By: Marco Dorado, Communities Lead Communities Thrive
Date: September 25, 2025
Three months ago, Communities Lead Communities Thrive (CLCT) launched our State Grant Database for Nonprofits – the first centralized, public-facing resource of its kind in Colorado. In response to what we’ve heard from CLCT Coalition members, our goal in building this tool was simple but urgent: make it easier for small, community-rooted nonprofits to access the state dollars meant to support their critical work.
The response has been clear: nonprofits want and need this tool. In the time since launching the tool, over 400 unique users from 34 of Colorado’s 64 counties have accessed the database over 3,500 times.
These numbers confirm what we heard time and again – there’s demand for a streamlined way to track and access state grant opportunities, and leaders across sectors will use the tool if it is available to them. We’re also encouraged that two state agencies have already begun sending grant opportunities directly to CLCT for inclusion in the database, a sign of growing partnership and alignment.
In a recent survey of leaders who have accessed our database, most respondents said the database has significantly improved their awareness of available state grant opportunities.
Our survey, completed by leaders from organizations with annual budgets from under $100,000 to over $2 million, found that nonprofits are using our database to:
- Search for active grant opportunities across state agencies
- Learn which state departments offer funding
- Share opportunities with colleagues and coalition partners
One respondent shared: “Thank you SO MUCH for this resource. I found an opportunity for one of my clients, a small film festival, with the State Film Office in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. They got a $1,000 sponsorship within weeks!”
Streamlining state grant opportunities for nonprofits isn’t just a Colorado issue, and other states are leading the way to break down barriers to state grant funding. States like Arizona, California, New York, and Rhode Island have created centralized grant databases to increase transparency and access for small nonprofits. This goes to show it can be done – and it will make our government more efficient in the process. The State of Colorado has a duty to step up and ensure information about state grants for nonprofits is consistent, up to date, and accessible.
In creating the State Grant Database for Nonprofits, we uncovered key learnings about the barriers to accessing information about the state’s nonprofit funding opportunities, including inefficient and inconsistent processes, outdated information, convoluted access to information, and a lack of cohesion in how grants are posted by state agencies. We also learned about the agencies that are doing it well and offering some best practices for the state to follow.
We’re proud of the impact and progress we’ve achieved in the first three months, but a database alone won’t fix barriers that create inequitable funding systems for nonprofits across Colorado. Nonprofits are still up against burdensome application processes, short turnaround times, and limited capacity to compete for dollars. CLCT’s vision is bigger: to change how Colorado invests in its nonprofits so the organizations closest to community needs can thrive.
The first three months have proven the demand and value of a centralized grant database. Nonprofits are using it, sharing it, and in some cases, already securing funding. But the work doesn’t stop here. CLCT is committed to making this tool smarter, more user-friendly, and more impactful – while continuing to push for systemic reforms that put equity at the center of state funding.
You can view active state grant opportunities in our grant database by clicking here. If you know of state grants that are not currently listed in the database, please send them to cograntsdatabase@coclct.org.