direct effect award recipients - round two 2023

CHFA’s Direct Effect Awards recognize Colorado nonprofit organizations whose missions align with CHFA’s work to strengthen Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development.

CHFA is donating $1,070,050 to 93 nonprofits through its Direct Effect program in round two, which received 164 applications seeking more than $3.4 million in combined funding.

CHFA is not a state agency and does not receive any direct state or federal appropriations. CHFA is a self-sufficient, quasi-governmental organization serving Colorado. 

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2023 Direct Effect Award Round Two recipients

60+ Ride - $7,500

60+ Ride provides free transportation services for Weld County residents 60 years and older, providing the opportunity to maintain their physical, emotional, and mental health while living independently. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the community outreach, volunteer recruitment, and general operating expenses for the Older Adult Transportation Program. To learn more about 60+ Ride, please visit 60plusride.org

Access AfterSchool - $10,000

Access AfterSchool provides high quality afterschool and summer programs which enriches the lives of youth, supports working families, offers skill development, and part-time supplemental income opportunities for teachers and paraprofessionals living and working in the Colorado and Roaring Fork River Valley. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the general operations of their academic and enrichment programs. To learn more about Access AfterSchool, please visit accessafterschool.org

African American Trade Association - $15,000

African American Trade Association promotes trade, ecommerce, economic development, and wellbeing through education, collaborations, and partnerships that advance opportunities for African American communities and black-owned businesses. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide job training to their Registered Apprentices and Denver Public School students in the Northeast Denver corridor. To learn more about African American Trade Association, please visit aatrade.org.

AgeWise Colorado - $5,000

AgeWise Colorado provides a safe and effective online environment where older adults and caregivers can find the tools, trustworthy resources, education, information, and support needed to navigate the challenges and opportunities of aging in Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help with outreach efforts and enhance the platform by adding webinars and additional service providers. To learn more about AgeWise Colorado, please visit agewisecolorado.org.

Aurora Interfaith Community Services - $15,000

Aurora Interfaith Community Services provides food and wraparound services, including utilities bill payment assistance and community navigation support, to community members facing food insecurity and poverty. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their food assistance program, contributing to essential expenses including program staff, supplies, mobile pantry, and food. To learn more about Aurora Interfaith Community Services, please visit aurorainterfaithcommunityservices.org.

The Blue Bench - $7,500

The Blue Bench’s mission is to eliminate sexual assault and diminish the impact it has on individuals, their loved ones and the community through comprehensive issue advocacy, prevention, and care. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award supports their Resource Navigation service, which connects clients with services both at The Blue Bench and with partner organizations to ensure that survivors receive comprehensive care. To learn more about The Blue Bench, please visit thebluebench.org.

Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity - $7,500

Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity promotes affordable homeownership in Jefferson, Clear Creek, and Park counties. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their minor home repairs program, which helps homeowners earning low and moderate incomes to make critical repairs to their homes to ensure safety and comfort. To learn more about Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity, please visit bluesprucehabitat.org

Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County - $15,000

Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Workforce Development Initiative, which offers youth economic opportunities through partnerships, training, and experiential learning. To learn more about Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County, please visit bgcpckids.org.

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado - $10,000

Boys Hope Girls Hope addresses the opportunity gap at-risk youth entering high school face through the provision of academic and personal support in a setting where all belong. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Academy Program, which creates an environment that develops the academic competencies and personal growth of high school students through embedded programming located at partner schools. To learn more about Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado, please visit bhghcolorado.org.

The Bridge Emergency Shelter - $17,316

The Bridge Emergency Shelter provides access to low-barrier, overnight shelter from mid-October to mid-April to adult men and women from Montezuma County and the Four Corners Area. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will fund the Day Labor program, a free service working to prevent homelessness or helping people get out of homelessness while developing a strong workforce for the community. To learn more about The Bridge Emergency Shelter, please visit thebridgeshelter.org.

CARE Housing - $5,000

CARE Housing works to improve housing affordability, expand the supply of affordable rental housing, and build equitable communities in Northern Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support for their Resident Services Department which includes the following services: eviction prevention program, rent assistance fund, youth programs, and the Resident Council. To learn more about CARE Housing, please visit carehousing.org.

