FAQ: Community First Foundation Jeffco Hope Fund

Community First Foundation has created the Jeffco Hope Fund to strengthen and stabilize Jefferson County community organizations responding to and impacted by COVID-19 with $1,000,000.

The fund has two primary purposes:

• Provide financial support to Jefferson County nonprofit and government agencies responding to and impacted by COVID-19.
• Encourage community participation through fundraising with an avenue for individual, corporate and other donors to contribute to the local community efforts.

Individuals and businesses can donate now at Coloradogives.org/JeffcoHope.

Applications will be available on CommunityFirstFoundation.org.

There are two initial rounds of funding.

Round 1: Frontline Services
Support for organizations who are providing direct services to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 (examples include but are not limited to health care and mental health providers, senior service providers, food banks, housing service providers, workforce development centers) and those who are leading a coordinated community response to the impacts of COVID-19. 

Amounts:

• Smaller awards to meet cash flow needs among agencies in the range of $2,500 to $15,000
• Mid-size awards to support coordinated efforts that are purchasing medical, food and other emergency supplies on behalf of multiple agencies in the range of $10,000 to $50,000

Apply Today
Application deadline: April 15
Decisions: April 23
Notifications and payments: April 24 – 27

Round 2: Nonprofit Stabilization
Support for nonprofits who may not be providing direct services but have been negatively impacted due to suspended programming, canceled fundraising events and/or shrinking or lack of resources to continue their work during this period of social isolation. Focus on providing both immediate crisis relief and support to agencies indirectly impacted. 

Amounts:

These are likely to be smaller awards to meet cash flow needs among agencies in the range of $2,500 to $15,000.

Application available: April 15
Application deadline: May 14
Decisions: May 21
Notifications and payments: May 22 – 25

Grant awards will be made until funds are exhausted. As community donations continue, future rounds will be considered. 

Community First Foundation has a strong connection to Jefferson County because of our roots. We were founded in 1975 as Lutheran Medical Center Foundation, serving as a fundraising arm for the hospital on Denver’s West side. In honor of our heritage, we are committed to finding ways to improve the quality of life in Jefferson County. 

No. The Community First Foundation Jeffco Hope Fund is established to support Jefferson County’s nonprofits and certain government agencies.

Community First Foundation’s giving platform, ColoradoGives.org, supports nonprofits throughout Colorado with their fundraising efforts.

Governor Polis launched joint efforts to raise statewide relief funds and volunteer efforts to address the COVID-19 public health crisis. You can donate to the statewide fund or volunteer at Help Colorado Now.

You do not need to have a prior relationship with Community First Foundation in order to apply for this funding.

The first round of funding is intended to support organizations who are providing direct services to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 (examples include but are not limited to health care and mental health providers, senior service providers, food banks, housing service providers, workforce development centers) and those who are leading a coordinated community response to the impacts of COVID-19. Examples of what funds may be used for include but are not limited to food banks, food delivery, housing, mental health, child care.

The second round of funding will support nonprofits who may not be providing direct services but have been negatively impacted due to suspended programming, canceled fundraising events and/or shrinking or lack of resources to continue their work during this period of social isolation.