of the people, community, economy, and ecosystem. By supporting the success and viability of small-scale agricultural businesses across the entire San Luis Valley, the Local Foods Coalition has taken the lead in furthering economic development for local agricultural producers to ensure profits are being woven back into the local economy. Their Rio Grande Farm Park (RGFP) is a 38-acre community agricultural park located along the Rio Grande in Alamosa. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the RGFP’s Food to Pantry Program, which grows produce for four local food pantry partners. To learn more about San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition, please visit slvlocalfoods.org. 

Silver Key Senior Services - $15,000

Silver Key Senior Services’ mission is to serve in partnership with their stakeholders to support a healthy quality of life for seniors, allowing them to age safely with dignity and independence. Silver Key Senior Services is committed to providing affordable senior housing in the Colorado Springs area. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support and help launch Silver Key’s new Senior Housing Modification program, designed to help low-income seniors safely and independently aging in place in their own homes. This form of community support is the most economical option for 90% of seniors who wish to remain in their own homes. This new collaborative program teams up with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity in a first-time pilot to combine the legacy work of both organizations committed to affordable housing for families in need. To learn more about Silver Key, please visit silverkey.org.

Status Code 4, Inc. - $7,500

Status Code 4, Inc. (SC4i) supports their community through providing specialized trauma healing services to Colorado’s First Responders and their family members. First Responders see a lot of trauma in their daily lives and historically their stress often goes unsupported. SC4I provides services including counseling, education, resources, and intensive retreats. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to address financial stress and mitigating strategies including regional peer support, resiliency training, couples' financial management, and financial classes. To learn more about Status Code 4, Inc., please visit sc4i.org.

The GrowHaus - $15,000

The GrowHaus provides immediate food relief to families, while building community wealth and economic opportunities for families in Globeville and Elyria-Swansea (GES). Their food access programs distribute over 450 no cost and low-cost food boxes every week to families in the community to provide reliable access to healthy and culturally relevant food. They also work to dismantle the root causes of food insecurity by providing youth, adult, and multigenerational education around growing and cooking healthy food. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Promotora Apprenticeship Program. Promotoras are members of the GES community, or other similar communities, who lead programming about health and wellness and serve as community navigators. To learn more about The GrowHaus, please visit thegrowhaus.org.

The Rowdy Foundation - $5,000

The Rowdy Foundation provides wrap-around services at two Permanent Supportive Housing apartments. These services aim to swiftly rehouse individuals and families experiencing homelessness. We provide rehousing services and upon move in, case managers immediately meet with residents to assess needs such as food, financial, transportation, education, employment, childcare, and more. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Aspire program. The Aspire program is an incentive-based program that strategically encourages residents to engage in services, accomplish tasks relating to self-sufficiency, and meet personal needs. To learn more about The Rowdy Foundation, please visit therowdyfoundationdenver.com. 

Tu Casa, Inc. - $10,000

Tu Casa, Inc. serves people who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse/assault, human trafficking, and stalking. Tu Casa, Inc. provides flexible financial assistance for the first month’s rent, relocation services, transportation, utility payments, phone minutes, and more. Tu Casa, Inc. also provides advocacy services and temporary emergency shelter. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Tu Casa’s temporary shelter and housing assistance program. It will provide assistance for clients who are in need of deposit assistance and back pay on rent and utilities for up to three months. To learn more about Tu Casa, Inc., please visit slvtucasa.net.

UpRoot Colorado - $15,000

UpRoot Colorado’s mission is to increase the nutritional security of Coloradans by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense foods while supporting the resilience of farmers. Their programs reconnect Coloradans to farmland, a major source of their food supply, and increase awareness of the true value of food. They have recovered nearly one million servings of surplus healthy food, redistributing this resource into the hands of Colorado residents struggling with food and/or nutritional insecurity. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support three part-time gleaning and food-systems coordinators in the surplus-food-recovery program. To learn more about UpRoot Colorado, please visit uprootcolorado.org.

We Fortify - $10,000

We Fortify is building The Working Fusion at Mill Street community in Colorado Springs. This housing initiative will annually serve 18 at-risk, low-income youth between the ages of 18-25 years old. Working Fusion will help them maintain employment, pursue job training/education, and qualify for a living wage position. Through their efforts, We Fortify seeks to help participants be in a better position to contribute to their own economic stability, as well as the economic strength of Colorado Springs and the state of Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the programming at Working Fusion at Mill Street. To learn more about We Fortify, please visit workingfusion.com.

West End Economic Development Corporation - $15,000

West End Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC) is the economic development agency for the West End of Montrose and San Miguel Counties. They develop housing projects in Nucla, Naturita and Norwood, Colorado, create a secure food networks in this very isolated region of Colorado, and provide small business training. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support homeowner education, entrepreneurship, and fresh food access. To learn more about WEEDC, please visit choosewestend.org. 

Yampa Valley Housing Authority - $10,000

The mission of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority (YVHA) is to support the local economy,
community, and businesses of the Yampa Valley by implementing appropriate housing solutions
for local workers, other qualified residents, and their families. YVHA develops, acquires, manages, and operates housing and programs for low and moderate-income community members. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help launch their Housing Navigation Program. The program will offer English and Spanish-language support services to help community members navigate the complicated and often frustrating local rental and for-purchase housing landscape. To learn more about YVHA, please visit yvha.org. 

direct effect award recipients - round two 2022

CHFA donated $731,892 to 54 nonprofits through its Direct Effect program in round two, which received over 80 applications seeking more than $1.8 million in combined funding.

The 2022 Direct Effect Award Round Two recipients are listed below.

A Way Forward - $3,892

A Way Forward’s mission is to eliminate barriers to recovery from substance use disorder and provide a trusting, welcoming, diverse, and non-judgmental environment for families and individuals seeking help in the St. Vrain Valley. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Behavioral Therapy for PTSD, which is a research-driven approach for persons with trauma-related psychological symptoms. The three main components in the program include mindful relaxation, flexible thinking, and patient education. To learn more about A Way Forward, please visit awfnobarriers.org.

Alpha Phi Alpha GEH Scholarship Endowment - $15,000

Alpha Phi Alpha GEH Scholarship Endowment furthers the education of economic development of its participants via its award winning Young Men of Alpha Program (YMOA). The program engages young African American men and other young men of color, 6^th through 12^th grade, in healthy dialogue on education, economic and financial literacy, and personal responsibility. It also engages youth in outside activities and exposes them to a wide variety of healthy experiences that they can take with them through life. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the YMOA program, which helps to address the achievement gap in early childhood education. To learn more about Alpha Phi Alpha Scholarship Endowment, please visit gehendowment.org

Aurora Public Schools Foundation - $5,000

Aurora Public Schools Foundation provides supplemental funding and resources to support possibility becoming reality for every Aurora Public Schools (APS) student. They focus on career and college readiness programming through their College and Career Centers (CCCs) at APS high schools to ensure that upon graduation all students have a plan for their future. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support career webinars and panel discussions, transportation for career exposure visits to local businesses and post-secondary institutions, food to incentivize students to participate in CCC events, and for marketing and communications to xpand CCCs’ reach. To learn more about Aurora Public Schools Foundation, please visit educateaurora.org.

Black Canyon Boys and Girls Club - $15,000

The Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club fills the need for structured after-school and summer care and activities for youth in rural Montrose County, Colorado. The Club provides safe, fun, enriching, and affordable after-school and summer programs for thousands of children. Their services allow parents to pursue work that will grow their family economically and participate in the local economy. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a permanent and larger home for the Club. The new facility will double their current capacity, allowing them to serve 200 kids per day. To learn more about Black Canyon Boys and Girls Club, please visit bcbgc.org.

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado - $15,000

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado’s mission is to nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women for others. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their year-round comprehensive Academy Program, which serves up to 75 scholars each year by immersing them in academically focused, nurturing environments that ignite their hope, enliven their determination, and leverage their strengths. Professionally trained staff, community volunteers, tutors, and mentors provide scholars with personalized academic, college-preparation, and social emotional support that aligns with key principles of Positive Youth Development. To learn more about Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado, please visit bhghcolorado.org.

CARE Housing - $10,000

CARE Housing (CARE) is a private nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider based in Northern Colorado. CARE has developed and manages seven properties in Northern Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support operating costs of CARE’s Resident Services Program. CARE's Resident Services department has multiple programs available to all residents of the organization including an Eviction Prevention Program, a STEM-based after school and summer youth program, resource education, and community engagement opportunities. To learn more about CARE Housing, please visit carehousing.org.

Casa de Paz - $10,000

Casa de Paz serves individuals and families who are separated as a result of immigrant detention. Through hospitality, food, clothing, shelter, and emotional support, Casa provides short-term post-release support for immigrants leaving the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Aurora. Casa de Paz works to ensure that all immigrants leaving the Aurora detention facility have a home to stay in, a phone to use, a meal to eat, a bed to sleep in, new clothes, a backpack, toiletries, transportation, a small amount of spending money, and a ride to the airport or bus station. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help cover increased costs associated with serving the rising number of immigrant asylum-seekers. To learn more about Casa de Paz, please visit casadepazcolorado.org.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance - $8,000

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance uses the universal language of dance to honor the African Diaspora, explore the human condition, champion social justice, unite people of all ages and races, and ultimately celebrate the complexity of life through movement. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their STREAM technical theater program, which is a STEM-based course for young adults between the ages of 16 and20 years old who are seeking a career, or more experience in Information Technology and/or Technical Theatre. STREAM specifically targets students of color, students who aren't thriving in traditional school settings, and students who have less access to enrichment activities. STREAM students learn lighting, design, and stage management skills, how to work on a team, how to write a resume and they attend professional networking events. To learn more about Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, please visit cleoparkerdance.org.

Colorado Health Network, Inc. - $20,000

Colorado Health Network (CHN) is a statewide organization which provides emergency financial assistance (EFA) to clients to keep and/or assist clients with affordable housing. CHN provides EFA in the form of deposit assistance, eviction prevention, and rental/mortgage assistance. CHN provides supportive services including medical case management services to ensure clients maintain a stable housing environment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support EFN, which is a critical resource to help clients secure and/or maintain housing. To learn more about Colorado Health Network, please visit coloradohealthnetwork.org.

Community Compassion Outreach - $15,000

Community Compassion Outreach creates solutions and resources for people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Their Recovery Empowerment Support Services Team of Peer Support Specialists and volunteers provide support to adults and youth with substance use disorders, behavioral, and mental health challenges  who are experiencing homelessness, in temporary or transitional housing, or soon to be evicted, and residing in La Plata County and the City of Durango. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will fund training for people in recovery who are interested in becoming Peer Support Specialists, helping expand our current team of employees and volunteers. To learn more about Community Compassion Outreach, please visit communitycompassionoutreach.com.

Community Food Bank of Grand Junction - $20,000

Community Food Bank of Grand Junction believes that no one should go hungry in Mesa County. They help their neighbors in crisis get the good food they need, connect with fellow caring community members, find resources, and help them stabilize or improve their economic and health situations. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their food pantry and delivery programs. These two programs provide food for over 6,000 individuals per month and distribute over 75,000 pounds of food. This award will help provide over 80,000 nutritious meals for up to 15,000 Mesa County community members. To learn more about Community Food Bank of Grand Junction, please visit foodbankgj.org.

Community Options, Inc. - $10,000

Community Options, Inc.’s mission is to provide and coordinate services and supports to people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. They serve nearly 500 clients in the Western Slope counties of Montrose, Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, and San Miguel. Housing is a critical service they provide to their clients, including group residential living, personal care alternatives, host homes and supported living. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support much needed repairs at their residential group homes in Montrose and Delta counties. To learn more about Community Options, Inc., please visit communityoptionsinc.org.

Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center - $5,000

Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center is an immigrant resource center that serves the immigrant communities of rural southwest Colorado. They provide culturally competent and bilingual programs and services to some 800 clients a year. They provide many services, including employment, small business support, and housing resources and assistance. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support "La Escuelita" which means "the little school" in Spanish. This is a community-led and -developed program that supports the after school and summer education of immigrant children with tutoring and activities. To learn more about Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center, please visit companeros.org.

Continental Divide Trail Coalition - $10,000

The Continental Divide Trail Coalition works to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and its larger trail community by increasing stewardship, creating a strong trail community, and providing access to free trail information and education. The CDT Gateway Community program establishes community-driven partnerships with rural communities along the CDT corridor to implement place-based community initiatives and to foster the growth of the outdoor recreation economy. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to install a town center kiosk in Salida, CO and Leadville, CO. The kiosks will include information, such as a map of the CDT in each area, information about the community, QR codes that lead scanners to the Chamber of Commerce and CDT websites, and responsible recreation tips. To learn more about Continental Divide Trail Coalition, please visit continentaldividetrail.org.

Elevation Community Land Trust – $30,000

Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) makes homeownership more accessible for Colorado families through the community land trust model, a proven tool for creating and preserving accessible, inclusive communities for generations. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support to flexibly fund ECLT’s capacity launch and sustain innovative applications of the community land trust model, providing anticipated impacts across three main areas for households at and below 80% AMI. The funds will support the development and scaling of ECLT’s innovative programs to target demographics and regions in which private and public dollars are frequently underinvested: mobile home parks, BIPOC communities, and rural areas. To learn more about Elevation Community Land Trust, please visit elevationclt.org.

Family and Intercultural Resource Center - $30,000

The Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) promotes stable families and equips people with tools to succeed as individuals, parents, and employees. FIRC is the only human services nonprofit in Summit County and provides 20% of residents annually with the education, social, and economic support they need to provide for their family’s housing, food, medical, and mental health needs. With a high cost of living and low-wages, Summit County residents are especially challenged by rising rent, gas, and food prices. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the purchase of food for and conduct outreach and enrollment assistance with 3,000 unique individuals who shop annually. To Learn more about FIRC, please visit summitfirc.org.

Florence Crittenton Services - $10,000

Florence Crittenton provides teen families with a one-stop center for: post-secondary and employment pathways, early childcare education, health and wellness, and social capital. The housing challenges their moms face have risen dramatically as the cost of living in the Denver metro area continues to increase. In 2021, they hired a Housing Coordinator and established a task force to make recommendations and start addressing acute housing needs. In June 2022, the task force released its recommendations to move forward toward more long-term housing solutions. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support their Housing Coordinator, who works one-on-one with families to educate them about housing services and help access them as needed. To learn more about Florence Crittenton, please visit flocritco.org.

Fort Lewis College Foundation - $15,000

The Fort Lewis College (FLC) Foundation is dedicated to enriching educational and cultural opportunities at FLC by anticipating the economic needs of FLC’s future creators and entrepreneurs. The Foundation provides Emergency Grants for unexpected expenses and supports the student-led pantry, the Grub Hub (GH), which has addressed food insecurity since 2012, and now aims to tackle student homelessness. A 2019 campus-wide survey assessing basic needs found that 45 percent of students were housing insecure and 28 percent experienced homelessness. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a Rapid Rehousing Program for FLC students with three components: housing identification, rent and move-in assistance, and case management. To learn more about Fort Lewis College Foundation, please visit foundation.fortlewis.edu.

GoFarm - $10,000

GoFarm’s mission is to develop farm ownership, train and support local farmers, connect people with local agriculture, and increase equitable access to nutrient-rich food grown in Colorado. They support economic development in Colorado in three ways. First, by increasing farm ownership and careers in sustainable agriculture with training, mentorship support, financial assistance, and access to land, tools, and equipment. Next by facilitating purchases between consumers and local farmers through our Local Food Share program. Last, by connecting public food assistance dollars (SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, and WIC Incentives) with local farmers. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support personnel and programming costs for the Farmer Assistance Program, which provides support to current and aspiring local farmers. To learn more about GoFarm, please visit gofarm.org.

Grand Enterprise Initiative - $5,000

Grand Enterprise Initiative offers free and confidential business management coaching to anyone wanting to start or expand a business in Grand County. To date, they have assisted 510 clients, helped start 136 new businesses, created 247 new jobs with estimated new sales (annually) of $11 million. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used for operational support for the grassroots economic development methodology called Enterprise Facilitation. To learn more about Grand Enterprise Initiative, please visit grandei.org.

Gunnison Country Food Pantry - $15,000

Gunnison Country Food Pantry (GCFP) serves those in need by providing food assistance in a kind, confidential and supportive environment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used for renovation of a new location. In February 2022, GCFP purchased a new building, which will double their space. Renovations, including leveling the floor, and adding an ADA compliant ramp are needed to make the space functional. The anticipated impact of this project is to reach 3,000 households in five years annually who shop the pantry or receive home deliveries. To learn more about GCFP, please visit gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org.

Gunnison Valley Mentors - $10,000

Gunnison Valley Mentors (GVM) is a mentoring organization matching referred youth ages 6 - 17 with mentors. The single greatest factor in overcoming childhood adversity is the presence of a caring adult. GVM contributes to a healthy, thriving state by increasing protective factors for youth facing challenges, thereby reducing the negative impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to directly support mentoring services including professional case management, youth work crews, therapeutic mentoring, mental health counseling, positive youth development, family engagement actions, group activities, mentor support, and the mentoring center. To learn more about GVM, please visit gunnisonmentors.com.

Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority - $20,000

The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority was formed as a multijurisdictional housing authority in 2012 to facilitate the development of affordable housing programs and activities in the Gunnison Valley. They are a public resource offering property management for income-restricted homes, deed restricted housing program administration, loans for purchasing or rehab purposes, homeowner and tenant counseling, energy efficiency upgrades, and development consulting. Their Gunnison Valley – Home Energy Advancement Team (GV-HEAT) aids income-qualified households with energy-efficiency upgrades and health and safety measures in Gunnison and Hinsdale counties. GV-HEAT needs to expand programming to overcome a significant lack of weatherization expertise in the valley. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to invest in building the technical weatherization capacity of local contractors. To learn more about Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, please visit gvrha.org/gv-heat-program.

Haven of Hope - $10,000

Haven of Hope’s mission is to provide food, counseling, rehabilitation, and hygienic services to the homeless and less fortunate. They provide wraparound services that remove barriers to self-sufficiency and increasingly meets the need of Denver’s unhoused population. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Fresh Tracks program, a holistic, asset-based employment development program that pairs onsite job training with therapeutic services. Fresh Tracks creates access to employment opportunities for unhoused individuals by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to attain sustainable employment. To learn more about Haven of Hope, please visit thoh.org.

Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative - $20,000

Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative (HCCI) was created in 2017 after concerned business leaders and community members came together to discuss a problem that had long been at the forefront of conversation within the community: the availability of safe and affordable childcare. Their goal is to establish a childcare facility that will serve around 110 children and create 16 jobs within the first six months of opening. Holyoke currently has only three in-home licensed childcare providers (all reportedly close to retirement) and one Preschool Program, making the community a daycare “desert.” CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the creation of this childcare facility. To learn more about Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative, please visit phillipscountyco.org.

Home Trust of Ouray County - $15,000

The mission of the Home Trust of Ouray County is to grow an inclusive, economically diverse community by providing permanently affordable housing and housing-related resources to modest income households through the stewardship of community assets. In order to help Coloradans access affordable housing and childcare services, they have acquired land, partnered with Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans and FCI Constructors to develop the land, and created a Homebuyer Opportunity Fund to offer down payment assistance to income qualified homebuyers. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used for general operating expenses. To learn more about Home Trust of Ouray County, please visit hometrustoc.org.

Housing Solutions for the Southwest - $15,000

Housing Solutions for the Southwest is dedicated to finding affordable housing options for the communities they serve. They provide funding for rehabilitation of homes for low-and moderate- income homeowners, operate the CIP Program which replaces heating systems at no cost to low income homeowners, are a certified HUD housing counseling agency, with housing counselors on staff, and provide the only reverse mortgage counselor in the region. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund a server replacement and the cost of year one of a data management system intended to cover a large portion their programming. To learn more about Housing Solutions for the Southwest, please visit swhousingsolutions.com.

Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado - $10,000

Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, Inc. is a chapter of Junior Achievement USA, the largest organization dedicated to educating students through financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurial programs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support JA Finance Park, a teacher-led experienced for middle and high school students, grades 7-12. Lessons culminate in a simulation, assisted by volunteers, where students are given a persona and have an opportunity to live like an independent adult. They develop a budget and make decisions related to income, expenses, savings, and credit. JA Finance Park is offered to students and schools at no cost to them and JA targets schools where more than 50 percent of students are underserved and considered low- or very-low income per federal guidelines. To learn more about Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, please visit soco.ja.org.

La Plata Economic Development Alliance - $20,000

The La Plata Economic Development Alliance’s mission is to create a vibrant and resilient economy from the recruitment, retainment, and growth of business, by fostering public and private partnerships in La Plata County. The Alliance is relied upon to be the entity that focuses on economic development initiatives and addresses major community issues like affordability and housing. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to provide additional resources and operational dollars to assist the community and their public partners in tactically executing on projects identified in a recently commissioned La Plata County 3-Year Workforce Housing Investment Strategy. To learn more about La Plata Economic Development Alliance, please visit yeslpc.com.

La Plata Family Centers Coalition - $10,000

La Plata Family Centers Coalition (LPFCC) serves families and individuals in rural Colorado, many of whom experience multi-generational poverty. All programs and service provision offered at LPFCC, including The Colorado Community Response program, Family Support Services, and home visiting program Parents as Teachers address social determinants of health, promote self-sufficiency and economic development, and follow a strengthening framework. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help pilot a bilingual clinical social work service program. LPFCC will contract an independent bilingual clinical social worker to co-design culturally-grounded behavioral health services and outreach strategies. To learn more about La Plata Family Centers Coalition, please visit lpfcc.org.

Learning Zone at Real Life Colorado - $10,000

Learning Zone at Real Life Colorado teaches nonverbal students with Intellectual Disabilities to communicate and participate in society using Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices. Their innovative program offers student-centered instruction in the areas of academics, social communication, self-determination, and independent living. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide scholarships to learners who are socially and economically disadvantaged. To learn more about Learning Zone at Real Life Colorado, please visit RealLifeColorado.org.

Lincoln Hills Cares - $5,000

Lincoln Hills Cares develops the next generation of young leaders through outdoor education and recreation, cultural history exploration, and workforce advancement. Their programs serve students who come from marginalized communities and who have not had access to outdoor educational programming. Their overall goal is to build community, promote outdoor equity, and support the environment through outdoor education and recreation initiatives, environmental and cultural history connections, and STEAM education. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support E-STEM Pathways, which provides underprivileged youth access to an engaging outdoor science education program that allows youth the opportunity to participate in activities that are dedicated to environmental protection and sustainability. To learn more about Lincoln Hills Cares, please visit lincolnhillcares.org.

Maslow Academy of Applied Learning - $15,000

Maslow Academy of Applied Learning (MAAL) is a nonprofit early childhood center with a history of expansion and a long, consistent waitlist. MAAL currently serves more than 200 children and accepts a high percentage of families covered by the Colorado Childcare Assistance Program. One of their driving forces is to fill a portion of the tremendous shortage of early childhood care that exists in their rural community so that children may have a strong start, and parents may work. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a new childcare site that will add capacity in the infant, toddler, and preschool ages. To learn more about Maslow Academy of Applied Learning, please visit maslowacademy.com.

Montrose Lighthouse, Inc. - $10,000

Montrose Lighthouse, Inc. contributes to the well-being of the local community through its work to shelter the un-housed and homeless, working towards permanent housing for those in need of stable housing. They shelter under-served populace during the bitter winter months and also foster relationships with clients, which allow the Lighthouse staff to make arrangements for health care, mental health care, and open the doors to resources for safer, more stable housing. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help purchase a large, used van which would provide safe, reliable transportation for its clients to and from the out-of-town shelter, but also to necessary appointments related to health, housing and employment. To learn more about Montrose Lighthouse, please visit montrose-lighthouse.org.

Mountain Roots Food Project - $15,000

Mountain Roots is a food systems initiative that works to strengthen the local food system and build community wealth and health by combating hunger, creating equitable access to food, creating jobs, meaningfully engaging volunteers, increasing revenue for local farmers, conserving water, improving soils, collaborating with basic needs service agencies to address social determinants of health with wrap-around care, and educating community members about the importance of the health of our bodies and our planet. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Common Ground: a community food hub and kitchen incubator. The project will expand their seasonal, micro-food-enterprise-operation into a new, year-round 2,300 sq. ft. Community Food Hub and Kitchen Incubator facility that connects supply and demand in the local food sector. To learn more about Mountain Roots Food Project, please visit mountainrootsfoodproject.org.

Mountain Valley Developmental Services - $20,000

Mountain Valley Developmental Services supports people with intellectual and developmental delays and disabilities. Over the past five years, they’ve provided community housing to more than 140 people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford living in rural and resort communities. They have recently purchased two homes into which residents from another larger group home will move. Many of these residents utilize Hoyer lifts, shower chairs, and wheelchairs to enable activities of daily living. In order to meet the physical needs of these residents and accommodate their adaptive equipment, MVDS will be renovating the homes for greater accessibility. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help support these renovations. To learn more about Mountain Valley Developmental Services, please visit mtnvalley.org.

New Legacy Charter School - $15,000

New Legacy Charter School (NLCS) provides teen parents and their children high-quality education and opportunities for economic mobility. The school helps create opportunities for students of color, who comprise 91% of NLCS’s student body. Teen parents are a unique population—and one significantly more likely to live in poverty than their peers—who require unique supports in order to thrive. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their High School Program, which prepares teen parents for college and/or their future careers through a variety of programs. To learn more about New Legacy Charter School, please visit newlegacycharter.org.

NEWSED Community Development Corporation - $20,000

NEWSED Community Development Corporation’s mission is, to promote the economic success of underserved populations in the seven-county Denver metro area through community development with a focus on affordable housing, small businesses, and asset creation. As a national leader in economic community-based development for 49 years, NEWSED successfully creates social and financial stability in the lives of low to moderate income individuals and families. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support NEWSED’s Housing Counseling department, which is a full-service housing counseling agency and available in English and Spanish for free to clients. To learn more about NEWSED, please visit Newsed.org.

Northwest Colorado Health - $20,000

Northwest Colorado Health is a safety net health care provider, focusing on serving a rural, low-income population, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Approximately 72% of their patients are uninsured or utilizing Medicaid. Their patients experience multiple barriers that increase the risk of poor health outcomes; their services are critical to decreasing barriers through access to affordable care. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide Social Work services for Home Health patients enrolled in Medicaid or without insurance. Home Health aims to improve the health of patients after an operation or illness resulting in fewer long-term health complications, including the possibility of re-hospitalization or admission to long-term care. To learn more about Northwest Colorado Health, please visit northwestcoloradohealth.org.

Project I See You - $5,000

Project I See You creates spaces where women can awaken inwardly, express vulnerability outwardly, and change the communities they’re a part of dramatically. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Shared Power program, which helps first-time female homebuyers rise to become wise and sustainable homeowners through down payment assistance. It focuses on women of color who live in-between surviving and thriving: they earn sufficient income for a mortgage but lack access to any other financial support for a down payment and move-in costs. To learn more about Project I See You, please visit projectiseeyou.org/.

Providence Network - $10,000

Providence Network (PN) operates three transitional housing programs and three affordable housing apartment buildings. Each home provides comprehensive services that target mental and emotional well being, job readiness, and financial literacy in addition to meeting basic needs. With its two-tiered, holistic approach to addressing generational poverty, PN is a leader in creating effective, sustainable housing and life solutions. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support general operating costs to support PN’s housing initiatives. Funds will provide families with comprehensive housing and wrap-around services, such as counseling, sobriety support, parenting and life skills training, meals, case management, and vocational development. To learn more about Providence Network, please visit providencenetwork.org.

Pueblo Food Project - $20,000

Pueblo Food Project is a community led coalition that helps create a more vibrant, nutritious, and equitable food system for every eater in Pueblo County. It supports the local economy by prioritizing products produced and sold locally. In turn, the local food chain is strengthened, and jobs are created. Pueblo Food Project is the largest institutional procurer of local food in the county; they source bulk food products from over 22 local vendors to distribute to more than twenty hunger relief organizations.  CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to supply the pantry and redistribute products directly to clients and entrepreneurs. To learn more about Pueblo Food Project, please visit pueblofoodproject.org.

