The Colorado Trust is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1985 with proceeds from the sale of PSL Healthcare Corporation. Based in Denver, Colorado, the organization is classified as a 501(c)(3) private foundation dedicated to advancing health equity across the state.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$548.0M
+3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$28.8M
+38.9% YoY
Grant Count
2
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14.4M
+38.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Colorado Trust's mission is to end inequalities that affect racial, ethnic, low-income, and other vulnerable populations. The foundation believes everyone should have fair and equal opportunities to achieve good health.
Under its 2024-26 Strategic Plan, the Trust has focused its grantmaking primarily on:
- Food security
- Housing
- Mental and behavioral health
The foundation advances health equity through field-building approaches to advocacy, public policy, and direct service delivery.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 and above (program-dependent)
How to Apply
Competitive RFP cycles; applications submitted through grants portal
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Colorado statewide
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $548,027,277 (as of December 31, 2024)
- Total liabilities: $7.86 million (2023)
- Net gain on investments and other transactions in 2024: $45.4 million
Annual Giving & Expenses:
- Total revenues: $37,563,966 (2024)
- Total expenses: $44,821,827 (2024)
- Charitable expenditures: $22.4 million (2024)
- Program services expenditures: 85.3% of total expenses (2024)
- Annual giving: $31.6 million (2023)
Historical Impact:
- Since inception in 1985 through 2024, The Colorado Trust has provided over $690 million in charitable support to grantees across Colorado.
Investment Strategy: The Colorado Trust's assets are managed by the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees. The principle investment objective is to maintain the real value of investments in perpetuity while allowing for suitable grant expenditures. The overall goal is to earn 5% plus inflation. The Trust invests in a diverse mix of asset classes to reduce volatility and overall investment risk.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $548,027,277 | $531,367,157 | $527,755,649 |
| Revenue | $37,563,966 | $28,418,812 | $11,676,969 |
| Expenses | $44,821,827 | $43,435,122 | $39,046,982 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $38,518,398 | $36,224,493 | $38,581,320 |
| Net Investment Income | $37,400,363 | $19,187,312 | $13,218,685 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,960,187 | $24,802,742 | $29,450,417 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Don Mares: President and Chief Executive Officer / Treasurer
- Monalisa Olarte: Chief Financial Officer
- Jullian Kesner: Vice President - Communications
- Morris Price: Vice President Grants and Impact
- Asialee Drews: Grants Management Director
- Robert Foley: Grants Program Director
The foundation is governed by 16 officers and trustees. The organization has 37 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Colorado Trust was involved in the Colorado Safe Futures Fund, which awarded inaugural grants to 18 Colorado organizations aimed at increasing community safety and preventing firearm harm.
Colorado Safe Futures\_Fund\_Inaugural Grants\_Aim to Increase Community\The foundation has also highlighted success stories including support for First Southwest Community Fund, which provides loans to rural residents to start businesses who may not have been able to access resources otherwise, with particular focus on immigrant women-led businesses in rural Colorado.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Colorado Trust on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities