For more than 40 years, Cat Care Society has been a compassionate champion for cats in need across Colorado. Founded in 1981, the Lakewood-based nonprofit was created with a simple but powerful belief: every cat deserves to be valued, loved, and treated with dignity, regardless of age, health, or ability. As one of Colorado Nonprofit Association’s founding members, Cat Care Society has spent decades demonstrating how mission-driven organizations can create lasting change through compassion, innovation, and community partnership.

Unlike many traditional shelters, Cat Care Society offers a unique free-roaming environment where cats can explore, play, lounge, and socialize in enriching spaces designed to reduce stress and support their well-being. Cages are used only when medically necessary, and outdoor catios provide fresh air and enrichment whenever weather allows. This thoughtful approach helps cats thrive while they await loving forever homes and creates a welcoming experience for prospective adopters.

Cat Care Society is also recognized for saying “yes” to cats that often have nowhere else to turn. The organization provides specialized care for senior cats and those living with medical conditions such as feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), diabetes, and kidney disease. Each year, the shelter cares for more than 1,200 cats, providing medical treatment, nutritious food, enrichment, and individualized attention that gives every animal the opportunity to heal and find a family.

Beyond adoption services, Cat Care Society is a trusted community resource and leader in animal welfare throughout Colorado. The organization partners with shelters and rescue groups across the state, shares expertise with pet owners, and works collaboratively to improve outcomes for vulnerable cats. Entirely funded through the generosity of donors, volunteers, and community partners, Cat Care Society receives no government funding and relies on the support of people who believe every cat deserves a chance to thrive.

Today, Cat Care Society continues to build on more than four decades of service with a commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and transparency. Guided by its vision of a collaborative community where all cats have the opportunity to thrive, the organization remains a beloved resource for both cats and the people who care for them. Their enduring impact reflects the strength of Colorado’s nonprofit sector and the important role founding members like Cat Care Society have played in helping build a more compassionate and connected community.

Visit their website to learn more or adopt: https://www.catcaresociety.org/

“…children continue to need pediatric healthcare expertise and families need hope for treatments and cures. Our community continues to answer the call with extraordinary generosity…”

For nearly four decades, Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation has helped transform generosity into hope.

As one of CNA’s founding members, the Foundation has grown alongside Children’s Hospital Colorado, expanding its reach as the hospital evolved into one of the nation’s leading pediatric health systems serving children across a seven-state region. Through every stage of that growth, one constant has remained: connecting a compassionate community of donors with opportunities to improve the lives of children and families facing some of life’s most difficult moments.

The Foundation is proud not only of the philanthropic support it has generated, but of the countless lives those gifts have touched. Every dollar raised represents a family receiving world-class care, groundbreaking research moving forward, or a child gaining access to treatment that offers renewed hope. Behind every accomplishment stands an extraordinary community of donors, volunteers, board members, and partners who have invested in healthier futures for generations of Colorado children.

Like many nonprofits, the Foundation has navigated changing economic conditions and an increasing demand for philanthropic support. Yet those challenges have only reinforced its commitment to the mission and deepened its admiration for the resilience of the children and families it serves.

Its relationship with CNA reflects another enduring belief, that nonprofit organizations accomplish more when they learn from one another and work together. The Foundation values being part of a statewide community that shares knowledge, encouragement, and a collective commitment to improving lives.

Forty years after becoming one of CNA’s founding members, Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation continues to remind us that hope grows wherever generosity meets purpose.

Visit their website to learn more and support: https://www.supportchildrenscolorado.org/

“We’ve adapted as the community’s needs have changed, but we’ve stayed grounded in our mission to create extraordinary experiences that champion the wonder and joy of childhood.”

If there is one thing the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus has learned over the past 40 years, it’s that play has the power to change lives.

As a founding member of CNA, the Museum has spent decades creating extraordinary experiences that champion the wonder, joy, and possibility of childhood. While the organization has evolved alongside the changing needs of Colorado families, its commitment to helping children learn through exploration, creativity, and connection has never wavered.

