The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley (CFGV) celebrated 30 nonprofits Tuesday, July 16 at Taylor Hall on the Western State Colorado University (WSCU) campus. The ceremony began with poetry from David Rothman, showcasing WSCU’s master’s degree program in creative writing.
CFGV board president Roger Dorf remarked, “The groups receiving grants this year are changing our community by living their missions and doing meaningful work. They are truly a force for good.”
This year’s grants fund an impressive gathering of 30 agencies.
Our community will reap the benefits as these groups continue to carry on their work: Crested Butte Avalanche Center, Crested Butte Center for the Arts, Crested Butte Community School Enrichment Program, Crested Butte Land Trust, Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, Crested Butte Music Festival, Crested Butte Nordic, Crested Butte Snowsports Foundation, Dolphin House Child Advocacy Center, Gunnison Country Food Pantry, Gunnison Arts Center, Gunnison Ranchland Conservation Legacy, Gunnison Trails, Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, KBUT, Living Journeys, Mountain Roots, Paradise Place Community School, Project Hope, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Silent Tracks, Stepping Stones Children’s Center, Tenderfoot Child and Family Development Center, Trailhead Children’s Museum, West Elk Soccer Association, and Western State Colorado University for the Mountain Rescue and LEAD programs.
The foundation also provides an infusion of technical support and resources into our nonprofit community through its STEP (Sustainable, Tough, Efficient, Purposeful) nonprofit program. Area consultants donate pro-bono hours to groups that apply for help and advice in areas such as finance, board building, strategic planning, and governance.
Nonprofit education manager Maryo Gard Ewell pointed out that STEP, CFGV’s other training programs, and staff consultation with nonprofits work hand-in-hand with the CFGV grants program to build the capacity of the nonprofits—which in turn helps them attract more funding from outside the valley. Information may be found at www.cfgv.org.
Foundation donors are the real heart of the grant program, making it possible to fund an amazing variety of requests.
“Our donors make this day happen,” emphasized Pam Montgomery, executive director of the Foundation. “They entrust their gifts to us, and through our detailed application and review processes, valuable projects and organizations are selected for funding. Because of our donors’ generosity, we are able to respond to the wide spectrum of local needs. The Grant Celebration honors both sides of the process—our generous donors and the nonprofits they support through the foundation.”
The celebration closed with CFGV board member Mark Ewing who, consistent with David Rothman’s opening poetry, described the nonprofit community as the poets who are creating a “Poetry of Place” in the Gunnison Valley.
To learn more about the Foundation, to become a donor, or to volunteer, please call (970) 641-8837 or (970) 349-5966 or visit the foundation’s website at www.cfgv.org.
