The Rotary Club of Fort Collins (RCFC) plans to award financial grants to 501(c)(3) non-profit service organizations located in the Fort Collins area. Grants are awarded quarterly; the category for the Third Quarter of 2026 is Education.
Community Grants Program
The Rotary Club of Fort Collins, Community Grants Committee is in the process of revising its Community Grants application process. Rest assured that Community Grants are a very important part of the Rotary mission and are supported by generous donations by its club members. Therefore, we will be pausing all application submissions as we work to move from our current quarterly funding themes to more manageable funding cycles with input from Community Grants committee members and The Rotary Club of Fort Collins Board of Directors.
If you have any questions, please contact us at grants@rotarycluboffortcollins.org.
Rotarian Mary Waters presented a $3,600 Community Grant check to Kristi Briles on behalf of Respite Care. The funds will be used purchase outdoor weather-resistant storage sheds to house playground toys and equipment. Kristi presented a full program about Respite Care's mission, history, and growth since its founding in 1981. Respite Care is the only organization in Northern Colorado that provides daycare and overnight respite care for children with developmental disabilities and their families.
On Wednesday July 8, Steve Schaefer represented our Community grants Committee, and presented a check for $2,100 to the Ironhorse Theraputic Farm. The grant will be used to create an adaptive garden program, with raised garden beds, and special adaptive tools, including sensory materials. This program will be used by approximately 450 children with disabilities. Accepting the check is Executive Director Taneal Behm.
June 17th. David Morse, member of our club's Community Grant Committee, presented a $2,325.00 check the Laurel Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, represented by Bailie Burgess.
April 8, 2026: Community Grant Committee presented a $2,000 check to Jeonghun Kim, on behalf of the Hansori Korean Cultural Organization. Rotary funds will support the procurement of authentic Korean costumes to be used at cultural + educational events throughout Northern Colorado. Hansori also provides mentorship and support camps for families who have adopted Korean children.
The Rotary Club of Fort Collins (RCFC) plans to award financial grants to deserving 501(c)(3) non-profit service organizations located in the Fort Collins area on a quarterly schedule during the Year 2026. For the Second Quarter of 2026, the category will be “Youth.” Key dates: We will begin accepting applications on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Application Due Date is end of day Sunday May 24, 2026, and Grant awards will be made starting mid-June, 2026.
April 1, 2026: Steve Schaefer presented a $3,000 Community Grant check to Emily Zaynard, Executive Director of the Global Village Museum of Arts and Culture. The funds will be used to revitalize the Museum's International Musical Instrument Room and expand space into the John E. Robert’s Global Art Gallery. Updating the room and gallery will help to highlight the connections between international music and cultures, and make the space a vibrant hub for visitors' global exploration and enjoyment.
March 25,2026: David Morse presented a $5,000 Community Grant check to Wendi Burback, Artistic Director for the Centennial Children's Chorus. The Chorus provides accessible high-quality choral music education to approximately 150 young singers K-8th grade throughout Northern Colorado. The funds will be used to purchase an enclosed trailer for the storage and transport of the Chorus' risers and equipment to performance venues.
The Rotary Club of Fort Collins (RCFC) plans to award financial grants to deserving 501(c)(3) non-profit service organizations located in the Fort Collins area. Grants will be awarded in specific categories quarterly. For the First Quarter of 2026, the category will be Arts & Culture.
The Rotary Club of Fort Collins (RCFC) plans to award financial grants to deserving 501(c)(3) non-profit service organizations located in the Fort Collins area. Grants will be awarded in specific categories quarterly. For the fourth quarter of 2025, the category will be Health & Wellness.
Oct. 15, 2025: Susan Brand presented a $2,000 Community Grant check to Laurie Klith, on behalf of The Center for Family Outreach, Fort Collins.
Oct. 8, 2025: Kevin Davie presented a $1,500 Community Grants check to Josh Moore, 5th-grade teacher at Olander Elementary School, Fort Collins. The Rotary funds will be used to purchase supplies and support Olander's annual "Eco Week," a 3-day, 2-night trip for 5th-grade students to C.S.U.'s Mountain Campus.
July 23, 2025: Susan Brand presented a $3,500 Community Grant check to Wayne Dehn, on behalf of the Aero Cygnet Association.
With generous support from the Rotary Club of Fort Collins, KRFC 88.9 FM replaced its aging studio turntables with new, broadcast-quality equipment.