Casa de Paz - $10,000

Through hospitality, food, clothing, shelter, and emotional support, Casa de Paz provides short-term post-release support for immigrants leaving the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Aurora detention center. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide visits, shelter, meals, transportation, and emotional support at no cost to recently released immigrants and their families. To learn more about Casa de Paz, please visit casadepazcolorado.org.

Catholic Charities of Central Colorado - $15,000

Catholic Charities provides help and creates hope for people with very low-income and experiencing homelessness through a wide range of programs and services. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support family navigators who help provide emergency support and immediate needs for families struggling with poverty, including those experiencing or at-risk for homelessness. To learn more about Catholic Charities of Central Colorado, please visit ccharitiescc.org.

Center for Community Wealth Building - $10,000

Center for Community Wealth Building’s (CCWB) mission is to transform the Metro Denver economy so that it centers the economic success of all residents of the region, especially those who do not benefit from the current system. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support CCWB’s programs, including the development of democratically owned and operated businesses and supporting the success of BIPOC small businesses and entrepreneurs. To learn more about Center for Community Wealth Building, please visit communitywealthbuilding.org.

Clayton Early Learning - $7,500

Clayton Early Learning is an innovation hub that fosters thriving, equitable communities by partnering with families to nurture a whole child, whole family approach to the early years, discover what works, and advance systems change. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Clayton Cares Market, which provides children and families in need with a no-cost shopping experience and the simple dignity of choosing the high-quality groceries that best fit their individual needs and cultural preferences. To learn more about Clayton Early Learning, please visit claytonearlylearning.org.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance - $10,000

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 celebrate the complexity of life through movement. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund the Mental Health is Wealth internship program, which addresses inequality in the job market stemming from inaccessible technical training and workforce development opportunities for students of color. To learn more about Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, please visit cleoparkerdance.org.

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless - $15,000

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, using housing it owns and manages, and through the administration of state and local rental assistance vouchers, is a leader in providing housing, support services, and integrated health care to unsheltered families and individuals in Denver and in rural Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund a preowned van for the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community which offers recovery-oriented transitional housing to adults experiencing homelessness and struggling with substance use, including opioid addiction. To learn more about Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, please visit coloradocoalition.org.

Colorado Health Network, Inc. - $10,000

Colorado Health Network provides long-term rental assistance, eviction and foreclosure prevention, and deposit assistance to address the needs of low-income people living with HIV in the Denver Metropolitan Area. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Emergency Financial Assistance Program, a critical resource to help clients maintain their current housing and/or prevent clients from losing their housing. To learn more about Colorado Health Network, please visit coloradohealthnetwork.org.

Community Options Inc. - $15,969

Community Options provides services and support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on the Western Slope. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the transportation program, which transports their clients to and from medical appointments and activities. The program provides 80,000 trips annually. To learn more about Community Options, please visit communityoptionsinc.org.

Community Partnership for Child Development - $10,000

Community Partnership for Child Development provides early childhood education and support for families to more than 1,400 children annually. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Early Head Start Program, which offers early childhood education at no cost to disadvantaged children. It serves 207 children birth to age three and prenatal mothers. To learn more about Community Partnership for Child Development, please visit cpcdheadstart.org.

Drylands Agroecology Research - $10,000

Drylands Agroecology Research is a collective of farmers, activists, scientists, educators, designers, and researchers working to holistically regenerate land and the life that it nurtures. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide funding toward year three of the Food Solidarity Garden, a .75-acre garden growing 7,000+ pounds of vegetables, staple grains, and medicinal herbs yearly, while showcasing regenerative agriculture practices. The food harvest is allocated to local organizations working to fight hunger. To learn more about Drylands Agroecology Research, please visit dar.eco.

Elevation Community Land Trust - $20,000

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 be used for general operating support to increase ECLT’s capacity to work in rural communities around the state and assist these communities’ low-income households to access homeownership. To learn more about Elevation Community Land trust, please visit elevationclt.org.

Envida - $10,000

Envida’s mission is to promote access and support independent living with dignity by allowing Coloradans to age in place, in the comfort of their homes, and promote access to the community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund their transportation programs, which serve older adults, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with low income and allow access to medical appointments, employment, education, grocery shopping, and other social determinants of health. To learn more about Envida, please visit envidacares.org.

