Funding search · higher education access · Colorado
Who funds higher education access work in Colorado
10 funders have a record of paying for higher education access work by Colorado recipients: 17 grants totaling $2.9M, most recently in 2025 — mostly private foundations, plus grantmaking charities. The largest by matched giving are The Spencer Foundation ($401,952), Walton Family Foundation ($1.5M) and Anschutz Family Foundation ($23,500).
From IRS Form 990-PF and 990 Schedule I filings, 2019–2025. Grants already paid to Colorado recipients — evidence of what these funders back, not open calls.
Largest: $202,437 to American Indian College Fund — american indian and alaska native college students: building collaborative data capacity and investigating college access, persistence, and graduation success
Largest: $770,599 to University of Denver — to support large-scale impact for first-generation students at du through enhanced financial aid awards and support for experiential opportunities that are fundamental to the under…
Largest: $8,500 to Roaring Fork PreCollegiate — to support roaring fork precollegiate, a college access program providing comprehensive high school and college advising and mentoring, access to resources, and experiential opport…
Largest: $200,000 to STRIVE PREP — college access & speech and debate
Largest: $255,280 to COLLEGE ACCESS NAVIGATORS — champion health equity, nurture healthy minds
Largest: $25,000 to MINDS MATTER — minds matter college access mentoring program
Largest: $10,000 to UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO FOUNDATION INC — first generation student scholarship fund
The Denver FoundationDenver, COCharity · may take applications
1 matching grant · $100,000 · through 2023Largest: $100,000 to COLLEGE ACCESS NAVIGATORS INC — secondary & high schools
Caring for Colorado Centennial FundDenver, COCharity · may take applications
1 matching grant · $37,667 · through 2023Largest: $37,667 to COLLEGE ACCESS NAVIGATORS — bridge to brighter f
Largest: $15,000 to DENVER SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION — college access - multiple pathways to success
This is one topic and one state. PaperOrbit reads your actual paper and searches on everything in it — then explains why each funder fits.
Start with one paperBroader: higher education access funders nationally · all Colorado-based grantmakers