COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF FUNDERS
5855 WADSWORTH BYPASS NO A, ARVADA, CO 80003 www.coloradofunders.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF FUNDERS (CAF) IS A NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION FOR GRANTMAKERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. ITS MISSION IS TO BRING PEOPLE, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TOGETHER TO PROMOTE EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE PHILANTHROPY IN COLORADO.

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF FUNDERS WORKS TO STRENGTHEN COLORADO COMMUNITIES BY BRINGING PEOPLE, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TOGETHER. OUR WORK FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, PEER LEARNING NETWORKS AND ADVOCACY WITH THE OVERALL AIM OF STRENGTHENING THE STATEWIDE PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR THAT SUPPORTS NONPROFITS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT COLORADO.

IN 2018, WE OFFERED ALMOST 90 OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR MEMBERS TO ENGAGE, LEARN AND NETWORK. TOPICS VARIED WIDELY AND INCLUDED SESSIONS EXPLORING REGIONAL HOUSING CHALLENGES, THE OPIOID CRISIS, THE CRITICAL NEED TO ENSURE AN ACCURATE 2020 CENSUS COUNT, AND A FUTURISTIC LOOK AT PHILANTHROPIC TRENDS, AMONG OTHERS. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPERIMENT WITH PROGRAM FORMATS AND PRESENTED A LARGE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS WITHOUT CHARGING REGISTRATION FEES. AT THE SAME TIME, MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEGUN TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO FACILITATE SPECIALIZED LEARNING NETWORKS IN A GROWING NUMBER OF CATEGORIES, INCLUDING THREE NEW PEER GROUPS FOCUSED ON ARTS AND CULTURE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND RURAL COLORADO. OUR GRANT PROCEEDS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN 2018, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE COMMITMENT OF TEN MEMBERS TO FUND A FULL-TIME POSITION TO BUILD AND FACILITATE A RURAL FUNDERS LEARNING NETWORK.SOME OF OUR OTHER ACTIVE PEER GROUPS INCLUDE THE LEADERSHIP FORUM FOR CEOS, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CEO NETWORK, IMPACT INVESTING FORUM, SMALL FUNDERS NETWORK, EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDERS NETWORK AND THE EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH FUNDERS NETWORK. HUMAN RESOURCES/OPERATIONS STAFF AND EXEC ADMIN STAFF ALSO MEET REGULARLY TO COMPARE NOTES AND LEARN ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENTS. WE'VE FOUND THE CULTIVATION OF THESE NETWORKS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING STRATEGIES FOR FULFILLING OUR MISSION. THESE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS AMONG FUNDERS ALLOW FOR SHARING BEST PRACTICES, OPPORTUNITIES AND LESSONS LEARNED; COORDINATING PRESENCE IN COMMUNITIES; AND, WHEN APPROPRIATE, COLLABORATION.COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF FUNDERS CONTINUES TO ENHANCE ITS ABILITY TO ADVOCATE STRATEGICALLY FOR THE SECTOR, RECEIVING HIGH MARKS IN A NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF OUR CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC POLICY. AMONG THE KEY ACTIVITIES IN 2018: - THE PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE AND BOARD'S BACKING OF AN ANNUAL POLICY AGENDA THAT INCLUDED NEW POSITIONS IN FAVOR OF A FAIR AND ACCURATE DECENNIAL CENSUS COUNT AND SUPPORT FOR A VARIETY OF EXISTING AND NEW STATE TAX CREDITS; - THE CREATION OF THE JOSEPH NORD IGNAT MEMORIAL ENDOWED FUND (INVESTED AT COMMUNITY FIRST FOUNDATION) WHOSE PROCEEDS WILL GO TOWARD SUPPORTING AN ANNUAL POLICY-RELATED ACTIVITY FOR MEMBERS;- CEO TESTIMONY (ALONG WITH OTHER MEMBER CEOS) AT STATE CAPITOL IN FAVOR OF LEGISLATION ENCOURAGING CHARITABLE GIVING;- JOINT ADVOCACY DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, PLUS MEMBER CONVENING WITH GOVERNOR AT ANNUAL MEETING;- WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE IRS/TREASURY ON PENDING RULES; - LEADING DIVERSE ANNUAL DELEGATION OF COLORADO FOUNDATION EXECUTIVES TO WASHINGTON FOR FOUNDATIONS ON THE HILL VISITS WITH ALL OF OUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS. THESE MEETINGS EMPHASIZED THE SECTOR'S SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT COLORADO, CALLED FOR SPECIFIC FIXES TO THE RECENT TAX OVERHAUL THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECTED OUR SECTOR, WHILE ALSO URGING LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED ENFORCEMENT OF CURRENT LAW THAT BARS 501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS FROM ENDORSING, OPPOSING OR CONTRIBUTING TO POLITICAL CANDIDATES OR ENGAGING IN PARTISAN CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES.OTHER 2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:- COLLABORATION WITH SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS TO COMMISSION A STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT THAT ALLOWS US TO BETTER EXPLAIN THE SECTOR'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLICYMAKERS, THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC;- WITH INPUT FROM A COHORT OF 12 FOUNDATION AND NONPROFIT LEADERS, WE PUBLISHED "EXPLORING OPENNESS." THE REFLECTIONS INSPIRED THE 2018 THEME FOR THE ANNUAL C(3) FORUM CONVENING HUNDREDS OF PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE TOPIC OF STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS ALL-DAY CONFERENCE IS TO BRING TOGETHER FUNDERS AND NONPROFITS TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND INCREASE UNDERSTANDING. WE PRESENT THE ALL-DAY PROGRAM EVERY YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COLORADO NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER;- OUR STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ALSO ALLOWED US TO COLLABORATE ON MANY EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS AND CONVENINGS;- COMPILED E-NEWS UPDATES AND LINKS TWICE A MONTH WITH INFORMATION ABOUT CAF EVENTS, MEMBERS NEWS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS, AS WELL AS REGIONAL/NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC DEVELOPMENTS, REPORTS AND TRENDS;- OFFERED A VARIETY OF WEB-BASED RESOURCES TO MEMBERS, INCLUDING PHILANTHROPY NEWS LINKS AND DATA, ONLINE JOB BANK TO POST EMPLOYMENT OPENINGS AS WELL AS ONLINE PROGRAM REGISTRATION AND SEARCH TOOLS;- CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH UNITED PHILANTHROPY FORUM ON NEW WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION WITH OTHERS DATABASES TO LAUNCH IN 2019;- DISTRIBUTED UPDATES AND INFORMATION TO MEMBERS THROUGH EMAIL AND LISTSERV COMMUNICATIONS ON POLICY MATTERS, NEWS AND PROGRAMMING;- ASSISTED MEMBERS WITH INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THROUGH INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, PHONE CALLS AND EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS;- PRODUCED ANNUAL REPORTS ON COLORADO FOUNDATION AND INDIVIDUAL CHARITABLE GIVING DATA.

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