Families Plus - $10,000

Families Plus supports parents and caregivers in Delta, Montrose, and Gunnison Counties so they can provide basic care, mental & physical health needs, as well as ensure a stable home life for their children. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support for their Complex Program, including the SafeCare program, which teaches parents about home safety, what to do when a child is sick or injured, and helps build the child-parent relationship by teaching increased positive behaviors and how to decrease difficult behaviors. To learn more about Families Plus, please visit familiesplus.net.

Family and Intercultural Resource Center - $20,000

Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) promotes stable families by providing essential services that help Summit County residents meet basic needs, while also gaining skills and knowledge that allow them to create and maintain stability for their families. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will purchase food for FIRC’s no-cost Community Food Markets, which serve nearly 4,000 unique households annually. To learn more about Family and Intercultural Resource Center, please visit summitfirc.org

The Family Learning Center - $10,000

The Family Learning Center empowers families through advocacy, education, and support services, in an environment where children and families are nurtured, respected, empowered, and equipped for lifelong learning and economic self-sufficiency. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide high quality early childhood education and enrichment activities for 3-year-olds. To learn more about The Family Learning Center, please visit www.flcboulder.org.

Family Resource Center Association - $5,000

Family Resource Center Association (FRCA) supports the vital work of Colorado’s Family Resource Centers with training, data tools, and capacity-building resources. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the general operations of FRCA, which supports a network of community-based Family Resource Centers in Colorado that provide a comprehensive approach to helping families achieve better health, well-being, and economic self-sufficiency. To learn more about Family Resource Center Association, please visit cofamilycenters.org.

Family Tree, Inc. - $10,000

Family Tree works to address the interconnectedness among child abuse, domestic violence, and homelessness to provide multi-generational, trauma-informed, strengths-based, integrated services for their clients. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide essential services including case management, employment assistance, job training, and referrals to outpatient health services, legal services, transportation, childcare, life skills training, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment services. To learn more about Family Tree, please visit thefamilytree.org.

Fifty-Five and Over Club - $7,500

The purpose and mission of the Wray Fifty-Five and Over Club is to provide services to enhance the social, physical, nutritional, and mental well-being of their rural community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their meal program, allowing the club to replace kitchen equipment, hire kitchen staff and a receptionist to reduce food insecurity, promote disease prevention and health promotion, link seniors to available resource services, and diminish social isolation and sedentary behaviors. To learn more about Fifty-Five and Over Club, please visit 55andoverclub.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. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a 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 Services, please visit flocritco.org

Fort Lewis College Foundation - $10,000

The Fort Lewis College Foundation is dedicated to enriching educational and cultural opportunities at Fort Lewis College by anticipating the economic needs of its students. The Foundation supports the student-led basic needs center, the Grub Hub, which fosters food and housing security through various programs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help fund housing identification, rent and move-in assistance, and an emergency temporary housing fund. To learn more about Fort Lewis College Foundation, please visit foundation.fortlewis.edu.

Friends of DHA - $10,000

Friends of DHA raises funds to support self-sufficiency programming to sustain a wide variety of current programs and services to residents in and around Denver Housing Authority’s (DHA) affordable housing communities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Academies to Work program, which offers integrated education and employment services to DHA residents and Denver residents in surrounding communities, specifically low- to moderate-income individuals. To learn more about Friends of DHA, please visit friendsofdha.org.

Generation Schools Network - $7,500

Generation Schools Network co-creates healthy school ecosystems by partnering with educators, students, families, and communities to elevate the education experience. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help expand their Partnerships for Prosperity entrepreneurship fairs, which allow students a chance to showcase their entrepreneurial concepts to the local community, with the winners receiving seed funding for their venture. To learn more about Generation Schools Network, please visit generationschools.org.

Good Food Collective - $10,000

Good Food Collective is a southwest Colorado organization dedicated to building a just and resilient regional food system to create workforce opportunities, promote health equity, bolster community resilience, and champion justice. In response to a community request, Good Food Collective is working to increase access to quality childcare for Latinx families. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support these efforts by helping fund a Childhood Project Coordinator. To learn more about Good Food Collective, please visit goodfoodcollective.org.

