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Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program

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Program Overview

Purpose: Colorado House Bill 22-1356 was signed into law on June 3, 2022 creating the small community-based nonprofit infrastructure grant program. This initiative invests dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 by providing grants to small community-based nonprofit organizations for infrastructure funding to help mitigate the financial hardships of the COVID-19 public health emergency. 
The initiative will fund up to 10 regional access partners - who will work with the Department of Local Affairs to administer grants of no more than $100,000 to small community-based nonprofit programs across the state of Colorado. 

These grants are designed to respond to the harm experienced by small community-based NPOs and are reasonably proportional to that harm.

Fund Distribution: Up to 10 Regional Access Partners (RAP) will be selected by DOLA through a NOFA & Application process to administer funds to small community based nonprofit organizations across the state of Colorado

  • RAPs will engage with DOLA to help create the policies and procedures to
    • Outline application, award and disbursement timelines
    • Streamline information received from application
    • Outline the rubric used to evaluate all applications

 

Available Funding: $33,100,000 

  • Awarded to no more than 10 regional access partners to award and distribute to small community-based nonprofits by 12/30/2024.  
    • All funds must be expended by 12/30/2026
    • $100K - Maximum Grant Award to small community-based nonprofits & not more than 30% of their annual operating budget

 

Regional Access Partner Requirements:

  • A Nonprofit Organization headquartered in Colorado with grant management experience
  • Ability to distribute grants statewide or in regions of the state
  • Strong track record in TA to small community based NPO
  • Has at least 51% of programming focused on serving, engaging and supporting marginalized & under-resourced communities
  • Has a Board of Directors or staff with at least 30% who are individuals from historically marginalized and under-resourced communities.
  • No more than 5% of award can be used for administrative dollars

 

Current Funding Opportunity: 

Regional Access Partner Notice of Funding Availability:
The Regional Access Partner Application will be open from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022. In order to apply you must request access to our grants portal (see below for instructions)

 

RAP Application Questions

Review the application prior to requesting access to the portal

RAP Application Questions

 

Apply and Manage Grant

 

Requesting Access to the Grants Portal
*Must be completed in order to apply
REQUESTING ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS

Instructions for how to apply to be a RAP
Application Instructions
 

 

RAP APPLICATION - Office Hours

Join us for office hours to ask general questions about the program and the RAP application 

When: July 12th & 26th
August 9th & 23rd
September 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th
Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Where: Google Meet joining information
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/swd-ptek-hrm
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 715-802-0583‬ PIN: ‪294 156 281‬#

Frequently Asked Questions
RAP Reporting Requirements
Additional information on community-based nonprofit grants:

Eligibility for Nonprofit Grants: A small community-based charitable or social welfare organization that has been impacted or disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency and that:

  • Has organizational leadership whose lived experiences in the communities they serve lead to the creation, mission and work of the NPO, and
  • Has an annual budget of at least $150K and not more than $2M, 


AND 

 

  1. Has a track record of providing effective, culturally appropriate, and relevant programs and services to communities who have historically been underrepresented, underserved, or under resourced in Colorado;
  1. Has a governing body and staff that consists of a majority of residents who live in the communities served by the small community based NPO;
  1. Has a mission or history of providing services in specific communities in the state and has its main offices in one of the communities that the small community-based NPO serves; 
  1. Identifies and defines priority issue areas with input from residents of the community;
  1. Focuses the services it provides to specific areas of community-identified needs, including:
  • Health Equity
  • Workforce Development
  • Community Economic Development
  • Early Childhood Care
  • Education Support
  • Housing
  • Food Justice

And has the commitment to connect the communities that it serves with Government agencies and programs, if available;
  1. Solicits and implements community-led solutions from the community it serves, AND;
  1. Is in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State

 

AND

Is one of the following

  • Small Community Based Nonprofit Organizations, OR
  • Small Community Based Nonprofit Organizations NOT a 501c3 - but works with a fiscal agent, OR
  • A collaborative of multiple small community based groups (NOT NPO) that work with a fiscal sponsor

**Timeline for application release and regional access partners to be determined at a later date**

Eligible Use of Grant Funds Ineligible Use of Grant Funds
Data Technology needs - data collection & tech infrastructure Capital Improvements (IT Infrastructure is not considered a capital improvement)
Professional development - staff & board Real estate or land acquisition
Strategic planning & org development for capacity building, fundraising & other services Payment of Debt
Communications Advocacy or Lobbying
Existing program expansion, development or evaluation Organizing
 
Endowments or reserves
 
Tentative Timeline 2022  

**Subject to Change**

June
  • RAP application & document creation
  • Begin to market the RAP NOFA & Application
July
  • RAP NOFA Open 7/1
August
 
September
  • Close RAP NOFA Closes 9/30
 

 

Program Contacts

Audrey Field 
Financial Assistance Manager
(303) 864-7897
audrey.field@state.co.us