Restorative Resources Programming House - $10,000

Restorative Resources Programming House provides affordable housing, housing assistance, life skill enhancement connection, opportunities, support services and mentoring in Jackson, Grand, and Routt Counties. These services include, behavioral health employment education and placement, parenting education, higher education opportunities, full scale re-entry programming including housing. They are also an approved treatment provider for the Colorado Department of Corrections division of parole. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their housing program, which help to prevent homelessness for 15 to 20 households. To learn more about Restorative Resources Programming House, please visit restorativeresourcesph.com.

RISE 5280 - $15,000

RISE 5280 provides year-round support resources such as tutoring, mentoring, and financial literacy–ensuring BIPOC students have equitable access to the tools they need to graduate on time and succeed in college. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Rise 5280’s Historical Black College and University Tour, which will host 75 students and 10 chaperones across the South-East U.S. to visit six campuses including, Dillard University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Spelman College, Clark University, Morehouse College, and Grambling University. To learn more about RISE 5280, please visit rise5280.org.

Southwest Center for Independence - $10,000

Southwest Center for Independence improves the quality of life and independence of people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans across Southwest Colorado. Their team of Independent Living Specialist deliver multiple programs that support the overall wellbeing of underserved community members, focused on increasing access to stable housing, transportation, jobs, and peer support systems. Their housing program supports people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity across the continuum of finding, establishing and maintaining stable housing. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Southwest Rides program to deliver door-to-door, accessible transportation to disadvantaged individuals across La Plata County. To learn more about Southwest Center for Independence, please visit swindependence.org.

STRiVE - $20,000

STRiVE was started in 1966 by a group of parents determined that their children with intellectual/developmental disabilities needed an education and social interaction with other kids, ushering in a fundamentally different era of what it means to live with a developmental disability. Since that time, STRiVE has served thousands of individuals, many for a lifetime, through their mission to support people who strive to meet their full potential. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help enhance and expand STRiVE’s employment programming, open to any adult with IDD interested in developing job skills. Their Small Group Employment provides technical and soft skill training, and work experience at a STRiVE-owned/operated enterprise. To learn more about STRiVE, please visit strivecolorado.org.

Teller Senior Coalition - $10,000

Teller Senior Coalitions mission is to provide services to Teller County senior citizens to enable them to live healthy, active, and independent lives. The many services they provide assist older adults in Teller County to live in their homes longer. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Home Delivered Meal Program, which provides weekly meals to almost 50 seniors who may struggle to receive sufficient food without them. With higher fuel and food prices, the cost of the food for the Home Delivered Meal program has increased significantly. To learn more about Teller Senior Coalition, please visit tellerseniorcoalition.org.

Treeline Pass – $15,000

Treeline Pass is committed to empowering adults with autism and developmental disabilities to cultivate lives rooted in purpose, joy, and growth in an inclusive community environment. When people with disabilities turn 21, the loss of school often means skill regression and lost access to socialization, transportation, physical activity, and healthcare. As a result, this population is at increased risk of preventable, chronic mental and physical illness and more than 80% are unemployed. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide an accessible home base for adults with autism and developmental disabilities in which to acquire the skills needed to achieve increased independence, community immersion, employment, health, and well-being. To learn more about Treeline Pass, please visit www.treelinepass.org.

United Neighbors / Vecinos Unidos - $10,000

United Neighbors / Vecinos Unidos’s mission is the preservation of Parklane Mobile Home Park in Larimer County, CO and to maintain its affordability, and establish a resident governance/ownership model. Mobile home park residents nationwide are encountering increased vulnerability to new ownership by investors and increased rent, or redevelopment and displacement. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the establishment of their sustainable community governance model. They are committed to following and centering resident voice and leadership in the process, while educating and informing the community of the available options for resident governance and ownership. To learn more about United Neighbors / Vecinos Unidos, please see this article in the Denver Post.

Veterans Community Project of Longmont - $15,000

Veterans Community Project (VCP) of Longmont provides one-on-one case management through evidence informed tools, connecting Veterans and their families to a network of more than 45 service partners, and builds pathways to self-sufficiency and stable housing. Additionally, VCP distributes Emergency Assistance Funds for rent and utilities and other necessities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will ensure that VCP’s budget for emergency funds remains large enough to match the community need, that Case Managers can continue to effectively make resource connections and monitor Veteran progress, and that all Veterans in need receive both population and individual specific support services for housing and financial stability. To learn more about Veterans Community Project of Longmont, please visit veteranscommunityproject.org.

Victory Service Dogs - $10,000

Victory Service Dogs is assisting veterans, first responders, and children through gaining an improved quality of life with the partnership of a loving service dog. Victory Service Dogs are saving lives and providing second chances, for both the client and the dog by providing clients with an affordable service dog without having to sacrifice high quality training. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the training of a client-dog team. The impact realized, through this program, includes considerable implications for individuals with disabilities, society and the economy by promoting independence, learning and working abilities. To learn more about Victory Sevice Dogs, please visit VictorySD.org.

Village Exchange Center, Inc. - $10,000

Village Exchange Center (VEC) is a community center and multi-faith worship space that celebrates religious and cultural diversity by creating an inclusive environment where residents from all backgrounds can practice, interact, share, and develop together. VEC provides a hub for programs and services including small business supports, job development training, and pandemic-relief assistance programs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support the Village Farm’s Urban Farming Immersion training program, which is on the Eligible Training Provider List as a certified and recognized training program with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act for Adams County. This six-week training program creates opportunities for supplemental income, exposing participants to agriculturally related career paths, and facilitates workforce development training. In addition to teaching the basics of farming and food growing, the program offers support for participants to increase their food sovereignty and career opportunities. To learn more about Village Exchange Center, please visit villageexchangecenter.org.

Vivent Health - $20,000

Vivent Health is a nonprofit HIV Medical Home that provides a comprehensive roster of health and social services to people living with HIV, including medical, dental, behavioral health, case management, HIV prevention, pharmacy, food pantry, legal, and housing services. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the provision of Tennant-based rent assistance to low-income people living with HIV in Denver for up to five months. This assistance will alleviate the threat of homelessness and prevent eviction, allow people living with HIV to remain in established, long-term, stable housing, and prevent the further disruption, stress, and emotional and financial burden of finding other housing arrangements. To learn more about Vivent Health, please visit viventhealth.org.

Women's Resource Center in Durango - $15,000

The Women’s Resource Center in Durango advocates for the personal empowerment and economic self-sufficiency of women and girls in La Plata County. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their core program, resource and referral. This program empowers clients to take control of their lives and creates action steps for change by helping them locate and navigate appropriate resources in the community. Whether a client comes with basic needs like food, housing, or employment; is in crisis due to tragic events such as domestic violence and sexual assault; or is pursuing their dream in areas like education and entrepreneurship, the resource and referral program opens the door to opportunities that improve their health, safety, self-sufficiency, and success. To learn more about Women's Resource Center in Durango, please visit wrcdurango.org.

direct effect award recipients - round three 2022

CHFA donated $1,063,285 to 73 nonprofits through its Direct Effect program in round three, which received 110 applications seeking more than $2.7 million in combined funding.

The 2022 Direct Effect Award Round Three recipients are listed below.

A Precious Child – $10,000

A Precious Child is a one-stop-shop for families in crisis to receive the goods, opportunities, and resources they need, including financial housing assistance. Since 2008, they have aided over 405,000 children throughout the Denver Metro eight-county area, helping families begin the path to becoming self-sustaining and end multigenerational poverty. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help support housing resources for families including case management, rental and mortgage assistance, and translation services. To learn more about A Precious Child, please visit apreciouschild.org.

A Way Out, Inc. – $10,000

A Way Out supports residents of Eagle, Pitkin, and Garfield Counties in accessing evidence based inpatient treatment programs and then provides financial scholarships for transitional sober housing, clinical case management, peer support, and life skills coaching. This aftercare component ensures that residents have safe and sober housing once treatment is complete, which keeps people off the streets and away from unsafe environments that often trigger relapse. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help residents that have been homeless and unable to resolve their chronic addiction problem gain access to safe, supported housing. To learn more about A Way Out, please visit awayout.org.

Archway Housing and Services – $10,000

Archway Communities is a nonprofit, affordable housing development corporation, which elevates lives by providing access to affordable housing, food security, and the supportive social services people need to thrive. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support general operating expenses for supportive services. Archway’s supportive services provide case management and onsite services as well as the resources and information tenants need as they adjust to life in their new home and promote healthy, happy, and quality lives. To learn more about Archway Housing and Services, please visit archwaycommunities.org.

Bayaud Enterprises – $30,000

By creating jobs and providing on-the-job training as well as job retention support, Bayaud Enterprises strengthens Colorado with new jobs and employability of its most valuable resource – its residents. Since 2018, more than 1,750 adults have been placed in permanent jobs either within Bayaud or with one of their 100+ employer-partners. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help advance economic development opportunities for the community’s most underserved residents. Bayaud will create jobs that pay living wages and offer job training, job placement services, and post job placement coaching to support job retention. To learn more about Bayaud Enterprises, please visit bayaudenterprises.org.

Boulder County AIDS Project – $15,000

Boulder County AIDS Project provides affordable housing services to low-income people living with HIV (PLHIV), as part of wrap-around services to help ensure PLHIV access and retain medical care and HIV treatment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support for housing assistance services for low-income PLHIV living in Boulder, Broomfield, Gilpin, and Clear Creek counties. A lack of stable housing is one of the greatest barriers to receiving medical care. Case managers work with PLHIV to ensure they have the basic needs support necessary to retain medical care and adhere to HIV treatment. To learn more about Boulder County AIDS Project, please visit bcap.org.

