Aspen, Colo. (August 14, 2024) — The Giving Network has awarded $575,250 to 15 local nonprofits that are filling gaps and needs in the Roaring Fork community. As part of the overall mission of Aspen Community Foundation (ACF), the donor-led ‘Giving Network’ brings together local philanthropists to explore pressing community issues in the Aspen to Parachute region.
“Giving circles are a great way to introduce yourself to ideas and nonprofits you may never have come across before,” said Ramona Bruland, Aspen Community Foundation Board Member and Chair of the Giving Network. “This is the first year Giving Network members handled the grant cycle and it was incredibly rewarding. We gained a deep knowledge of each nonprofit we awarded funds to. It’s truly an experience we won’t forget. We’re growing rapidly, welcoming a new wave of younger, invested philanthropists into the Giving Network. There is so much energy and momentum right now.”
The Giving Network opened applications to organizations that demonstrate a need for funding of a program or service that supports any pressing community issue or need, especially one-off large impact expansions, enhancements or new services.
Giving Network funds will be distributed to the following nonprofits:
Harvest for Hunger
Alpine Legal Services
English In Action
Stepping Stones
Raising A Reader
RESPONSE
Challenge Aspen
FocusedKids
CASA of the Ninth
Valley Settlement
Aspen Valley Land Trust
Aspen Youth Center
Pathfinders
The Meeting Place
Early Learning Center of Aspen
Since its inception in 2016, the Giving Network has now invested over $3.1M into the community. Members of the Giving Network meet several times a year to learn from experts and practitioners who are dedicated to finding solutions for the region’s most pressing issues. Members listen, review data, discuss the challenges and seek to identify solutions through conversations and collaborative learning.
Applications for the Giving Network grant cycle open in January and close mid-February. The Giving Network grants committee vetted all 49 applicants to determine organizational criteria. Applications for the 2025 Giving Network grant cycle are expected to open the first week of January 2025. To learn more and apply, visit www.giving-network.org.
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About The Giving Network
The Giving Network engages philanthropists in the Aspen, CO, region in pressing community issues and needs through collaborative learning. Founded in 2016 and hosted by the Aspen Community Foundation with the generous support of Laura and Gary Lauder, the Giving Network provides a unique opportunity for philanthropists to pool membership funds and allocate large grants that have meaningful impact. Learn more at www.giving-network.org.
About Aspen Community Foundation
Since 1980, Aspen Community Foundation (ACF) has been investing in a future where everyone from Aspen to Parachute has equitable opportunities to thrive. To ensure this potential is accessible to all, ACF actively listens and learns about the region’s challenges, connects nonprofit and community leaders advancing solutions, and partners with donors and funders to catalyze community-led change. To learn more about ACF, visit www.aspencommunityfoundation.org.