The Museum’s leaders describe a culture that has always been bold, one willing to take risks, embrace new ideas, and remain deeply passionate about its purpose. That spirit continues to guide the organization today.

Among its many accomplishments, the Museum is most proud of ensuring that access to joyful learning experiences is available to all families. In fiscal year 2025 alone, nearly 135,000 admissions were provided through access programs, with more than a quarter of guests attending for free or at significantly reduced cost. For the Museum, creating opportunities for wonder only matters if every child has the chance to experience them.

One challenge has remained surprisingly consistent: helping people recognize that play is serious work. While the Museum may look fun from the outside, its programs support critical aspects of childhood development, learning, and growth.

The Museum values its long-standing connection to CNA because of the community it provides—a place to learn, share resources, and connect with peers. Looking ahead, it finds hope in a nonprofit sector that continues to adapt, innovate, and stay grounded in its mission. Forty years later, the Museum is still here because it believes, wholeheartedly, in the power of play.

Location

2121 Children’s Museum Drive
Denver, CO 80211

Get in Touch

303-561-0107
www.mychildsmuseum.org

Great theatre does more than entertain. It brings people together, challenges perspectives, and helps us see ourselves, and one another, in new ways.

For four decades, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) has helped shape Colorado’s cultural identity while earning a place on the national theatrical stage.

As one of CNA’s founding members, DCPA has evolved into an organization firmly focused on the transformative power of theatre. Through its Denver Center Theatre Company, Broadway presentations, new play development, and educational programming, DCPA has introduced generations of audiences to stories that entertain, challenge, and inspire.

Its accomplishments extend far beyond Colorado. A recipient of the 1998 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, DCPA has helped develop influential works including The Laramie Project and The Whale, while hosting pre-Broadway productions of Disney’s Frozen and The Little Mermaid. Equally important is its investment in young people through programs that bring theatre into classrooms and create opportunities for emerging performers.

That commitment was tested in March 2020, when the pandemic forced the cancellation of more than 40 productions and events, resulting in nearly $100 million in lost revenue. Through extraordinary community generosity, donor support, and determination, DCPA navigated the most difficult chapter in its history and welcomed audiences back.

Throughout its journey, DCPA has valued its connection to CNA and the belief that organizations are stronger together. That spirit of collaboration also shapes its optimism for the future, particularly as Colorado’s arts and cultural organizations prepare for the 2028 Scientific and Cultural Facilities District renewal.

Forty years later, DCPA continues to remind us that the arts are more than entertainment. They are an essential part of what connects us as a community, and our shared stories are what keep us coming back.

Learn more & purchase tickets: denvercenter.org

“…every generation of staff, board members, donors, and community partners believed this work mattered—and survivors never stopped showing us why it does.”

The work of Ember Center has never been measured simply by the number of people it serves. It is measured in moments.

The parent who found safety. The survivor who discovered their voice in court. The child who experienced security for the first time. Those moments, repeated thousands of times over four decades, tell the story of an organization that has quietly transformed lives across Colorado.

As one of CNA’s founding members, Ember Center has grown from operating a 24-hour crisis line in 1985 to providing a comprehensive continuum of services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. While its programs have expanded and evolved, its purpose has remained steadfast: meeting people during some of the hardest moments of their lives and helping them build safer futures.

Like many nonprofits, Ember Center has continually adapted to changing circumstances. Economic downturns, shifting funding environments, evolving community needs, and the COVID-19 pandemic each required new approaches. During the pandemic, the organization reimagined emergency shelter models, creating solutions that ultimately improved outcomes for survivors. Every challenge became an opportunity to strengthen both the organization and the services it provides.

Throughout those years, CNA has been a trusted source of connection and support. Whether navigating leadership transitions, strategic planning, or broader sector challenges, Ember Center has valued being part of a statewide community committed to learning and growing together.

Today, the organization draws hope from Colorado’s nonprofit sector itself—one that increasingly chooses collaboration over competition and continues to innovate in service of stronger communities.