Boulder Food Rescue – $15,000

Boulder Food Rescue aims to create a more just and less wasteful food system. They facilitate the sustainable redistribution of healthy food that would otherwise be wasted to low-income communities, by bicycle. They work with communities to facilitate their own food redistribution and create decentralized systems to bypass barriers to food access. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support their Food Redistribution programs. To date, this program has redistributed over 4.5 million pounds of food. To learn more about Boulder Food Rescue, please visit boulderfoodrescue.org.

Boulder Housing Partners Foundation – $15,000

The mission of the Boulder Housing Partners Foundation is to help Boulder Housing Partners residents pursue successful, productive, and dignified lives by mobilizing resources for supportive, life-enriching, and community building services. Their service-enriched housing model helps Coloradans to stay housed, increase economic resilience, jobs, healthcare, and education. CHFA’s Direct Effect award will help pay for salaries for two employees who work with 185 households with young children through their Bringing School Home (BSH) program. BSH is designed to close the achievement and opportunity gaps for low-income children by providing stable, affordable housing, ongoing education, and family support to families with at least one child under the age of six. To learn more about Boulder Housing Partners Foundation, please visit boulderhousing.org/boulder-housing-partners-foundation.  

Boulder Shelter for the Homeless – $10,000

Boulder Shelter for the Homeless creates avenues to stable housing for their community's homeless adults, from a foundation of supportive and safe shelter. The Shelter believes that everyone is housing ready and works diligently across the continuum of need to help individuals transition from homelessness into housing and to maintain housing once it is acquired. CHFA's Direct Effect Award will enable the shelter to continue its programs, including coordinated entry, housing focused shelter, permanent supportive housing, navigation, outreach, and rapid rehousing. To learn more about Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, please visit bouldershelter.org. 

Bright Future Foundation for Eagle County – $20,000

Bright Future Foundation for Eagle County supports survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and trafficking with holistic programs for accessing safe, stable housing. Bright Future Foundation offers comprehensive housing solutions designed to promote safety, security, and long-term self-sufficiency for 200 survivors each year. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the BrightHouse and our Ensuring Freedom Housing Program. Both programs directly prevent homelessness and ultimately assist survivors to stabilize and achieve self-sufficiency through survivor-centered housing stabilization services. To learn more about Bright Future Foundation for Eagle County, please visit mybrightfuture.org. 

Broomfield FISH Food Bank and Family Resource Center – $15,000

Broomfield FISH’s mission is to meet their neighbors’ basic human needs and provide them with hope and tools to rise out of poverty. FISH is a nonprofit organization that provides food, emergency financial assistance, and one-on-one mentoring support to Broomfield residents in need. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help support their Keeping Families Housed (KFH) program. The KFH program includes up to three rent assistance payments per year, case management, resource connection, goal setting, and progress tracking. To learn more about Broomfield FISH, please visit broomfieldfish.org.

Brothers Redevelopment – $30,000

Brothers Redevelopment develops, owns, and operates affordable housing, provides HUD-approved housing counseling, operates Colorado Housing Connects Helpline for callers in need of housing resources across the state, continues its home repair and Paint-A-Thon programs to keep senior and/or disabled homeowners stable, offers aging in place services at their properties, administers rent and mortgage assistance funds, and recruits landlords to rent their units to individuals with housing vouchers. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Home Modification and Repair (HMR) and Paint-A-Thon (PAT) programs. Much of the current funding for HMR and PAT is geographically restricted, and Direct Effect dollars will provide flexible funding to support homeowners in locations and municipalities that do not receive sufficient local funding. To learn more about Brothers Redevelopment, please visit brothersredevelopment.org.

Chaffee Housing Trust – $15,000

Using the Community Land Trust model, the Chaffee Housing Trust (CHT) has built 23 affordable homes for ownership for rural Chaffee County for households earning between 57 and 78 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). CHT acts as the developer, or partners with local developers to build homes, making them available to clients at prices well below market. Projects are small (6-12 units) and scaled to meet the rural needs and fit in to local neighborhoods. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support hiring a deputy director who can bring new skills and experience to the organization and support the current executive director by sharing the workload. This hire will provide the organizational capacity needed to meet growth opportunities and increasing demand for services. To learn more about Chaffee Housing Trust, please visit chaffeehousing.org.

Child and Migrant Services – $15,000

Child and Migrant Services (CMS) provides basic needs support to migrant and immigrant workers who support the agricultural economy in Mesa County. CMS focuses on the interface of the individual, their employers, and community resource providers to ensure that workers have equitable opportunities for health, wellbeing, and livelihood. Their scope of work includes basic needs support, outreach, community navigation, advocacy, and empowerment pathways for its members. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the hiring of a part time Outreach Specialist. With this position, CMS anticipates engaging 50 new members in 2023 and deepening its engagement with existing members through increased outreach at employment sites, and recruitment to CMS’ events and services. To learn more about Child and Migrant Services, please visit migrantservicesgv.org.

City of Gunnison, Gunnison Senior Center – $10,000

The Gunnison Senior Center promotes the highest quality of life for older adults in the Gunnison Valley through education, exercise, civic, social and cultural engagement, and nutritious and affordable prepared food. The Senior Meals program serves an average of 90 low-cost to no-cost meals per day, three times per week, currently serving 125 individuals throughout the year. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide $250 worth of fresh produce and some dairy and meat products per week to the Senior Meals program from Mountain Roots Food Project, fulfilling much of their needs for 90 meals per day, three times per week, for 40 weeks. To learn more about the Gunnison Senior Center, please visit gunnisonco.gov/departments/parks___recreation/seniors/index. 

Colorado Homeownership Coalition – $20,000

The Colorado Homeownership Coalition (CHC) provides mortgage, HOA, Tax, and Insurance assistance to homeowners experiencing a temporary disruption in income to avoid delinquent housing obligations and ultimately resume self-sufficiency. CHC is a financial lifeline for individuals and families that need a helping hand. CHFA's Direct Effect Award will provide mortgage assistance to eligible Colorado families. Each qualifying homeowner may receive up to $8,000 to cover delinquent mortgage payments, homeowners’ association dues, or property taxes. To learn more about Colorado Homeownership Coalition, please visit chchelps.org.

Colorado Poverty Law Project – $20,000

Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP) provides legal services to assist low-income Coloradans to maintain affordable housing and avoid homelessness. CPLP complements its legal services with housing navigation services, where non-attorneys work directly with low-income residents to locate affordable housing options. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support legal representation and housing navigation services in areas of the state where CPLP currently lacks dedicated funding, including El Paso County, mountain areas, and the Western Slope. To learn more about Colorado Poverty Law Project, please visit copovertylawproject.org.

Community Health Initiatives – $15,000

Community Health Initiatives promotes healthy behavior across western Colorado. They help Coloradans in rural communities on the Western Slope with their no cost resiliency and skills building educational program and offer wraparound services to every family they serve. Community Health Initiatives' primary program is called FOCUS (Families OverComing Under Stress). FOCUS is an evidence-based educational resiliency and skills building program serving four rural counties on the western slope of Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support salaries for FOCUS facilitators. To learn more about Community Health Initiatives, please visit chi-colorado.org.

Dancing Spirit – $7,500

Dancing Spirit’s mission is to provide a community arts center that enhances creativity and fellowship; that promotes the education, appreciation, and enjoyment of the arts; and that celebrates the cultural heritage of their population. The new Dancing Spirit Community Arts Center will expand their ability to provide economic benefits to the Town of Ignacio by increasing community access to the arts and art studios and by providing a new venue for artistic expression in the heart of downtown. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide matching fund support for the new Dancing Spirit Community Arts Center. To learn more about Dancing Spirit, please visit dancingspiritgallery.org.

Denver Scholarship Foundation – $10,000

Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) works to narrow the education gap and create opportunities for students of color. The organization assists under-represented students to and through college completion and helps them build connections with local industry, ensuring they are best prepared for careers that provide economic opportunity and growth potential. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support expenses associated with the Student Success Program including program staff, scholarships, program materials and supplies, professional development and training, and workforce connectivity activities. To learn more about Denver Scholarship Foundation, please visit denverscholarship.org.

Developmental Disabilities Resource Center – $10,000

Developmental Disabilities Resource Center’s (DDRC) mission is to create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the community. Often adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are either unemployed or underemployed, despite their ability, desire, and willingness to work in the community. DDRC's Employment Services team helps businesses explore their workforce needs and help Colorado career seekers with I/DD explore their interests and skills to find the right job match for both parties. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will fund a portion of the core support cost of their Employment Program. To learn more about Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, please visit ddrcco.com.

Doors 2 Success – $20,000

Doors 2 Success helps the vulnerable populations served by Grand Junction Housing Authority (GJHA) enhance their housing stability, self-sufficiency, and overall wellness. GJHA clients have low incomes and are faced with employment and training issues, physical and mental health challenges, substance abuse, and/or criminal backgrounds. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Service-Care Coordination program, which provides access to on-site community-based health and wellness services, involves clients in their care plans, and helps clients access health care via transportation referrals or driving clients to appointments. To learn more about Doors 2 Success, please visit gjha.org/housing-programs/doors-2-success.