The Greenway Foundation - $5,000

The Greenway Foundation works to improve the lives of Denver area residents, from creating a healthier environment and promoting equitable access to natural resources, to supporting individuals in their pursuit of higher education and rewarding careers. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Greenway River Rangers, a high school workforce development program. To learn more about The Greenway Foundation, please visit thegreenwayfoundation.org.

Gunnison Country Food Pantry - $7,000

Gunnison Country Food Pantry (GCFP) assists those with food insecurity, ensuring an amble workforce, limiting strain on the medical system and social service providers, and contributing to a happy and healthy community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operation funds to continue providing low-barrier food access within the Gunnison Valley through no cost grocery distribution, home deliveries, mobile pantry, and food for children. To learn more about Gunnison Country Food Pantry, please visit gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org.

Gunnison Valley Mentors - $7,500

Gunnison Valley Mentors’ mission is to promote the healthy growth of young people through one-to-one mentoring partnerships enhanced with enrichment opportunities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will 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 Gunnison Valley Mentors, please visit gunnisonmentors.com.

Habitat for Humanity of Grand County - $5,000

Habitat for Humanity of Grand County has built 15 houses since 1999, providing simple, decent, affordable homes to deserving families in their community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a Community Engagement Coordinator who will move the organization into the next phase of community outreach and community education to prepare potential homeowners for a Habitat home. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Grand County, please visit habitatgrandcounty.org.

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans - $10,000

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans helps rural Coloradans achieve the dream of affordable homeownership, giving stability and shelter now and for generations to come. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Emergency Home Repair and Brush with Kindness programs, which both focus on home repairs to keep people in their homes. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans, please visit buildinglives.org.

Haseya Advocate Program - $7,500

Haseya works to ensure Native survivors of domestic and sexual violence have access to everything they need to live healthy, safe, and peaceful lives. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support housing stability and security through paying for application fees, security deposits, limited relocation expenses, and emergency one-time rental assistance. To learn more about Haseya Advocate Program, please visit haseya.org.

Haven of Hope - $10,000

With respect, compassion, and warm hospitality, Haven of Hope, without judgement, seeks to sustain the lives of people of all beliefs and persuasions while walking with them in pursuit of permanent housing, stable employment, personal financial acuity, and stable emotional health. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Fresh Tracks, a holistic, asset-based employment development program that pairs onsite job training with therapeutic services. To learn more about Haven of Hope, please visit thoh.org.

Jewish Family Service of Colorado, Inc. - $15,000

Jewish Family Service of Colorado’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families in need throughout Colorado by taking an integrated approach to delivering comprehensive support services. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Community Resource for Stability Department, which ensures 8,000+ households receive rental assistance, utility assistance, case management support, and healthy food access. To learn more about Jewish Family Service of Colorado, please visit jewishfamilyservice.org.

Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado - $10,000

Since 1954, Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado has impacted more than one million young people with programming focused on financial literacy, career/workforce development and preparedness, and entrepreneurship. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their traditional financial literacy and JA in a Day programs which includes grade-specific curricula at the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels. To learn more about Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, please visit soco.ja.org.

Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain Inc. - $7,000

Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain Inc.’s mission is to prepare young people to thrive in the 21st century workplace and global economy by inspiring a passion for free enterprise and entrepreneurship and instilling an understanding of personal financial literacy. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Junior Achievement K-12 financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness programs during the 2023-24 school year. To learn more about Junior Achievement – Rocky Mountain, please visit jacolorado.org.

Karis Community - $15,500

Karis Community offers a community-oriented transitional living opportunity for people managing serious and persistent mental illness as well as co-occurring substance use disorders. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide funds to run the Empowerment Program including retaining qualified program staff, keeping program fees low, and enhancing the availability of services for individuals managing serious and persistent mental illness as well as substance use disorders. To learn more about Karis Community, please visit kariscommunity.org.

L’Arche Fort Collins - $10,000

L’Arche Fort Collins is a community of people with and without intellectual disabilities (I/DD) who share life together. Their approach to service delivery integrates people with and without disabilities in meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships, bringing those on the margins to the center of a thriving community so that their voices are heard and their needs are met. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help provide the salary of a program staff member who will be responsible for outreach to, and integration of, adults with I/DD into an inclusive social network. To learn more about L’Arche Fort Collins, please visit larchenoco.org

La Pinata del Aprendizaje - $10,000

La Pinata del Aprendizaje is a community-led initiative with a vision to ensure Latinx children of immigrants would have access to quality learning experiences from a young age so that they may enter the school system ready to succeed. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help compensate a growing team of family connectors and classroom facilitators who will engage in ongoing and hands-on training as they work directly with families from their own communities. To learn more about La Pinata del Aprendizaje, please visit lapinatadelaprendizaje.org.

