Goals and Approach
- Enrich Denver’s Cultural Life and Landscape
- Embrace and advance DEI practices and work towards equitable access and engagement in the arts
- Support key cultural organizations that consistently demonstrate artistic excellence, visionary leadership and adaptive capacity
- Identify and nurture grass-roots innovative organizations and initiatives that enhance the values, spirit and diversity of Denver’s cultural community
- Connect the arts and community in new and surprising ways
- Leverage philanthropic support for arts and leadership from other sources
- Nurture current and next generation of artists and participants
- Elevate the profile of Denver’s arts scene, both locally and nationally
- Cultivate exceptional leaders and change agents
- Recognize distinguished Coloradans for unique and significant contributions
- Invest in nonprofit leadership development; Identify and nurture leaders who demonstrate high potential and move them from “success to significance.”
- Operate the Foundation to the highest management and ethical standards; strive to be recognized as “best in class” for our size
- Utilize best systems and technology to achieve our goals and objectives
- Leverage, quantify and communicate the impact of our grantmaking and programs, as well as “why we do what we do”
- Attract, keep and nurture a superior team that advances our mission – strive to be viewed as a thought partner by our grantees, not just a funder
- Be effective stewards of Foundation assets to maximize the impact in the pursuit of our mission.
Theory of Change
In 2019, information gathering and reflection led the Foundation to develop a theory of change that is rooted in equity and will guide us moving forward. Although we have had a working strategic plan with specific funding objectives, we had never really articulated what our desired ultimate impact should be. As a result, we now have strategies, activities, and outcomes that we hope will lead to “Colorado residents enjoying a better quality of life through the arts in Denver.”