Dove's Nest – $7,000

Dove’s Nest provides affordable access to a high-quality early childhood program in the Dove Creek community. It is the only licensed year-round multi-age childcare and early education center serving Dove Creek and the surrounding 25+ miles. Ensuring that families have a safe and secure environment for children while families work is a necessary piece of economic development, without this service many families would be unable to work. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Dove Creek’s ability to provide affordable access to a high-quality early childhood program. To learn more about Dove’s Nest, please visit facebook.com/DoveCreekDovesNest.

Eagle Valley Community Foundation – $10,000

Eagle Valley Community Foundation provides access to programs and resources that support wellness, healthier food, and other essential needs in the Eagle River Valley while embracing individual dignity and a commitment to sustainability and quality. Their MIRA Bus Program travels throughout Eagle County bringing medical, behavioral, and dental services and resource connections to people where they live, work, and play. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the MIRA Bus Homeless Program. MIRA is partnering with Eagle County Housing Department to reach out to people experiencing homelessness in Eagle River Valley, connect them with emergency shelter, housing options, job opportunities, or other critical services; and provide urgent, non-facility-based care to people who are unsheltered and who are unwilling or unable to access emergency shelter, housing, or an appropriate health facility. To learn more about Eagle Valley Community Foundation, please visit eaglevalleycf.org .

Eaton Senior Communities Foundation – $5,321

Eaton Senior Communities Foundation’s mission is to provide affordable housing in a service-rich environment that enables all to live to their fullest potential. Eaton provides affordable, attractive, and comfortable housing for lower-income seniors with enhanced supportive services. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to purchase a NuStep T6 Max Recumbent Stepper to complete the fitness center and provide on-site therapy equipment for senior residents. The stepper will offer residents lower impact exercise, provide more adjustability for a limited range of motion, give a total body workout, and improve accessibility. To learn more about Eaton Senior Communities Foundation, please visit eatonsenior.org.

Energy Outreach Colorado – $20,000

Energy Outreach Colorado’s (EOC) mission is to ensure that all Coloradans can afford their home energy. EOC does this by addressing barriers that lead to the persistence of nearly 25% of households struggling with energy affordability. EOC offers services to meet income-deficient households’ needs through their energy bill payment assistance and energy efficiency services, which operates in every county across Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund EOC’s Healthy Home Electrification Program to provide additional services inside income-qualified residents homes to improve indoor air quality and improve energy efficiency long-term. To learn more about Energy Outreach Colorado, please visit energyoutreach.org.

EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum – $10,000

EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum’s mission is to inspire a passion and respect for math and science in their communities. Building on a strong foundation of providing educational enrichment for local youth, EUREKA! is committed to increasing access to educational resources for low-income, underrepresented, and underserved community members, and addressing educational outcomes and access to enriching activities for youth as a social determinant of health. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support efforts in providing more equitable access to hands-on STEAM learning opportunities and educational enrichment for youth in Mesa County. The funds will provide transportation for low-income, underserved, and underrepresented youth in the Clifton and Palisade areas to and from the museum in the summer, and tuition reduction for students and families to provide educational enrichment and support for underserved communities. To learn more about EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum, please visit eurekasciencemuseum.org. 

Extreme Community Makeover – $10,000

Extreme Community Makeover’s mission is to coordinate volunteer teams to partner with Denver residents to improve their homes and neighborhoods. The organization provides critical services to help vulnerable residents improve the physical condition of their neighborhoods, keep their community safe, build vital connections, and help older adults age in place. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award support the Adopt-a-Block program, which builds safer environments, cultivates community among residents, neighborhoods and networks of local resource providers, and connects residents to a permanent path toward healthy, hopeful, and stable lives. To learn more about Extreme Community Makeover, please visit extremecommunitymakeover.org.

First Southwest Community Fund – $25,000

First Southwest Community Fund supports tangible economic opportunities throughout rural Colorado by making much needed non-traditional capital (loans) available to new and existing businesses to create and retain jobs and provide educational resources to entrepreneurs and business owners. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Rural Women-Led Business Fund, which is designed to give access to funding and education for women entrepreneurs and small businesses in rural Colorado through loans, education, and technical assistance. The Rural Women-Led Business Fund offers loans of $10,000-$75,000 and focuses on providing accessible capital to women, especially women of color in the San Luis Valley. To learn more about First Southwest Community Fund, please visit fswcf.org.

FoCo Café – $7,500

FoCo Café increases access to healthy affordable food regardless of one's ability to pay, further improving health outcomes for underserved populations. FoCo Café operates on a pay-what-you-can scale where patrons choose to pay anywhere from $5-$15+ for an individual meal depending on what they are able to contribute financially. If a patron is not able to contribute financially, they are asked to donate up to an hour of their time and talents volunteering in exchange for a meal. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the community meals served through daily lunch service. To learn more about FoCo Café, please visit fococafe.org.

Forge Evolution – $10,000

Forge Evolution empowers youth and their parents to foster resilient communities by inspiring accountability, empathy, and personal growth. Forge Evolution has been the proven alternative to the traditional court for youth who commit misdemeanor crimes. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Life Skills Mentoring Program, which helps youth in the Teen Court/Restorative Justice Sentencing program acquire the skills necessary to succeed in life. Participants develop, refine, and progress along and complete an informed path towards their career. To learn more about Forge Evolution, please visit forgeevolution.org.

Garfield County School District 16 School-Based Family Resource Center $10,000

The Garfield County School District 16 School-Based Family Resource Center (Garfield 16 SBFRC) connects underprivileged students and their families with resources designed to help them meet their needs. After each family undergoes a needs assessment, the Garfield 16 SBFRC provides a safe and accessible place for families to connect with comprehensive, coordinated services that help them achieve their goals. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support two Licensed Counselor Consultants which will expand Garfield 16 SBFRC’s capacity to provide one-on-one mental and behavioral health services. To learn more about Garfield County School District 16 School-Based Family Resource Center, please visit garfield16.org/page/school-based-family-resource-center.

Grand Valley Catholic Outreach – $15,000

Grand Valley Catholic Outreach provides emergency services to individuals and families in need, supports the homeless in their quest for safe and decent housing, feeds those who are hungry, and invites participation from all denominations in the quest to support human life. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support rental assistance, which has faced significant demand as Mesa County works to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many residents remain either underemployed or unemployed and are overwhelmed by debts that have accrued as a result of the events of the last couple of years. To learn more about Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, please visit catholicoutreach.org.

GRID Alternatives Colorado – $15,000

GRID Alternatives Colorado is building a renewable energy future that benefits everyone through building access to renewable technology through free solar installations, increasing access to careers in the solar industry through equity based, paid solar workforce development training, and delivering renewable energy education programs to increase access to renewable education for Colorado students. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Solar Construction Program and provide the financial support for GRID Colorado to meet this demand. To learn more about GRID Alternatives Colorado, please visit gridalternatives.org/regions/colorado.

Growing Gardens of Boulder County – $10,000

Growing Gardens of Boulder County’s programs empower people of all ages, income levels, and abilities by reconnecting them with their local food systems and teaching gardening, cooking, and nutrition education. Thousands of pounds of produce, as well as plant starts and seeds, are donated to low income community members to impart greater food security and hunger relief in the community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Work Trade program, which provides a way for lower-income residents to get engaged on the farm and increase their family’s food security. Families volunteer each week in exchange for a share of the farm’s produce, totaling about 1,000 pounds throughout the growing season. To learn more about Growing Gardens of Boulder County, please visit growinggardens.org.

Growing Home – $15,000

Growing Home is cultivating a thriving, healthy, and equitable North Metro Denver by connecting people to services and program to drive community action in the areas of food, housing, parenting education, and lifelong stability. Growing Home uses an innovative and integrated program model to provide immediate, medium-term, and long-term support to the community in the impact areas of food, housing, parenting education, and lifelong stability. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide participants with direct support, empower them to participate in ongoing, community-driven efforts to dismantle systemic barriers to access, and support the economic development of the north Metro Denver community. To learn more about Growing Home, please visit growinghome.org,

Habitat for Humanity of Teller County – $10,000

Habitat for Humanity of Teller County helps families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Habitat’s programs provide families a hand-up, not a handout. Volunteers support almost every facet of Habitat’s program and are critical to helping them build homes, change lives, and transform community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the organizations general operations. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Teller County, please visit tellerhabitat.org.

Haven House – $20,000

Haven House’s mission is to provide transitional housing and career development programs to families with children who, but for Haven House, would be the homeless. Their programs provide wrap around services designed to guide families towards a livable wage and into affordable housing. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help ensure the continued operation and development of the Transitional Housing, Child Development, and Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs. These programs are tightly integrated, so families have an opportunity to get back into permanent affordable housing on a sustainable path towards self-sufficiency and help their children avoid a future of poverty and homelessness. To learn more about Haven House, please visit havenhousehomeless.org.

Home Builders Foundation – $7,500

Through home repairs and renovations to improve accessibility, Home Builders Foundation improves independence, quality of life, and safety for individuals with disabilities, in turn allowing them to participate more fully in their families, communities, and the state economy. Their Accessible Home Modification Program alleviates the burden of costly home modifications and ensures homes are safe and accessible for individuals with disabilities, helping them lead more independent and elevated lives. CHFA's Direct Effect Award will help Home Builders Foundation continue to provide accessible home modifications to Coloradans with disabilities, creating safer, more accessible homes. To learn more about Home Builders Foundation, please visit hbfdenver.org.