Little Sprouts Learning Center - $10,000

Little Sprouts Learning Center provides high quality daycare to communities in northeast Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used for curriculum and materials for the classrooms, as well as support the social/emotional, health, and physical wellness teaching practices, including professional development for staff. To learn more about Little Sprouts Learning Center, please visit facebook.com/LittleSproutsLearningCenterofHaxtun.

Logan County Economic Development Corp - $7,500

Logan County Economic Development Corp works on business recruitment for career opportunities and entrepreneurial support to assist community members in pursuing their dreams of business ownership. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide operating support to continue building entrepreneurial programming, workshops, and resources. To learn more about Logan County Economic Development Corp, please visit sterling-logan.com.

Loving Beyond Understanding - $15,000

Loving Beyond Understanding provides services, including housing, mental health, physical health, and suicide prevention, for LGBTQ+ people on the entire Western Slope. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support initial costs for its LGBTQ+ Drop-In Resource & Counseling Center - the only one between Denver and Salt Lake City. To learn more about Loving Beyond Understanding, please visit lovingbeyondunderstanding.org.

Manna - The Durango Soup Kitchen - $30,000

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. Over the last several years, Manna has become a critical leader in serving low-income households at-risk or experiencing homelessness with additional services related to housing access and housing stability. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used toward security deposits and emergency rental assistance to keep low-income residents housed during crisis situations. It will also help provide resource navigation for continued support of participating households. To learn more about Manna, please visit mannasoupkitchen.org.

Mile High Ministries - $10,000

For more than 30 years, Mile High Ministries (MHM) has been responding to the needs of Coloradans by addressing the root causes of poverty. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support transitional housing and supportive services for families who are experiencing homelessness through MHM’s Joshua Station, which offers transitional housing for up to two years along with a coordinated continuum of care and self-sufficiency programming. To learn more about Mile High Ministries, please visit milehighmin.org

Mile High Workshop - $15,000

Mile High Workshop provides transitional job skills training for individuals facing the greatest barriers to employment: poverty, homelessness, addictions, and incarceration. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their social enterprise model, which provides employment opportunities leading to greater economic self-sufficiency and offers capacity support for businesses interested in leveraging their products for social impact. To learn more about Mile High Workshop, please visit milehighworkshop.org.

Montrose Recreation Foundation - $5,000

The Montrose Recreation District provides parks and recreation services, impacting the health and wellness of the Montrose community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used for the Family Fee Assistance Memberships program to help families with very low income access the Community Recreation Center. To learn more about Montrose Recreation Foundation, please visit montroserec.com/montrose-recreation-foundation.

Morgan County Family Center - $20,000

Morgan County Family Center’s mission is to connecting Morgan County families with support and tools for successful living through providing information and resources regarding community agencies, advocacy for families in need of stability, and through a variety of educational opportunities including parent education and nutrition education. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Housing Resource Center, a community hub connecting members of the community, real estate professionals, and landlords. To learn more about Morgan County Family Center, please visit morganfamilycenter.org.

Mountain Roots - $15,000

Mountain Roots is a food systems initiative that works to strengthen the local food system and build community wealth and health. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a set of comprehensive youth environmental and nutrition education programs, including in-school, after school, and summer camp programming, a work-and-learn teacher training model, and raising and training leaders from marginalized audiences. To learn more about Mountain Roots, please visit mountainrootsfoodproject.org.

NeighborWorks Southern Colorado - $20,000

NeighborWorks Southern Colorado’s mission is to promote healthy, vibrant Neighborhoods and serve as the first choice for homebuyer resources in Southern Colorado. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the operations of their Rehabilitation Lending program, which helps homeowners who are facing hardship due to health and/or safety issues in their home that they are unable to mitigate due to lack of funds. To learn more about NeighborWorks Southern Colorado, please visit nwsoco.org

New Legacy Charter School - $10,000

New Legacy Charter School provides teen parents and their young children with high-quality education and opportunities for economic mobility. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their High School, Real-World Learning, and Early Learning Center programs. These programs are designed to provide an innovative and holistic approach to education which is critical to ensuring that the students served can stay engaged and earn the high school diploma that will be a first step toward future success. To learn more about New Legacy Charter School, please visit newlegacycharter.org.

