Grants

Inclusive Communities

$10,000 in unrestricted funding to small-budget, arts & culture organizations, prioritizing those led, informed by and serving BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability communities.

Opens:
March 9, 2026
Closes:
April 10, 2026

Description

Local, community-oriented organizations offering programs that integrate arts and culture play a critical role in the Denver area’s cultural ecosystem. In recognition of their important contributions, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s Inclusive Communities grant program provides $10,000 in unrestricted funding to Denver-area arts and culture organizations, prioritizing those that are led, informed by and serving BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability communities. Annual Inclusive Communities grants are awarded to small-budget nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations for fostering deeper engagement with art and culture across our community through public programming.

Eligibility Requirements

  • 501(c)(3) nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organization with an operating budget of under $200,000
  • Operates with all-volunteer staff or no more than three (3) full- or part-time paid staff (not including paid contractors/artists hired on a project-basis)
  • Priority given to organizations with majority of senior leaders (staff and/or board) identifying as Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, and/or people with disabilities  
  • Organization’s public programming incorporates the perspectives of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or disability communities  
  • Organization is based and majority of programs occur in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, or Jefferson counties
  • Celebration of arts and culture is central to the organization’s mission
  • Demonstration of consistent public in-person arts & culture programming for the public
  • Organization does NOT currently receive support through Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s Quarterly Community Grants program


Application Process

Applications are open to any organization that meets the eligibility criteria. Applicants may preview the application here. There is no formal report requirement, but grantee partners will have the option to schedule a virtual check-in over the coming year. Eligible applicants may receive one unrestricted operating or project grant in a 12-month period.

The following are generally not eligible for funding:

  • Loans, grants or scholarships to individuals
  • Events
  • Media/film/podcast productions
  • Individual artist installations/works
  • Activities or initiatives that have a religious purpose
  • Endowment funding
  • Funding to retire operating debt
  • Requests from organizations outside of Colorado  

I have accessibility requests or questions – who do I contact?

Program director, Chrissy Deal, welcomes your questions at chrissy@bonfils-stanton.org or 303.825.3774.

How many nonprofit leaders can I nominate?

Individuals can nominate up to three candidates.

Should the candidate know I nominated them?

At the close of the nomination period, the Foundation will notify eligible candidates of their nomination and share a copy of each nomination and endorsement received on their behalf. Nominees, outside of self-nominations, will be able to provide additional information they feel may be relevant to their candidacy. Responses will be entirely optional and not required in order to advance in the selection process. For this reason, nominators may wish to notify the candidate in advance of recommending them for the fellowship.

Can I nominate someone I’ve nominated in the past?

The fellowship is quite competitive, so it is not unusual for individuals to be nominated several times over the years.

Can I nominate a leader of a nonprofit organization that operates with a fiscal sponsor?

Yes

The leader I have in mind lives outside of the Denver Metro area. Are they eligible for the fellowship?

Eligible candidates must be leading a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, or Jefferson county. Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s leadership decided to focus solely on arts and culture and leadership for deeper impact in 2012. In recent years, the Foundation has taken steps to gradually align the Livingston Fellowship Program’s geographic area more closely with that of our grantmaking portfolio which focuses on the city of Denver.

If I have been nominated, when can candidates expect to hear from Bonfils-Stanton about if they will be advancing in the process?

Nominees will be updated of their status in the selection process via email by early November 2022. The Board of Trustees of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation will approve the 2023 class of Livingston Fellows in early 2023.

Where can I learn more about the program?

Visit our website for additional information about the history of the Livingston Fellowship program, stories from fellows and their fellowship activities.

I have more general questions – should I contact Chrissy?

Absolutely! If you can’t find what you’re looking for on our website, please reach out to Chrissy for more information.