Who funds environment and conservation in Colorado
From 2022 to 2025, 951 foundations and charities reported 4,002 grants to 291 environmental and conservation nonprofits in Colorado. The typical grant was $10,000.
The funders that paid the most of them: Colorado Gives Foundation (97), Denver Foundation (25) and The Community Foundation (22).
From IRS grant records. Counts nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000.
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The 15 funders that paid the most environmental and conservation nonprofits in Colorado
| Funder | Nonprofits paid | Typical grant | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Gives Foundation Arvada, CO | 97 | $17,644 | 2024 |
| Denver Foundation Denver, CO | 25 | $43,250 | 2024 |
| The Community Foundation Boulder, CO | 22 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| National Forest Foundation Missoula, MT | 21 | $65,775 | 2023 |
| Gates Family Foundation Denver, CO | 17 | $37,500 | 2025 |
| Xcel Energy Foundation Minneapolis, MN | 15 | $1,000 | 2024 |
| Western Colorado Community Foundation Inc Grand Junction, CO | 15 | $14,500 | 2025 |
| The Colorado Health Foundation Denver, CO | 15 | $11,500 | 2024 |
| Aspen Community Foundation Basalt, CO | 14 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | 14 | $35,000 | 2024 |
| Impactassets Inc Bethesda, MD | 14 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| Walton Family Foundation Inc Bentonville, AR | 12 | $130,000 | 2024 |
| Community Foundation of Northern Colorado Fort Collins, CO | 12 | $47,500 | 2024 |
| Maki Foundation Carbondale, CO | 11 | $5,000 | 2025 |
| EIN 142004175 | 11 | $15,000 | 2024 |
Recent grants
- Colorado Gives Foundation paid Denver Urban Gardens $155,384 in 2024. Purpose: General purpose, convenient neighborhoods, food security, health.
- Denver Foundation paid The Alliance for Collective Action - the Alliance Center $222,000 in 2024. Purpose: Alliances & advocacy.
- The Community Foundation paid Thorne Ecological Institute $209,740 in 2024. Purpose: General support.
- National Forest Foundation paid Friends of Dillon Ranger District $244,000 in 2023. Purpose: Support us national forests and grasslands.
- Gates Family Foundation paid River Network $250,000 in 2025. Purpose: Project support.
- Xcel Energy Foundation paid Thorne Ecological Institute $25,500 in 2024. Purpose: Environmental sustainability, match payroll deduction (501(c)3) grant.
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Other causes in Colorado
- Who funds animal rescue and shelters in Colorado (439 funders)
- Who funds youth sports and recreation in Colorado (727 funders)
- Who funds domestic violence shelters and services in Colorado (216 funders)
Environment and conservation in other states
Questions people ask
Who gives the most grants to environment and conservation in Colorado?
By the number of nonprofits paid from 2022 to 2025, the leading funders were Colorado Gives Foundation (97), Denver Foundation (25), The Community Foundation (22). The count in parentheses is how many environmental and conservation nonprofits in Colorado each one paid.
How big is a typical grant to environment and conservation in Colorado?
The median grant was $10,000 across 4,002 grants. Half were smaller and half were larger. Each funder's own typical grant is in the table above.
Do these funders accept applications?
Not always. IRS records show who a funder paid, not whether it takes new applicants. Open the funder's website and read its guidelines before you reach out.
Where does this data come from?
From grants reported to the IRS on Form 990 Schedule I and Form 990-PF for 2022 to 2025, matched to each recipient's IRS record. It counts environmental and conservation nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000, by their IRS cause code. Donor-advised fund sponsors are left out.