NEWSED Community Development Corporation - $10,000

NEWSED promotes community development to underserved populations in Colorado by providing navigation for housing services, nurturing small businesses, and promoting asset creation. The collective needs they serve allow traditionally marginalized families and communities to build solid assets and create sustainability thereby breaking the cycle of poverty and passing on wealth to the next generation. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support NEWSED’s three main service pillars: housing counseling, small business development, and lending. To learn more about NEWSED, please visit newsed.org.

Northeast Denver Housing Center - $7,500

Northeast Denver Housing Center’s mission is to create sustainable, healthy housing opportunities for under-served households through outreach, education, and housing development. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Healthy Living Program, which focuses on improving the health and wellness of under-served populations by providing supportive services to residents that inspires healthy eating, active lifestyles, financial education, and leadership. To learn more about Northeast Denver Housing Center, please visit nedenverhousing.org.

One Nation Walking Together - $7,000

One Nation Walking Together strives to make a positive impact in the lives of Native Americans, it helps transition individuals and families out of crisis and into healthy, sustainable situations. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Emergency Services program, providing funding for rent, housing deposits, bus passes, a night or week in a motel, and gas vouchers. To learn more about One Nation Walking Together, please visit onenationwt.org.

The Papagayo Organization, Inc. - $5,000

The Papagayo Organization provides comprehensive aid and support to those who are in situations of displacement and vulnerability, coming from regions affected by violence, poverty, and other socioeconomic challenges in Latin America. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support resource navigation services to help individuals and families with access to housing resources. To learn more about The Papagayo Organization, Inc., please visit organizacionpapagayo.org.

Pitkin County Human Services - $15,000

Pitkin, Garfield, and Eagle counties have come together to form the Financial Empowerment Center of the Rockies with the primary intent of providing residents with the tools and education they need to achieve first, financial stability, and second, financial mobility. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Financial Empowerment Center, which will offer free professional financial coaching and counseling as a public service for all residents to help individuals and families address their financial challenges and needs as well as plan for their futures. To learn more about Pitkin County Human Services, please visit pitkincounty.com/182/Human-Services.

Posada - $25,000

Posada’s mission is to provide housing and supportive services that empower homeless individuals and families in Pueblo County to become self-supporting members of the community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating and program funding to concentrate on expanding housing and supportive services to the less fortunate in Pueblo so they can achieve their goal of obtaining and maintaining stable housing. To learn more about Posada, please visit posadapueblo.org

Project Hope of Gunnison Valley - $5,000

Project Hope of Gunnison Valley serves individuals who have been affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking through emergency shelter, transitional housing, and rental assistance. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to assist clients with rent and housing needs, transitional housing needs, and client utility bills. To learn more about Project Hope of Gunnison Valley, please visit hope4gv.org.

Project I See You - $10,000

Project I See You believes in healing generational poverty and systemic inequity through women taking ownership of their lives. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Shared Power program, which helps first-time female homebuyers rise to become sustainable homeowners through down payment assistance. To learn more about Project I See You, please visit projectiseeyou.org.

Providence Network - $10,000

Providence Network helps men, women, and children in Denver overcome the trauma of addiction, abuse, and homelessness to become self-sufficient, thriving members of the community. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Providence Network’s three transitional housing programs, and three affordable apartment communities. To learn more about Providence Network, please visit www.providencenetwork.org.

Pueblo Cooperative Care Center - $20,000

Pueblo Cooperative Care Center is the largest emergency food resource in southern Colorado and includes direct services for the distribution of food, clothing, prescription assistance, hygiene essentials, emergency transportation and voucher programs, shower and laundry services, mobile homebound food delivery and supportive youth programming. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their Food Sack, Mobile Shower, and Nutrition on Wheels programs. To learn more about Pueblo Cooperative Care Center, please visit cooperativecare.org.

