City of Cortez Community Support Grant

The 2026 City of Cortez Community Support Grant provides financial assistance to community-based organizations that enrich the welfare, education, health, arts, and fitness of the Cortez, Colorado community. The program is funded annually by allocations from the City Council’s General Fund and is intended to support local services that benefit residents of Cortez and Montezuma County. Priority is given to organizations that fulfill unique needs in the community, serve diverse populations, avoid service duplication, and demonstrate a proven track record of impact. The grant is open to verified nonprofit organizations registered with the State of Colorado. Applicants must demonstrate that their programming is accessible to the City of Cortez community and that they are established service providers. Organizations may only submit one application and must use the official City of Cortez grant application form. The maximum request amount is $5,000, and funds are allocated for use during the 2026 calendar year, from January 1 through December 31. Most payments will be issued in January 2026. Grantees are required to acknowledge City support in program materials and comply with all applicable nondiscrimination statutes. To apply, organizations must complete the application and submit it either via email, mail, or in person. The submission deadline is Friday, October 17, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., but applicants delivering in person should note that City Hall closes at 12:00 noon on Fridays. Incomplete or late applications, including those submitted without required documentation or follow-up reports from 2025 grantees, will not be considered. Applications should be emailed to dspeer@cortezco.gov or delivered/mailed to the City of Cortez, Attn: Debbie Speer, 123 Roger Smith Ave., Cortez, CO 81321. Required attachments include financial documentation such as current and past year balance sheets and profit/loss statements, as well as IRS Form 990 or 990 EZ for nonprofit verification. Applicants are also asked to provide detailed information about how grant funds will be used, the geographical reach of their services, alignment with city priorities, and plans for evaluating program success. Letters of support or other supplemental documentation may only be submitted if requested by the City Council. Applications are evaluated based on merit, strength, and completeness. Award notifications and funding agreements will be mailed in January 2026. Organizations that received funding in 2025 must submit a follow-up report detailing the use and impact of the prior year’s grant by October 1, 2025, if they are not applying for 2026 funds. This reporting requirement helps ensure transparency and accountability in how public funds are utilized to support community outcomes.

Ensure your organization is verified as a nonprofit in Colorado and include all required financial documentation.