The Telluride Foundation’s Community Grants provide an annual financial boost to regional nonprofits, supporting critical services for individuals and families, as well as programs that enhance the community. Youth education programs, environmental groups, medical clinics and public health programs, plus arts organizations, represent the breadth and diversity of the organizations that received grants this December. These organizations, and many more, enrich and sustain the region, and the Telluride Foundation is proud to be able to support so many community partners, representatives said.
The Telluride Foundation recently announced the 2024 Community Grants recipients, awarding $1,200,000 to regional nonprofits. These grants will be distributed to organizations working every day to improve the quality of life in the communities of Nucla-Naturita, Norwood, Telluride, Rico, Ridgway, Ouray and everywhere in between.
“We are thrilled to be able to award a record amount $1.2 million this year, thanks to the generosity of foundation donors,” said Jason Corzine, president and CEO of the Telluride Foundation. “It was certainly helpful to have more philanthropic dollars to award, as the number of applications and specifically those addressing critical needs in our communities has continued to increase.”
Corzine added that in addition to the Community Grants awards, the Telluride Foundation contributed “an additional $5.5 million to the community through its initiatives, scholarships, donor-advised fund grants and other programs this year, making the total impact of the foundation throughout the region in 2024 to be $6.7 million.”
In its 2024 Community Grants cycle, the foundation received a record 93 applications seeking almost $1.8 million. Of the $1,200,000 awarded, $125,000 will support three capital projects, including the Cimmaron Athletic Field in Ridgway, Ouray Housing Trust’s rental project and the Telluride Aids Benefit headquarters. Grant awards ranged from $1,400 to $157,500, with 42 percent funding health and human services; 24 percent going to early childhood development and education; 12 percent awarded to arts and culture;12 percent going to athletic groups; and 10 percent for the environment or animals. This distribution, with an emphasis on health and human service, has remained relatively constant over the foundation’s grant making history.
The Telluride Foundation’s Community Grant award recommendations were drafted by a 10-member grants committee, all of whom sit on the foundation’s executive board or leadership council. The committee evaluated the grant requests against a rigorous set of criteria and then forwarded their recommendations for funding to the full executive board for review and final approval.
The grants committee is comprised of Megan McManemin (chair), Arnie Chavkin, Sara Bachman, Kim Fulton Huffstutler, DeeDee Decker, Danny Craft, Liliana Racine, Steve Raymund, Ximena Rebolledo-Leon and Ross Valdez. Their recommendations were reviewed and approved by the board of directors at its meeting on Dec. 30. The foundation’s next round of Community Grant applications will be accepted in the fall of 2025 and announced at the end of December 2025.
Since its inception in 2000, the Telluride Foundation has provided more than $90 million in grants and other financial support to the Telluride region. The foundation’s generous donors not only enable its annual Community Grant awards, but have also allowed the foundation to expand the reach of its impact initiatives, including workforce housing, the Telluride Venture Network, food security, Tri-County Health Network, climate and conservation and workforce development.
