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Grants

$500,000 Grant round open now! Applications will be accepted for both Disability Application Assistance and New & Innovative grants through January 31, 2024 at 11:59PM MST. Open listening sessions with committee members December 21, 2023 and January 12, 2024 at 4:00 on Zoom.

Background

Under the Laura Hershey Disability Support Act, as amended, C.R.S. § 24-30-2200 et seq., the Colorado Disability Funding Committee (the “CDFC”) "shall invite nonprofit entities to submit a proposal for a program to aid persons with disabilities in accessing disability benefits" and “shall accept and review proposals to fund projects or programs that study or pilot new and innovative ideas that will lead to an improved quality of life or increased independence for persons with disabilities.”

In pursuit of the CDFC mission, we encourage applicants to understand the following before submitting a grant application. To do so, please review the CDFC Grants Overview. Since 2017 CDFC has awarded $275,000 in grants to Colorado disability organizations.

Disability Benefit Application Assistance Grants

The requirements for disability benefit application assistance grants can be found in C.R.S. 24-30-2204. These grants can fund assistance in obtaining Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), as well as Colorado Medicaid benefits.

New & Innovative Grants

The Committee defines "new and innovative ideas," as that term is used in C.R.S. 24-30- 2204.5, to mean novel or original concepts for improving quality of life or increased independence for persons with disabilities, whether such concepts are completely new or propose changes to existing concepts, programs, projects, products, or fields.

Application Process

  1. Applicants submit an initial new and innovative grant proposal or disability application assistance grant proposal for review.
  2. CDFC staff will distribute all proposals to the Grants sub-committee. Proposals are reviewed and discussed within 10 business days of the proposal deadline.
  3. CDFC Grant sub-committee will review all proposals and select finalists  for further evaluation.
  4. CDFC will notify the submitting organization of the Grants sub-committee's decision within 5 business days of the meeting.  CDFC will invite the finalists to submit supporting documentation, including detailed project information, budget, and board membership. Applicants will have 10 business days to submit the additional grant application information requested.
  5. The CDFC Grant sub-committee will make a final determination of approval or denial upon review of additional information and advance its recommendation to the full CDFC. 
  6. The full CDFC will vote on the recommendations from the Grant sub-committee. 
  7. Applicants will be notified of CDFC decisions. Decisions of the full CDFC committee are final. 

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. Please submit any questions to the Colorado Disability Funding Committee Administrator, SOC_DFC@state.co.us.

New & Innovative Grant Documents

Things You Need to Know

  • The CDFC is a State organization that distributes State funding, and as such has responsibility to the citizens of Colorado to make sure funds distributed are being used as they were intended. As a condition of receiving these funds, your organization is required to report to the CDFC periodically regarding their use. Using your application and Grant Agreement Summary as a guideline, please submit the reports using the forms below.
  • Should the CDFC have any questions regarding your report they may ask additional questions. You may need to provide additional documentation or appear before the CDFC to provide additional information.
  • Organizations that are awarded a grant will be contacted with an award letter and be asked to complete the necessary documentation to process grant funds. The Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration will process your documents and disburse the funds.

Questions?

Please contact the Colorado Disability Funding Committee Administrator at SOC_DFC@state.co.us