Here is a list of the most common types of grants made to nonprofit organizations:

• General Operating Support – provides for the day-to-day costs of running the nonprofit organization. 
• Project or Program – supports a specific activity or program. 
• Endowment – increases the organization’s endowment fund. 
• Capital – provides support for the purchase of property, the construction of a facility, the remodeling/expansion of a facility, or the purchase of equipment. 
• Unrestricted – allows the nonprofit to support the organization where most needed. 
• Seed – helps to jump start a new organization, a new project, or launch a capital campaign. 
• Challenge or Matching – helps a nonprofit leverage additional dollars through a fundraising campaign.

You always have a choice about whether or not you would like to be identified as the donor of a particular grant.  To give anonymously, check the anonymous box on the Grant Recommendation Form and we will remove all references to your fund in the information that the grantee receives.

Yes, as long as you receive no personal benefit from the grant.

Normally, The Denver Foundation does not require organizations to submit a final report unless they received a grant of $25,000 or more.   If you would like to receive a report for a particular grant, please check the ‘Final Report Requested’ box on the Grant Recommendation Form and we will include this as a requirement of the grant in the letter that is sent to the grantee.

The Denver Foundation has a professional staff with expertise in local nonprofit organizations.  We would be happy to recommend organizations that we know are doing excellent work in the community.  We can provide you with detailed descriptions and evaluations of programs along with copies of an organization’s financial records. We are happy to research the answers to any questions that you might have and arrange site visits.  Site visits are an excellent way to see first hand what an organization is all about and to create a personal connection.

The word pledge implies a legal obligation.  If you were to pay that pledge from your donor-advised fund, the IRS would see it as discharging a personal debt that you have and you would owe taxes on the value you received.

You can make a multi-year grant recommendation from your donor-advised fund as long as there are sufficient funds available to cover the full amount of the grant at the time of submitting the grant to The Denver Foundation for approval.  This scenario is different from a pledge because The Denver Foundation will be approving the grant.  Once approved, this grant will be considered a commitment to the nonprofit organization.  When you recommend the grant, please indicate both the amount and schedule of distribution.  The scheduled distributions will be sent out automatically on the dates that you have determined.