Forty years later, Ember Center’s story is ultimately one of people: generations of staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners who believed this work mattered—and survivors whose courage continues to remind us why it does.

Learn more or get help: Visit embercenterco.org to explore Ember Center’s programs and resources. If you or someone you know has been impacted by domestic violence or sexual assault, call Ember Center at 303-688-8484 for support.

Sometimes, the most powerful connections in our lives aren’t between people. They’re between people and the animals they love.

For four decades, Humane Colorado, formerly known as the Dumb Friends League, has worked to protect those bonds while building a more compassionate Colorado.

As a founding member of CNA, Humane Colorado has evolved from a single facility into a five-location organization serving urban and rural communities. Today, its work extends beyond traditional animal sheltering to include equine rehabilitation, a donor-subsidized veterinary hospital, and a shelter in the San Luis Valley. Each expansion reflects a commitment to meeting the changing needs of animals and the people who care for them.

While every successful adoption and recovery represents a meaningful accomplishment, Humane Colorado’s impact reaches beyond individual animals. Through advocacy, the organization has helped advance systemic changes in animal welfare, including establishing the Veterinary Professional Associate role to expand access to veterinary care and securing statewide standards that support the emotional and behavioral well-being of shelter animals.

One of its enduring challenges has been helping communities recognize that animal welfare and human well-being are deeply connected. For many Coloradans, a beloved pet provides companionship, stability, and essential emotional support. Humane Colorado’s programs and advocacy increasingly reflect that understanding, helping keep pets and people together.

Throughout its evolution, CNA has provided valuable opportunities for shared learning, collaboration, and connection with organizations working toward a stronger Colorado.

Looking ahead, Humane Colorado finds hope in the generosity of communities that continue to volunteer, donate, adopt, and support nonprofit missions.

Forty years later, Humane Colorado’s story reminds us that building a better Colorado means caring for all who call it home, people and animals alike.

Learn more: humanecolorado.org

The needs of a community never stand still, and neither has Jewish Family Service of Colorado.

As one of Colorado Nonprofit Association’s founding members, JFS has spent decades listening carefully, responding thoughtfully, and evolving continually to meet emerging needs. What began as an organization serving families through a core set of services has expanded to include programs such as the Weinberg Food Pantry, KidSuccess school-based counseling, Employment Services, refugee resettlement, and para-chaplain services, each created in response to changing realities facing Colorado families.

Perhaps no achievement reflects the organization’s character more than its ability to respond during moments of crisis. Whether confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting communities affected by the Marshall Fire, helping families through reductions in SNAP benefits, or addressing Colorado’s growing youth mental health needs, JFS has remained agile while ensuring individuals continued receiving the support they depended upon.

That adaptability has also been essential in navigating funding uncertainties and policy changes that often affect the very people the organization exists to serve. Throughout every challenge, JFS has remained focused on helping individuals and families build stability and opportunity.

The organization values its longstanding relationship with Colorado Nonprofit Association as a source of professional development, advocacy, and connection. Access to shared resources—and to a statewide community of nonprofit leaders—has strengthened both the organization and the people it serves.

As Colorado looks ahead, JFS finds hope in the compassion and generosity that define our state’s nonprofit community. Forty years after joining CNA as a founding member, the organization continues to demonstrate that resilience is built through partnership, service, and an unwavering commitment to meeting people where they are.

To learn more about JFS, explore its services, volunteer, or seek assistance, visit jewishfamilyservice.org, contact JFS through its website, or call 720.248.4701.

“…women continue to need a place where they can connect, grow, and make a difference.”

The Junior League of Denver has always understood that strong communities begin with strong leaders.

Founded in 1918 and a founding member of CNA, the League has spent more than a century developing women who lead through service. During the past four decades, it has thoughtfully evolved to reflect the changing realities of women’s lives, making participation more flexible, expanding opportunities for leadership, and creating space for members to contribute in ways that fit their careers, families, and personal commitments. Through every change, its mission has remained remarkably consistent: bringing women together to develop leadership skills, build meaningful relationships, and create lasting community impact.