RecoveryWorks - $15,000

RecoveryWorks provides daily drop-in services for the most vulnerable unhoused individuals in the greater Denver area. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their short-term residential care program, allowing individuals an opportunity to recover in a safe environment while also accessing clinical care, behavioral health and recovery services, and personalized rehousing case management. To learn more about RecoveryWorks, please visit recoveryworkstoday.org.

RISE 5280 - $10,000

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. To learn more about RISE 5280, please visit rise5280.org.

Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation - $20,000

Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation works to ensure that families facing the challenges of a child’s serious health condition have access to the financial support and resources they need to meet their essential needs, including housing and food security. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Patient and Family Assistance Program, which provides critical non-medical financial assistance and resources to pediatric patients and their families, including rent and mortgage assistance, gas and grocery gift cards, and bill payments. To learn more about Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation, please visit rmchildren.org.

Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library Foundation, Inc - $10,000

The Ruby Sisson Library is the community hub in Pagosa Springs. It serves as a neutral and welcoming space for all people and helps bridge the digital divide, support job seekers and entrepreneurs, supplement educational opportunities, and improve health and wellness. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support hands-on, engaging, educational and multi-generational programs, including, but not limited to English-as-a-second language and GED classes, tutoring, and technology assistance. To learn more about Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library Foundation, Inc, please visit pagosalibrary.org/library-foundation.

The Salvation Army - $10,000

The Salvation Army serves Colorado through community centers, service extensions, and social service programs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Housing Now, a Rapid Rehousing program serving families experiencing homelessness. The program connects clients with dispersed site permanent housing by identifying and working with private landlords. To learn more about The Salvation Army, please visit housingnow.salvationarmy.org.

San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition - $30,000

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. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support La Tiendita, a sustainable local food store with a commissary kitchen, retail food outlet providing SNAP/Double Up Food Bucks access, and educational hub in southeast Alamosa. To learn more about San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition, please visit slvlocalfoods.org.

Save Our Youth - $10,000

Save Our Youth’s (SOY) mission is to connect youth in the Denver Metro area to hope through long-term mentoring relationships. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will assist in covering expenses associated with recruiting and training mentors, curriculum materials, conducting background checks, and transportation needs. To learn more about Save Our Youth, please visit saveouryouth.org.

Second Chance Center, Inc. - $10,000

Second Chance Center’s mission is to help formerly incarcerated people transition to lives of success and fulfillment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Oswego home, which provides a safe, affordable place to call home, and a pathway to a “mortgage-paying” career. To learn more about Second Chance Center, Inc., please visit scccolorado.org/.

Servicios de La Raza - $20,000

Servicios de La Raza’s mission is to provide and advocate for culturally responsive, essential human services and opportunities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide general operating support for their workforce development and job placement initiatives, providing education, training, individualized case management, and group classes that will inspire low-income Latinos toward gainful employment, as well as educate on the importance of financial literacy. To learn more about Servicios de la Raza, please visit serviciosdelaraza.org.

Sidewalk Poets - $5,000

Sidewalk Poets provides underserved communities and individuals with creative writing and arts workshops so they can share their voices, process pain and trauma, feel more empowered and enrich their neighborhoods and the city. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support a program for Spanish speaking immigrant and refugee students who have recently arrived at Ashley Elementary School in Denver. To learn more about Sidewalk Poets, please visit idewalkpoets.org.

Southeastern Colorado Area Health Education Center - $7,500

Southeastern Colorado Area Health Education Center provides health care programs that address health care and its direct and indirect economic impact on rural and underserved communities within their 11-county region. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support three pipeline programs - The HOPE Institute, MASH Camp, and Girls in the Middle, with the goal of recruiting and graduating underserved and underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students in the health sciences. To learn more about Southeastern Colorado Area Health Education Center, please visit secahec.org

Southern Ute Indian Tribe - $7,500

The Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy is a nonprofit private school under the administration of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Education Department. The school is an all-Native school, providing a foundational education, along with having daily Ute Language lessons. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will provide funds to upgrade the playground equipment for the school. To learn more about the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, please visit www.suima.org.

