Black Resilience in Colorado Fund

The Black Resilience in Colorado (BRIC) Fund, administered by The Denver Foundation, was established to support the long-term sustainability and immediate needs of Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations within the seven-county Metro Denver area. As part of The Denver Foundation's broader commitment to equity and systemic change, the BRIC Fund is designed to address the longstanding and continuing impacts of systemic racism on Black communities. It operates under the guidance of a community-led advisory committee, which plays a central role in defining funding priorities and making grant decisions. The BRIC Fund targets organizations that are actively addressing pressing community issues while simultaneously working toward broader and more sustainable systems of support for Black Coloradans. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or operate under a qualified 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Moreover, organizations must be both Black-led and Black-serving, with leadership and programming that reflect and serve African, Afro-Caribbean, African immigrant, and refugee populations. Geographic eligibility is limited to the Metro Denver region, specifically the seven-county area, and applicant organizations must have annual operating budgets below $1.5 million. Grant funds can be used to support work in a range of priority areas, all of which have been defined by the advisory committee. These include emerging community needs and issues, health concerns such as racial trauma and maternal health, housing and homelessness prevention, economic opportunity and workforce access, racial justice advocacy and organizing, and culturally responsive youth programming. BRIC grants aim to fund work that has both immediate relevance and the potential to strengthen the resilience of Black communities over the long term. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $25,000. There are two competitive grant cycles per year. The spring cycle runs from March 3 to April 15, while the fall cycle spans June 1 to July 15. Organizations may apply during one cycle per year and must do so during the official application window. Applications are submitted through The Denver Foundation’s online portal, which requires registration prior to submission. The Foundation provides access to FAQs and staff support to assist applicants with the submission process. Awards are not guaranteed and are made at the discretion of the advisory committee. The BRIC Fund does not support a variety of activities and entities, including capital campaigns, endowment-building, fundraising events, grants to individuals or for re-granting, multi-year requests, research, or political and religious activities. Applicants must review these restrictions carefully before submitting. Each application is evaluated based on alignment with funding priorities, organizational capacity, and impact potential within the Black community. For more information, applicants are encouraged to visit www.bricfund.org/bric-grants. Questions may be directed to LaDawn Sullivan at [email protected]. The Denver Foundation, located at 1009 Grant Street in Denver, Colorado, serves as the administrative body for the BRIC Fund. The Foundation has a long-standing reputation in Colorado for supporting community-driven solutions and ensuring that philanthropy is directed where it is most needed and impactful.