The Boettcher family have been prominent in Colorado philanthropy for many years. Charles Boettcher operated several successful businesses in the state in the 1800s, and his son, Claude, had a desire to give back to the communities that served the family so well. The family’s foundation has been on the local grantmaking scene since 1937. It’s a state-specific grantmaker that’s worth getting to know for nonprofits in the Mountain States region.
Very Specific Funding Priorities
After about 82 years of grantmaking, the Boettcher Foundation took a pause to reevaluate its grantmaking and clarify its funding priorities. It is now re-committed to providing scholarships and supporting biomedical research, initiative-based investments and human capital. The foundation also considers requests for capital building and community infrastructure projects. Boettcher conducted its most recent grantmaking reassessment in 2019, which resulted in a clarification of its existing strategy rather than a major change.
Responsive to Emerging Needs
Although the Boettcher Foundation typically sticks to those specific funding interests, it is also responsive to emerging needs when emergencies arise. For example, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Boettcher launched the COVID Biomedical Research Innovation Fund, a $1 million rapid response fund to support expert researchers at Colorado universities and hospitals. Rather than providing emergency disaster relief, Boettcher supported existing biomedical research efforts centered on COVID-19-related risk factors, treatment, vaccines and testing.
Colorado-Specific Grantmaking
This is a Colorado-specific grantmaker that focuses on Colorado students, Colorado teachers, Colorado scientists, and nonprofits that make Colorado a better place to live. The foundation prioritizes the needs of rural Colorado in particular, but it also funds organizations with a statewide scope. The foundation says it approaches grantmaking through a lens of “rural depth or statewide breadth.” To see a map with the total number of grants and total grant dollar amounts by county, visit the funder’s website.
Unsolicited Inquiries Are Welcome
In the past, the Boettcher Foundation has not typically accepted unsolicited grant applications. But that has now changed, and the foundation does welcome inquiry forms that specify how a proposed program or project aligns with its core strategies and focus areas. Nonprofits should submit these forms online via the funder’s website. Boettcher staff review these inquires on a regular basis throughout the year with no submission deadlines. The funder then invites selected organizations to submit full applications to receive grants.
Read more about this foundation and how to get in touch with staff in IP’s Mountain States funding guide.