Spark the Change Colorado - $7,000

Spark the Change Colorado is a statewide nonprofit that connects individuals, communities, nonprofits, and businesses to meaningful opportunities that solve community needs. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to support efforts to engage additional volunteers in addressing the most pressing community needs such as access to mental health services and food as well as making connections to address social isolation. To learn more about Spark the Change Colorado, please visit sparkthechangecolorado.org.

Springs Rescue Mission - $21,730

Springs Rescue Mission’s mission is to mobilize the community to provide housing, health, and work services for neighbors in need. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support their job training programming, which provides person-first, progressive job and life skills training, job placement services, and post-placement support for 450 homeless adults. To learn more about Springs Rescue Mission, please visit springsrescuemission.org.

Startup Colorado - $20,000

Startup Colorado helps both rural entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders access the human, social, and financial capital they need to build thriving businesses. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Startup Ecosystem Assessment in southwest Colorado. The assessment will serve as the blueprint for local organizations as they work to mitigate business resource gaps in their region and build sustainable programming, access to capital, and connections to a larger statewide network. To learn more about Startup Colorado, please visit startupcolorado.org

Sunshine Childcare Center at Northeastern - $7,500

Sunshine Childcare Center’s mission is to provide high quality childcare in a safe, secure, and nurturing environment that fosters healthy social emotional development. It is the only infant and toddler childcare center in Logan County. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the operational costs of the staff needed to run the childcare center.

Teller Senior Coalition - $10,000

Teller Senior Coalition’s mission is to provide services to Teller County senior citizens to enable them to live healthy, active, and independent lives. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Home Delivered Meal program, which provides food to nearly 50 homebound seniors who are unable to leave their homes due to health issues or lack of transportation. To learn more about Teller Senior Coalition, please visit tellerseniorcoalition.org.

Treeline Pass - $16,535

Treeline Pass empowers adults with autism and developmental disabilities to cultivate lives rooted in purpose, joy, and growth in an inclusive community environment. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will equip their newly renovated space to provide an accessible home base for more 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 treelinepass.org.

Tu Casa, Inc. - $10,000

Tu Casa serves people in the San Luis Valley who have experience domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used to assist Tu Casa’s clients by paying for deposit assistance, rental assistance, mortgage assistance, and utility assistance. To learn more about Tu Casa, Inc., please visit slvtucasa.net.

United Neighbors/Vecinos Unidos - $10,000

United Neighbors/ Vecinos Unidos was formed in 2021 to support Nueva Vida mobile home park residents to purchase the park, maintain its affordability, and establish a resident ownership and governance model. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will be used for community meetings and working group support, legal and sustainable development guidance, and bicultural and bilingual property management.

Veterans Community Project - $15,000

Veterans Community Project of Longmont provides one-on-one case management through evidence informed tools, connects Veterans and their families to service partners, builds pathways to self-sufficiency and stable housing, and distributes Emergency Assistance Funds for rent, utilities, and other necessities. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support Veteran Supportive Services programming, which promotes permanent housing readiness. To learn more about Veterans Community Project, please visit veteranscommunityproject.org.

Victory Service Dogs - $5,000

Victory Service Dog helps disabled veterans, first responders, and children gain an improved quality of life through the partnership of a loving service dog. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the client-dog program, which promotes independence, learning, and working abilities. To learn more about Victory Service Dogs, please visit victorysd.org.

Village Exchange Center - $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. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will help expand The Village Farm at Stanley Marketplace program to add non-refugee students to their cohort. The Farm promotes food security and justice, access to fresh and culturally relevant produce, and supports vocational and culinary trainings for refugees and immigrants in the Denver Metro Area. To learn more about Village Exchange Center, please visit villageexchangecenter.org.

The Wayfaring Band - $7,500

The Wayfaring Band’s mission is to foster inclusion, interdependence, and genuine connection between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities by crafting original, transformative adventures for a neurodiverse band of travelers. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Inclusive Talent Initiative, which provides the resources to hire and effectively deploy people with I/DD for specific jobs that fit their individual gifts, desires, and goals. To learn more about The Wayfaring Band, please visit thewayfaringband.com

Yampa Valley Housing Authority - $15,000

Yampa Valley Housing Authority’s mission 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. CHFA’s Direct Effect Award will support the Housing Navigation program, which will include financial literacy, homebuyer education, and navigation services in English and Spanish. To learn more about Yampa Valley Housing Authority, please visit yvha.org