HomeAid Colorado – $10,000

HomeAid Colorado’s mission is to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness build new lives through construction, community engagement, and education. HomeAid has developed, built, remodeled, and maintained more than 60 housing projects for families, at-risk youth, domestic violence victims, veterans, teen mothers, and people with physical and mental disabilities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide programmatic support to their Housing Development and Community Outreach programs. To learn more about HomeAid Colorado, please visit homeaidcolorado.org.

Homeward Alliance – $15,000

Homeward Alliance's mission is to empower individuals and families who face homelessness to survive, move forward, and thrive. Their services seek to end a person’s homelessness as soon as possible and connect them to behavioral health and other services to begin the process of stabilization. Ongoing case management is offered to maintain housing, health services, and other life sustaining benefits. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund the salary for a Housing Navigation Specialist. This position would assist at least 50 people experiencing homelessness with housing vouchers to obtain, and maintain, sustainable housing. To learn more about Homeward Alliance, please visit homewardalliance.org.

HomewardBound of the Grand Valley – $15,000

HomewardBound of the Grand Valley operates two emergency shelter facilities using a housing first model with the intention to house people, then provide services to assist them in addressing their challenges. This past year, HomewardBound provided emergency shelter for 1,045 homeless individuals and families an average of 39 nights each, serving an average 272 meals daily. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide community navigation services that will help move individuals and families from homelessness to affordable, permanent housing. To learn more about HomewardBound of the Grand Valley, please visit homewardboundgv.org.

Integrated Community – $30,000

Integrated Community assists and supports immigrants as they integrate, contribute, and maintain their independence in the northwest Colorado community. Integrated Community collaborates with immigrants and their families to solve immediate problems by connecting them to appropriate resources, providing professional interpreter and translation services for our clients to meet their needs, and implements education and literacy programs for children and adults. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund their Language Justice Program, which has a positive impact on housing, education, health equity, and legal services. To learn more about Integrated Community, please visit ciiccolorado.org.

La Puente Home – $17,000

La Puente Home works in the San Luis Valley to provide a wide range of services to mitigate the immediate crises of poverty, while also addressing root causes of generational poverty. They address housing and economic development goals through their Adelante Family Resource Center, Emergency Shelter, Crisis Prevention Resources, and Street Outreach programs. These programs provide immediate care for clients experiencing homelessness or for those at risk of becoming homeless, while identifying barriers on their path towards achieving long-term self-sufficiency and assisting with navigation around these barriers. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Street Outreach program, which builds relationships with individuals who are unsheltered, living in isolation, or at risk of homelessness and provides navigation or referrals. To learn more about La Puente Home, please visit lapuentehome.org.

Life Inter-Faith Team on Unemployment and Poverty – $10,000

Life Inter-Faith Team on Unemployment and Poverty’s (LIFT-UP) mission is to feed the hungry and provide food security for everyone experiencing food scarcity in Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin Counties. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the purchase of a mobile pantry on wheels, which will travel to outlying rural communities in Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin Counties to provide a food pantry where folks with little or no transportation can shop and choose the items they need. To learn more about Life Inter-Faith Team on Unemployment and Poverty, please visit liftup.org.

Make a Chess Move – $10,000

Make a Chess Move’s (MACM) mission is to build a just society by developing tenacious learners, compassionate leaders, and ethically driven critical thinkers. MACM develops and implements programs to create equity for their participants who are systematically disenfranchised from society. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be invested in wages and honorariums for youth (ages 14-25) to expand programming to 12 Schools. They will also support two staff facilitators under the age of 25 to expand MACM Works Afterschool Programming to two locations with day and afternoon programming. To learn more about Make a Chess Move, please visit MakeAChessMove.org.

Medicine Horse Center – $15,000

Medicine Horse Center serves the Four Corners Community by helping to support the social, emotional, and mental wellbeing of their clients. They partner with local human services organizations, school districts and nonprofits, to reach their community’s most vulnerable populations to offer no-cost and low-cost equine assisted therapy and learning programs, making access to mental health services more accessible for all. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a pilot program that will involve a peer-led support group of up to ten female veterans, who have experiences military sexual trauma. To learn more about Medicine Horse Center, please visit medicinehorsecenter.org.

Mercy Housing Mountain Plains – $10,000

Mercy Housing Mountain Plains (MHMP) provides affordable housing and services to assist residents in stabilizing their lives and achieving their full potential. MHMP operates 17 properties throughout the state that serve more than 2,700 low- to moderate-income families, seniors, and individuals with special needs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund their Health Navigation Program to provide access to healthy food and healthcare services for senior residents at Francis Heights Apartments. This will support senior health at Francis Heights through MHMP’s focus on health and housing to address social determinants of health while deepening relationships with healthcare providers. To learn more about Mercy Housing Mountain Plains, please visit mercyhousing.org/mountain-plains.

Metro Denver Homeless Initiative – $15,000

Metro Denver Homeless Initiative’s mission is to lead and advance collaboration to end homelessness in Metro Denver. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Housing Stability Flex Fund, which is designed to remove the last financial barrier that prevents a household from obtaining or remaining in permanent housing. Through the streamlined referral process, staff at partner organizations can access the Housing Stability Flex Fund as a last resort, when all other potential funding is exhausted, to assist in both the process of securing permanent housing and preventing the loss of housing. The Housing Stability Flex Fund is designed to rapidly meet the needs of individuals who are in a housing crisis. To learn more about Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, please visit mdhi.org.

Mountain Family Center – $15,000

Mountain Family Center (MFC) provides hunger relief, housing assistance, and more to Grand County. With inflation hitting the grocery stores and gas pumps, many community members are finding it harder to keep enough food on the table while keeping up with rent, utility, and other household expenses. Since 2020, MFC has provided over $750,000 in housing assistance. Freeing up one month’s rent or mortgage payment can allow a family to catch up on their living expenses. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support rental and mortgage assistance payments for 12-15 households who are struggling to meet their basic needs. To learn more about Mountain Family Center, please visit mountainfamilycenter.org.

Movement 5280 – $10,000

Movement 5280 functions as a refuge for homeless youth who have aged out of the foster care system, as well as other at-risk young adults. Their programs, SURVIVE, THRIVE, and REVIVE meet the spectrum of needs with a holistic approach from the most basic such as food, shelter, and clothing (SURVIVE); to the acquisition of practical life skills (THRIVE); and substance use recovery groups (REVIVE). CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the THRIVE workforce readiness program. THRIVE focuses on building supportive relationships with homeless and at-risk youth through mentoring, volunteering, employment, and leadership opportunities available within the agency and its community. These relationships lead to skill-building, networking, and self-confidence for youth who engage in the program. To learn more about Movement 5280, please visit movement5280.org.

Open Heart Advocates – $25,000

Open Heart Advocates is the sole provider of victims’ advocacy and victims’ services in Moffat County. Their programming spans services from mobile crisis response in both Victim Services and Crisis Behavioral Health Services to ongoing continuum of care, looking at immediate safety to stability, healing, growing, and thriving. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their crisis and trauma programs, allowing clients to access services free of charge. To learn more about Open Heart Advocates, please visit openheartadvocates.org.

Partners in Housing – $30,000

Partners in Housing’s mission is to guide families in housing crisis from insecurity to stability, self-reliance, and prosperity. Families receive intensive services during their year in the program with a holistic approach to wrap-around services. Program objectives include employment training and placement, housing navigation, budget counseling, credit counseling, physical and mental health supports, and childcare. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support two program components crucial to client’s success – employment assistance through the Work It! Program, and budget and credit counseling. To learn more about Partners in Housing, please visit partnersinhousing.org.

Pueblo Rescue Mission – $20,000

Pueblo Rescue Mission provides shelter and support services to those experiencing homelessness in Pueblo. Key program components include a 99-bed shelter, daily meals, resource navigation services, and case management. Their programs and activities are designed to be a catalyst that helps community members reach their goals and fulfill their potential. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support wraparound services including case management, employment assistance, life skills, transportation, outreach services, community meals, and resource navigation. To learn more about Pueblo Rescue Mission, please visit thepueblorescuemission.org.

Rebuilding Together Metro Denver – $15,000

Rebuilding Together Metro Denver’s mission is to repair homes, revitalize communities and rebuild lives. They provide critical home repair services for at-risk homeowners, including emergency repairs, home modifications, exterior ramps, energy efficiency solutions, and safety equipment at no cost to low-income homeowners. Priority is given to older adults, those living with disabilities, veterans, and multi-generational families. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will assist with expanding their part-time Program Coordinator position to a full-time position starting in January 2023. The position will help build the organization’s capacity to more effectively respond to homeowner inquiries and carry out more services to homeowners. To learn more about Rebuilding Together Metro Denver, please visit rebuildingdenver.org.

Recovery Resources – $20,000

Recovery Resources helps people heal from addiction, crisis, and trauma so that they can thrive as happy, healthy and engaged citizens of their communities. By building resilience skills and healthy coping strategies, their clients can better navigate the daily struggles that come with addiction recovery and homelessness. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Roaring Fork Valley Resilience Center and its programs, which include the Community Connection Point, The Unsheltered Outreach Program, and the Recovery and Resilience Support Program. These programs primarily serve marginalized and vulnerable populations who are facing struggles with homelessness, risk of homelessness, addiction, and trauma. To learn more about Recovery Resources, please visit recoveryresourcescolorado.org.

Rural Homes – $20,000

Rural Homes is a pilot project to build over 100 homes in rural towns for the local workforce, demonstrating a model for financing and constructing workforce housing. Rural Homes has partnered with the Impact Development Fund to provide low interest loans to lower income buyers, additional down payment assistance, loans to people with ITIN numbers (as opposed to SSN numbers), and the use of non-traditional credit score evaluations for people without formal credit scores. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a bilingual outreach coordinator to expand Rural Homes’ Latinx homebuyer outreach. To learn more about Rural Homes, please visit ruralhomes.co.

