Our Grantmaking Approach
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation invests in inclusive, diverse, and equitable arts and culture organizations and nonprofit leaders to create a thriving and just Denver. We seek to impact three of our five main goals through our grantmaking initiatives:
- Strengthen cultural organizations and increase arts engagement
- Nurture creative, transformational nonprofit leaders and artists
- Elevate the visibility and value of the arts, cultural heritage, and identity
Our team truly values our relationships with grant partners. We work with organizations at every level of their development through our philanthropy and as thought partners and conveners. We practice trust-based philanthropy and strive to continue to evolve as a learning organization.
We offer several grantmaking initiatives that are designed to support organizations and projects at levels that are most appropriate and comfortable for their scale, stage of development and future trajectory. Many initiatives are designed to specifically support historically under-represented and under-resourced communities. The application and reporting processes are aligned with the various initiatives and the level of funding.
We invite you to take a closer look at each of our initiatives and check back often as we continue to introduce new initiatives and make improvements to existing ones with community input. Prospective applicants who are interested in learning which grant program is most suitable for your organization, please complete the eligibility questionnaire.
Please note that we do not fund: loans, grants or scholarships to individuals; activities or initiatives that have a religious or political purpose; endowment funding; or funding to retire operating debt. We will not consider activities, projects, or programs that will have been completed before funding becomes available (no retroactive funding).
Recent Blog Posts: Grants
2023 Inclusive Communities Grants Announced
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is pleased to announce funding to 20 organizations through its Inclusive Communities Grant program. Designed to support organizations that are integral to the Denver area’s cultural ecosystem and informed, led by and serving [...]
Inclusive Communities grants: Application open for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability arts and cultural organizations
Apply: February 13-March 15, 2023 Beginning on Monday, February 13, qualifying organizations are invited to apply for Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s Inclusive Communities grants. This funding opportunity is designed to support local, community-oriented organizations that play a [...]
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation names two new Trustees; awards $1.5M to Denver arts & cultural organizations
Denver-based funder Bonfils-Stanton Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Patricia Baca, who served as the first Latina Deputy Superintendent for Denver Public Schools, and Rehan K. Hasan, Esq., corporate lawyer and [...]
COVID-19 Arts & Culture Relief Fund wins National Philanthropy Day Award for “Outstanding Foundation”
The COVID-19 pandemic hit Denver’s arts & culture sector incredibly hard due to closures, restrictions and cancelations. Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and The Denver Foundation quickly joined forces and created the COVID-19 Arts & Culture Relief [...]