Colorado Nonprofit Assoociation Recieves Stimulus Funds to Help Nonprofits Create Jobs and Spur Economic Recovery

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Strengthening Communities Fund program, awarded the Colorado Nonprofit Association a $250,000 grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help nonprofits across Colorado create jobs and economic growth in their communities.

“I applaud the Colorado Nonprofit Association and other agencies for taking advantage of Recovery Act opportunities to help find solutions to the economic needs in communities across Colorado,” said Gov. Bill Ritter. “This is an innovative way for nonprofit agencies, who know their communities so well, to partner with government to create jobs and strengthen neighborhoods.”

“Our grant proposal was a team effort from state and local government offices, as well as nonprofits around the state,” said Renny Fagan, president and CEO of the Colorado Nonprofit Association. “The grant will allow the Association to help nonprofits reach more people, work more effectively with government partners, and provide increased resources to face the workforce needs of this challenging economy.”

As a part of the economic recovery, the purpose of the grant is to strengthen nonprofits and increase their working and financial relationships with government agencies. The Association chose to focus on regions with higher unemployment rates than the statewide average and will deliver services in Weld, El Paso, Pueblo, Montezuma, San Miguel, Dolores, Montrose, Mesa and the San Luis Valley counties.

The Association partnered with the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships (DOSP), an office created by Mayor Hickenlooper to further connections between City agencies and the nonprofit sector. Under contract with the Association, DOSP will service nonprofits within the city and county of Denver. Mike Roque, director of DOSP added, “We are pleased to work with the Colorado Nonprofit Association to provide these essential programs and services to nonprofits and government in the City and County of Denver.”

Sharon Knight, vice president and COO of the Association reported, “We are grateful for the generous support of three foundations that provided matching grants to support our proposal. The Boettcher Foundation, Anschutz Family Foundation and El Pomar Foundation provided matching funds for the project.” These foundations are part of a larger collaboration of Colorado foundations that respond to nonprofits’ need to raise matching dollars for Recovery Act grant proposals. To date, the collaboration has leveraged more than $100,000 to help Colorado secure more than $1 million in new money from the federal stimulus bill.

As part of the grant, the Association will:

• Provide information about ARRA opportunities, training and technical assistance to nonprofits across the state;
• Host educational sessions to increase nonprofits’ capacity to develop strong programs to further workforce readiness and employment with their constituencies;
  Increase nonprofits’ knowledge about government agencies and interrelationship with their objectives;
• Strengthen partnerships between nonprofits and government for shared problem resolution and creation of new programs; and
• Facilitate town hall sessions for nonprofits and government to find commonalities and explore collaborative solutions to workforce readiness and employment issues.
• Seven to 14 nonprofits will receive additional technical assistance throughout the period of the grant so as to improve their ability to increase effectiveness and meaningful outcomes for program participants.