School Community Youth Collaborative – $20,000

School Community Youth Collaborative’s (SCYC) mission is to support youth on their path to healthy adulthood. SCYC concentrates on providing volunteer, pro-social, and leadership opportunities to youth to achieve personal success and become civically minded community leaders. SCYC serves four schools in Montezuma County. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will increase SCYC’s capacity to provide out of school time programming in Montezuma County. The programming aims to bridge achievement gaps and educational needs for all students in order to increase graduation rates. To learn more about School Community Youth Collaborative, please visit scyclistens.org.

Senior Housing Options – $8,964

Senior Housing Options’ (SHO) mission is to provide residential communities and caring services to enrich the lives of older adults in Colorado. SHO addresses the displacement of older adults and adults with disabilities experiencing no and low-income in Denver. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will spearhead the Home Sweet Home Packet program. This new initiative is intended to provide both a warm welcome experience for those just settling into their new homes and for current residents in SHO’s Metro Denver and Weld County affordable housing units, 288 individuals total. The packets provide items that emphasize the importance of self-care and safety, physically and mentally, and a reminder to take care of oneself. They also mitigate the stress of food insecurity that some residents experience with the cost of food rising and SNAP benefits decreasing. To learn more about Senior Housing Options, please visit seniorhousingoptions.org.

Sims-Fayola Foundation – $10,000

Sims-Fayola Foundation’s mission is to improve the life outcomes and experiences of young men and boys of color and increase the capacity of the youth service professionals who work with them to provide their services through an equity and gender lens. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support salaries for Empowerment Coaches for the Empowered Ambition Youth Development Program. The overarching goal of this Program is to assist young men and boys of color in increasing their capacity to be better stewards of their choices, careers, and ultimately their lives while developing into positive, culturally aware, and emotionally healthy role models. To learn more about Sims-Fayola Foundation, please visit sffoundation.org.

Steamboat Reading – $10,000

Steamboat Reading provides a community of support for struggling readers and their families through one-on-one tutoring, formal evaluations, advocacy, and parent education. Steamboat Reading intervenes early to help children develop foundational skills to be confident, competent readers, setting them up for success throughout their lives. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the general operations for the tutoring program, ensuring that all families have access to the critical services Steamboat Reading provides and setting children up for a lifetime of success by ensuring they can read. To learn more about Steamboat Reading, please visit steamboatreading.org.

Sunshine Home Share Colorado – $10,000

Sunshine Home Share Colorado helps people, above the age of 55, stay in their homes by safely matching them with someone seeking housing. Home sharing creates a mutually beneficial relationship, exchanging supportive services and companionship for affordable rent. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the home sharing program as well as a financial education program toward low and middle-income older adults. To learn more about Sunshine Home Share Colorado, please visit sunshinehomeshare.org.

The Gathering Place- A Refuge for Rebuilding Lives – $25,000

The Gathering Place (TGP) offers services to combat poverty and address the impacts of marginalization and oppression that are often contributing factors to poverty or homelessness. By offering low-barrier access to a broad range of basic necessities and wrap-around care options, TGP guides women, transgender, and children living in poverty from a place of crisis and instability to one of stability and security. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Case Management Program through staff expenses, member assistance with obtaining vital documents, and supporting move-in expenses like providing dishes and toiletries for households transitioning from homelessness. To learn more about The Gathering Place, please visit tgpdenver.org.

The Inn Between of Longmont – $15,000

The Inn Between of Longmont moves people from homelessness to housing stability through their supportive housing program. The Inn began in 1993 with one 31-unit building, they now own six buildings with 88 units. Capacity increases have allowed them to be adaptable to rising housing costs, offering families facing of homelessness an affordable housing option with time and opportunities to build more economic strength. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will enhance the Supportive Housing program through an Education Career Development Manager position, which is designed to advance Transitional Housing participants’ income capacity. To learn more about The Inn Between of Longmont, please visit theinnbetween.org.

The Matthews House – $15,000

The Matthews House empowers youth and families to close the poverty cycle in Northern Colorado. The Matthews House provides ongoing support to families as they work to navigate systems and facilitate the achievement of each participant’s goals through case advocacy, assessment, planning, and resource management and referral. Staff help participants with resource navigation support in five pillars: well-being, education, employment, housing, and life skills. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support families who are experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in the community. The funds will support navigation to secure housing as well as wrap-around case management services to maintain housing. To learn more about The Matthews House, please visit thematthewshouse.org.

The Reciprocity Collective – $15,000

The Reciprocity Collective supports individuals experiencing homelessness in gaining sustainable employment, purpose, and health. Through their street and shelter outreach and integrated programs, The Reciprocity Collective provides “right-now” help and longer-term, individualized support. Their services focus on mental and physical health, basic needs, housing, and employment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support for the community outreach and community case management programs. To learn more about The Reciprocity Collective, please visit thereciprocitycollective.org.

The Rock Found – $10,000

The Rock Found provides stability through housing and employment, education, and credentialing. They operate two transitional houses for men on parole and have one shared house for women on parole through a partnership with Room to Grow, offering sober living. Much of their current funding is restricted to this population only. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will allow The Rock Found to further assist the community at large. To learn more about The Rock Found, please visit therockfound.org.

Tri-Lakes Cares – $15,000

Tri-Lakes Cares mission is to improve people's lives through emergency, self‐sufficiency, and relief programs. Tri-Lakes Cares provides a safety net for low-income households in the Tri-Lakes region and helps those households willing and able, to work toward self-sufficiency. Many households in the service territory do not earn enough income to meet all their basic needs of housing, food, utilities, transportation, and health care. This disparity between household income and necessary daily living expenses often results in generational and situational poverty. CHFA's Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support for the organization. To learn more about Tri-Lakes Cares, please visit tri-lakescares.org.

United Way of Weld County – $15,000

United Way of Weld County’s mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of their community. United Way leads Weld’s Way Home, a county-wide initiative to end and prevent homelessness. As part of its community capacity developing role, in April 2019 United Way opened a Housing Navigation Center (HNC) to help those experiencing homelessness regain housing and prevent those at-risk of homelessness from losing it. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Housing Navigation Center services, which includes: diverting people from homelessness by helping them return to support networks; assisting people in getting back into permanent housing as quickly as possible; helping people maintain their housing with supportive services; connecting guests with mental/physical health care, non-emergency shelter, and other long-term resources; providing essential services to help people survive homelessness; and offering space to homeless services providers for wrap-around services. To learn more about United Way of Weld County, please visit unitedway-weld.org,

Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments – $10,000

The Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments (UAACOG) helps provide the holistic, supportive framework required for living within a society and directs these efforts to low-income households who need this support the most. UAACOG administers State and Federal Housing Vouchers, USDA/RD Mutual Self-Help Housing, Housing Navigation for homeless individuals, low-interest Home Repair loans, Homebuyers Workshops, Housing and Credit Counseling, Community Service Block Grants, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Head Start (daycare and pre-school), and Area Agency on Aging programs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support UAACOG’s general operations. To learn more about Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments, please visit uaacog.com.

Vail Valley Charitable Fund – $10,000

Vail Valley Charitable Fund provides financial assistance to those suffering from a medical crisis or long-term illness. In response to overwhelming dental needs, Vail Valley Charitable Fund established the Eagle County Smiles, which helps children through age 18 by assigning them a dentist for treatment, prevention, and education about healthy habits. The newly established Eagle County Grins program provides uninsured adults with up to $3,000 for treatment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Eagle County Smiles and Eagle County Grins program. Support for these dental programs provides increased health access and affordability and improves overall health outcomes for underserved populations. To learn more about Vail Valley Charitable Fund, please visit vvcf.org.

Valley Food Partnership – $7,500

Valley Food Partnership strengthens the regional food system and community well-being through education, access to quality local foods, and promotion of sustainable agricultural. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Local Farmacy Rx (LFRx) program, which is a cooking and nutrition education and produce incentive program. Weekly cooking and nutrition classes are offered in Montrose, Ridgway, and at Haven House (a transitional housing program). Participants receive $50 in LFRx bucks per class attended to spend at local food retail outlets, providing voice and choice in their food as well as putting money directly into the pockets of farmers and ranchers. To learn more about Valley Food Partnership, please visit valleyfoodpartnership.org.

We Don't Waste – $15,000

We Don’t Waste increases food access by recovering quality, unused food from over 130 food-related businesses and distributing this food through its Mobile Food Markets and through partnerships with roughly 90 nonprofits serving food-insecure individuals. Through these efforts, food from We Don’t Waste reaches over 500,000 individuals annually, including children and families, seniors, people experiencing homelessness and/or economic hardship, veterans, people living with disabilities, and more. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support Mobile Food Market program expenses, including supplies, occupancy expenses related to food storage at the Food Recovery and Distribution Center, personnel costs, fuel and maintenance for food-recovery vehicles, and food tracking management software. To learn more about We Don’t Waste, please visit wedontwaste.org.

Westside CARES – $20,000

Westside CARES mission is to provide care and compassion to neighbors in need through direct services, including stabilizing households and preventing homelessness, ameliorating poverty, and building community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support up to 35 families acquiring or maintaining housing through Westside CARES’ rental assistance or housing navigation programs and would include and ancillary programmatic supports like application fees and documentation procurement. To learn more about Westside CARES, please visit westsidecares.org.