That commitment is perhaps best illustrated by JLD L.U.V.S. Day of Service. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the annual event mobilizes members to serve nonprofit partners across the Denver metro area while providing grants to help organizations complete projects that matter most. The numbers are impressive, hundreds of volunteers, hundreds of service hours, and financial support for participating nonprofits, but the true measure of success is the lasting value members bring to organizations throughout the community.

Like many volunteer-driven organizations, the League has navigated changing expectations around volunteerism and membership. Rather than resisting those changes, it has embraced innovation, creating more flexible ways for women to engage while investing in the next generation of nonprofit and civic leaders.

Its partnership with CNA reflects a shared belief that nonprofits are strongest when they learn from one another, share ideas, and work collaboratively to address community needs.

As Colorado’s nonprofit sector continues to evolve, the Junior League of Denver remains optimistic because it sees organizations choosing partnership over competition and communities strengthened by collective action.

More than 100 years after its founding, and 40 years after helping establish CNA, the League continues to prove that when women are empowered to lead, entire communities flourish.

For more information, visit their website: https://denver.jl.org/

“When young people have the tools and support to build healthy relationships, entire communities benefit.”

When Project PAVE was founded in 1986, it set out to address relationship violence among young people in the Denver metro area. Forty years later, the organization has grown into a comprehensive healthy relationships organization that continues to empower young people to create safer, stronger communities.

Over the decades, Project PAVE has expanded far beyond its original scope. Today, the organization provides relationship violence prevention education, school-based therapy, youth and family advocacy, and youth leadership programming. In response to changing needs and barriers to access, Project PAVE made the strategic decision to close its in-house clinic and move to a fully school-based service model, bringing support directly to young people where they already spend their time.

The organization measures its success not only by programs delivered, but by lives changed. Project PAVE is especially proud of the tens of thousands of young people who have been impacted through its work. Whether helping a student process trauma through therapy, equipping youth with healthy relationship skills, or empowering future leaders, the organization has had the privilege of supporting generations of Coloradans.

Like many nonprofits, Project PAVE has navigated shifting funding environments, changing social dynamics, and growing mental health needs. Its ability to evolve while remaining firmly rooted in mission has been one of its greatest strengths.

Project PAVE’s connection to CNA has provided opportunities for advocacy, collaboration, and professional development throughout its history. Looking ahead, the organization finds hope in a nonprofit sector that is increasingly innovative, collaborative, and community-centered. Forty years later, Project PAVE is still here because young people continue to show what is possible when they are trusted, supported, and empowered to thrive.

For more information, visit their website: https://www.projectpave.org/

Belonging changes everything.

That simple belief has guided Raise the Future for four decades and continues to shape every relationship the organization helps create.

As one of CNA’s founding members, Raise the Future began by helping youth in foster care find permanent families. Over time, the organization recognized that lasting support comes in many forms. Today, it helps young people build lifelong connections with relatives, mentors, caregivers, and other trusted adults while providing trauma-informed support for foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Although its programs have evolved, its mission has remained remarkably consistent: ensuring every young person has meaningful relationships that endure.

The organization’s greatest accomplishments cannot be measured solely by numbers, but by lives transformed. Thousands of young people have reconnected with relatives, built support networks, discovered lifelong family connections, and developed relationships with caring adults who continue to stand beside them long after formal services have ended.

Like many nonprofits, Raise the Future has adapted to changing systems, economic uncertainty, and evolving community needs. Throughout every transition, the organization has remained committed to listening, learning, and finding new ways to ensure young people in foster care remain seen, supported, and connected.

Its partnership with CNA reflects the same philosophy that defines its work: stronger outcomes are achieved through collaboration. CNA has provided a network where organizations learn together, advocate together, and strengthen the nonprofit sector together.

Forty years after becoming one of CNA’s founding members, Raise the Future continues to believe that every young person deserves someone who believes in them, stands beside them, and remains in their corner for life, and that belief continues to inspire everything they do.

For more information, visit their website: https://www.raisethefuture.org/