Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Launches $400,000 Arts & Culture Rapid Response Grant to Offset Funding Losses

DENVER, CO — In response to significant funding disruptions caused by recent federal actions, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation has launched the 2025 Arts & Culture Rapid Response Grant, providing awards between $5,000 and $20,000 to arts and culture organizations in the Denver metro area. The initiative aims to help organizations—including those serving historically marginalized communities such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities—sustain programming in the face of revenue loss tied to shifting federal policy.

“This moment demands that philanthropy meet urgency with action,” said Gary Steuer, President and CEO of Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. “Denver’s arts and culture sector is both vulnerable and vital—and we believe it’s essential to help preserve the voices and institutions that bring meaning, connection, and vibrancy to our communities.”

“Federal decisions, and related impacts such as cancelled corporate sponsorships and other grants, are already impacting Denver’s creative sector, especially smaller organizations deeply rooted in community,” added Gina Ferrari, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s Director of Grants. “This grant is about helping those organizations stay steady in a moment of instability—so they can continue the work their communities rely on.”

Of the $400,000 Rapid Response Fund, $80,000 has already been allocated—$20,000 toward supporting the Juneteenth Music Festival and $60,000 in Inclusive Communities. The remaining funds will be distributed to eligible organizations through this relief effort.

The first round of applications opens on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, with a deadline of 5:00 PM on Monday, May 26, 2025. Award notifications for the first round will be shared in June, along with information about a second application window.

Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations with operating budgets under $2 million. Priority will be given to groups with a demonstrated loss of funding in 2025, especially those whose work is rooted in arts and culture and whose programming primarily serves communities in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, or Jefferson counties.

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation encourages all qualifying organizations to apply. Full eligibility details and application instructions are available at bonfils-stanton.org/grants. Questions or accessibility requests can be directed to the grants team at admin@bonfils-stanton.org.

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About Bonfils-Stanton Foundation:

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation believes that extraordinary arts and leadership are key to building a vibrant Colorado. Every day, the Foundation strategically invests in imagination and innovation, because cultivating the creative spark is vital to making our community an exciting place where people want to live, work and thrive. Since its founding, the Foundation has distributed over $90 million in charitable contributions. Visit www.bonfils-stantonfoundation.org for additional information.