Rocky Mountain Health awards $600K in grant funding

This fund specifically supports Western Slope-based organizations that may not be directly aligned with the Foundation’s core interest areas (providing basic needs, increasing access to and affordability of direct physical & behavioral health care) but are providing worthwhile services that increase the wellbeing of people in their communities, the release said.

The Rocky Mountain Health Foundation board of directors approved general operating support to 93 organizations from 20 Western Slope counties totaling $597,000.

Grants were awarded in the following categories:

Adaptive recreation for people living with developmental, cognitive, or physical disabilities or trauma: 6 grants for $35,000.

Advocacy, Leadership & Language Justice (civic engagement, outreach, & interpretation/translation services for communities of color): 4 grants for $36,000.

Community coalitions (local organizations collaborating on a focus issue/population): 4 grants for $35,000.

Community gardens (garden space for community use that may also include nutrition education, or supply fresh food to local food pantries): 4 grants for $11,000.

Early childhood development (training & support by child specialists to enhance the ability of childcare center staff and/or parents in helping children achieve full cognitive, emotional, social and physical potential): 5 grants for $25,000

Focus Area (small or off-cycle requests for organizations providing basic needs, increasing access to and affordability of direct physical & behavioral health care): 30 grants for $226,000.

Legal aid (assistance to low-income individuals/families for legal issues such as child-custody, restraining orders, landlord disputes, immigration): 2 grants for $10,000.

Peer support groups (behavioral health support in a peer-group setting): 3 grants for $20,000.

Positive youth development (afterschool/summer programs that offer kids leadership opportunities, relationship & decision-making skills): 26 grants for $160,000.

Respite care (day or short-term care for elderly/medically fragile/disabled individuals): 2 grants for $10,000.

Social/emotional supports (creating social connections and alleviating isolation, especially for seniors and special populations): 7 grants for $29,000.

Grant recipient Reilly Spence, Development Director for Court Appointed Special Advocates of the Continental Divide (CASACD) thanked RMHF for its grant awards.

“Child neglect and abuse is a real and ongoing problem in our community, and RMHF has enabled our Court Appointed Special Advocates to continue expanding, improving, and providing a voice for these children as they navigate a life-altering time,” Spence said. “This means children assigned to our Dependency and Neglect Program will receive a dedicated, responsible, stable, and caring advocate who champions for better, healthier, and safer outcomes for them. CASACD is excited to be able to deliver brighter futures for children in 2023, and it would not be possible without your generosity.”

Rocky Mountain Health Foundation was established in 2017 to improve the health of Coloradans living on the Western Slope by investing in community assets and by acting as a catalyst for new approaches. To learn more about Rocky Mountain Health Foundation and to see a detailed list of funded projects, visit https://rmhealth.org/grant-making/funded-projects/.