The Aspen Community Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that affect positive change in the region.
Donor Name: Aspen Community Foundation
State: Colorado
City: Aspen
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/15/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The grantmaking programs support organizations advancing change in the areas of early childhood and youth empowerment in the Aspen to Parachute region.
Focus Area Priorities
Aspen Community Foundation’s vision is for the Aspen to Parachute region to be a diverse and culturally rich place where all people have equitable opportunities to thrive. When they review grant requests, they do so through the lens of the equity value. This means ensuring the Early Childhood and Youth Empowerment funding supports underserved and under-resourced people and geographies.
- Early Childhood – This competitive grant program prioritizes nonprofits that serve children from birth to age five in early care and education. Specifically:
- Strengthening the skills of caregivers – parents, childcare staff, FFN providers – so they can support the healthy development of children in their care. This includes:
- Services that improve the health, safety, and quality of childcare
- Parent support and education with active participation over a longer time period
- Providing tuition assistance to increase families’ access to quality care, especially for those who are low-income.
- Youth Empowerment – This competitive grant program prioritizes nonprofits providing equitable access to youth empowerment opportunities. Specifically:
- Opportunities that support physical, social-emotional, and mental health needs in a culturally responsive and youth-centered way.
- Opportunities for youth to learn, explore, and discover new interests and activities outside the classroom setting, and those that intentionally serve disengaged youth.
Funding Information
A total of $600,000 will be awarded through ACF’s 2026 Focus Area Grants. $300,000 for Early Childhood and $300,000 for Youth Empowerment. Individual grant awards will range between $10,000 and $35,000.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations are eligible to apply if:
- They are classified as tax-exempt under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or are using a fiscal sponsor with a 501(c)(3). Or they are a government entity, such as a school district.
- They serve and provide opportunities for those living in the Aspen to Parachute region.
- Children ages birth to five
- Youth ages six to 24 years old
- Support is limited to nonprofit organizations located in, and whose work primarily serves the residents of Pitkin and Garfield counties and the Roaring Fork Valley portion of Eagle County.
- Requests are not considered for:
- Organizations outside of ACF’s Aspen to Parachute service area
- Organizations, pilot projects, or programs in operation for less than one year or are less than one year from receipt of 501(c)(3) approval
- Projects that have been completed prior to allocation decisions
- Deficits, retirement of debt, or endowments
- Religious purposes
- Political campaigns
- Medical research or hospital equipment
- Program design, product development, or marketing and promotion
- Conduit organizations (organizations or events that pass funds to other organizations)
- Individual schools/classrooms, departments/programs of universities or colleges, or education foundations/organizations that have not coordinated the request with their central school district/university administration or fundraising arm
- Organizations primarily supported by tax-derived funding unless funding supports a program that is outside of the organization’s operating budget
- Aspen Community Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, physical circumstances, or national origin. Applicants must hold and demonstrate similar standards.
For more information, visit Aspen Community Foundation.
