The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado announced today a number of recent grants to nonprofit organizations that support the women of Colorado. Within the past six months, the philanthropic group has awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $7,500 to the following nonprofit organizations, whose events and programs support key Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado program areas such as healthy families, arts and culture and civic leadership:
- The Women’s Resource Center of Durango (www.wrcdurango.org) Grant in support of its 2006 Run with Purpose program surrounding Durango’s October running festival, which features the Durango Marathon, the San Juan Mountains Half Marathon, the Telegraph Trail 50K and the Horse Gulch Trail 25K.
- The Women’s Resource Center in Fort Collins (www.womens-resource.org) Grant in support of its 2006 Women Rock Concert Series.
- Women’s Crisis & Family Outreach Center in Castle Rock (www.thewomenscrisiscenter.org) Grant in support of its 2006 Just Desserts event.
- T.E.S.S.A. in Colorado Springs (formerly the Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence; www.tessacs.org) Grant in support of its 2006 Pasta in the Park event.
- The Center for Women’s Employment and Education in Denver (www.cwee.org) Grant in support of its 2006 Investing in Success Annual Alumni Awards Luncheon.
- The Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (www.colorlatina.org) Grant in support of its 2006 Latina Summit: Connecting Latinas, Improving Health event.
- The Colorado Women’s Agenda (www.womensagenda.org) Grant in support of its Mothers of Peace Brunch.
- The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame (www.cogreatwomen.org) Grant in support of the CWHF 2006 Induction Ceremonies.
- Girl Scouts Wagon Wheel Council in Colorado Springs (www.girlscouts-wwc.org/) Grant in support of its Women of Distinction Mardi Gras Gala.
“We are thrilled with the Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado’s continued support, and we think it makes a lot of sense: Ending violence against women is fundamentally connected to ending the oppression of women, and the Fund has consistently demonstrated its commitment to ending all forms of oppression through its grant making,” said Cari Davis, executive director of T.E.S.S.A.
“Each of these organizations is doing remarkable work providing unique and valuable services to women across Colorado. The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado is fundamentally committed to these groups’ initiatives, as is evident with these recent grants,” said Mary Lou Makepeace, executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado. “One thread that ties together all of these groups is that they share our dedication to equality and equal opportunity for all Coloradans, which is a core value of our organization as well.”
Since 2001, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado has awarded grants totaling more than $230,000 to support these and other organizations that serve the needs of women in Colorado.
About the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado
The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado was established in 1996 as a program to financially support nonprofit organizations that enhance the quality of life in Colorado and promote equality for all people. Since its inception, the fund has awarded more than $16 million to hundreds of nonprofits whose program areas include arts and culture, civic leadership, healthy families and public broadcasting. In addition to providing financial assistance, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado offers training programs, workshops, technical assistance and public meeting space to strengthen nonprofits’ ability to grow, flourish and succeed. The organization is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. For more information please visit www.gayandlesbianfund.org.
About the Funds
Every year, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado receives a financial allocation from its parent organization, the Gill Foundation, that must be donated in the form of grants to nonprofit organizations that have an IRS 501(c)(3) status and adhere to a nondiscrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation. These monies, which typically amount to approximately 18 to 20 percent of the Gill Foundation’s earned investments, are not used for private or political purposes, in accordance with IRS regulations.