Potential Funding Opportunities

The Adult Education Initiatives (AEI) Office has received requests from the field about what funding opportunities are available for adult education programs. Below is a list of existing funding opportunities and resources the AEI Office is aware of, as well as local considerations when seeking funding for your adult education program.

This page is intentionally marked “draft” as it is not a comprehensive list of funding opportunities available. This page contains website links created and maintained by other public and private organizations. This information is provided for the reader’s convenience and is included here to offer examples of funding opportunities that adult education program staff and other interested parties may find helpful to use at their discretion. CDE does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of this information does not reflect importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or materials provided. No official endorsement by the CDE or the AEI office is intended or should be inferred. For CDE grant information, please visit the Competitive Grants webpage.

Potential Funding Opportunities

Funder	Description	Application information
Anschutz Family Foundation	The Anschutz Family Foundation supports rural and urban Colorado non-profits. Encourages endeavors that strengthen family and communities and advance individuals to become productive and responsible citizens Special interest in self-sufficiency, community development and programs aimed at economically disadvantaged individuals, children and youth, seniors and the disabled	Deadline is July 1
Boettcher Foundation	The Boettcher Foundation provides grant funding to nonprofits for capital building, community infrastructure and human capital growth.	Ongoing
Community Foundation of Northern Colorado	The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado helps to fund endowments for nonprofits.	Applications open July 1 and awards made in early November
Colorado Grant Watch	Colorado Grant Watch is a clearinghouse for thousands of grants for nonprofits	Ongoing
Colorado Trust	The Trust plans funds a range of innovative, local solutions that advance health equity. Initiatives can focus on anything that can impact the health of a community including education.	Ongoing
Dollar General Adult Literacy Grant	The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards funding to organizations that provide direct services to adults in need of literacy assistance in one of the following areas: Adult Basic Education, GED or high school equivalency preparation, English Language Acquisition.	Applications available annually in January.
El Pomar	El Pomar accepts applications from active 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations whose activities take place in Colorado.	Ongoing
Grants.gov	Grants.gov provides funding to government entities, education organizations, public housing and nonprofits	Ongoing
Rose Community Foundation	The Rose Community Foundation provides funding for the greater Denver community including child and family development and education Accepts applications that serve Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas and Jefferson counties	Encouraged to speak to a program officer prior to submitting an application.
Toyota USA Foundation	The Toyota USA Foundation accepts applications from nonprofits located within the U.S. that have a national scope. Focus on education, specifically Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)	Applications accepted year round (see timeline on website)

Local Considerations

When identifying local organizations that may be able to support your program, consider the following questions:

What organizations or entities in your local area serve a similar population?
What organizations or entities have a similar mission and vision?

Below are some potential local partnerships that can be leveraged to support adult education programming:

Potential Partner	Description
Colorado Libraries	Educational funding opportunities Knowledge of other community partners
21^st Century Grant Recipients	21^st Century grantees must offer literacy and related educational development to families of students