Oct. 1, 2025: Our club's Steve Schaefer presented a $2,000 Community Grant check to Cheryl Campbell, on behalf of the Children's Speech and Reading Center in Fort Collins.
Sept. 24, 2025: Our club's Community Grant Committee presented a $2,000 check to Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc. via Elizabeth Winn, Director of J.A.'s Regional Development.
The Community Grants Committee awarded $750 to Friends of Laughing Buck Farm. The money will be used to purchase new riding helmets for their equestrian therapy program, which is a part of their Farm School.
One of our past "Teacher of the Month," Kate Steven, received a $1,500 Community Grants check on behalf of the Poudre Global Academy Garden Club, from Don Unger. The Rotary Charitable Giving funds will be used to help build a STEM-lead, student-driven living classroom Greenhouse on the school's premises.
July 2nd. Our Community Grant Committee, represented by Don Jorgensen, presented a $2,000 check to Crossroads Safehouse to support its "Time to Talk" teen dating violence prevention program.
Wednesday Evening Meeting, April 23, 2025: Susan Brand, Community Grants Committee, presented a $1,500 CG check to Justin Clapp, Executive Director for KRFC 88.9FM Radio. Rotary funds will be used to purchase four new turntables to enhance the local radio station's volunteer-powered community-driven programming, and help preserve the authenticity of vinyl broadcasting. KRFCis dedicated to community engagement through music and storytelling; and reaches 33,000 listeners over the age of 25 years in Larimer, Weld, and Boulder counties, along with online streaming.
April 14, 2025: Community Grants representative Susan Brand presented a $1,000 CG check to the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra via Alyssa Roggow, representative for the Symphony's "B-Sharp" Community Engagement Program.
Wednesday Evening Meeting, April 9, 2025: Colleen Reyes, Integrative Studies Teacher with Fort Collins High School, received a $1,000 Rotary STEM Grant check on behalf of FCHS to support the physical resources needed for expansion of science classes held in its Greenhouse. Rotary funds will help provide supplies for STEM students to do hands-on planning, initiating, monitoring, and evaluating numerous outdoor science projects involving soils, plants, and insects.
April 9, 2025: Dr. Bryan Wallick, Associate Professor of Piano, and Dr. Janet Landreth, Professor Emeritus, CSU, received a Community Grants check for $3,000, to support the upcoming International Keyboard Odyssiad Competition and Festival, held the first week of August, 2025. The international piano competition, held at the CSU University Center for the Arts, will feature pianists, instructors, and students from more than 20 countries. Volunteers are needed to help greet, process, and guide guest artists, students, teachers, and piano enthusiasts, and will have the opportunity to experience free professional performances each evening. For more information: https://www.odyssiad.com.
April 23, 2025: Rotarian Steve Schaefer presented a $1,000 Community Grants check to Sabrina Stoker, Executive Director for the Poudre Heritage Alliance. Rotary Club funds will be used to support "Capture the Cache" Art Exhibition, a juried art show of local art works and photographs celebrating the natural beauty, culture, and heritage of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area. Art piece categories include Agriculture, Community, and Weather. The exhibition is free and open to the public June 4-29. Opening reception is 5-7pm, Tuesday, June 3, at the "Visit Fort Collins Welcome Center," #1 Old Town Square; entrance is on the north side of the street across from the intersection of Mountain + Remington Avenues. For more information: www.poudreheritage.org.
The Community Grants committee awarded $1,000.00 to the “Off The Hook Arts’
The Rotary Club of Fort Collins presented the Big Horn District of Scouts America with a $1,000 donation to offset the cost of the 24th annual Rotary Merit Badge University.
Our Community Grants Committee presented a $1,000 check to Kellie Falbo, on behalf of the Sustainable Living Association.
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, our club's Community Grants Committee presented a $2500 check to Delanie Daniels and Ann Lance on behalf of Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center.
Money will be used to support the Girl Education Initiatives (Girl Leaders & Role Model Art Workshops) which bring the community together to invest in the next generation of girls and provide self-determination, positive identity formation, and social connectedness.
A grant was recently presented to Janet Hatfield, business development manager for Healing Warriors. Rotarian Susan Brand presented a Community Grants check of $2,500 to be applied towards its mission of providing non-narcotic therapy for veterans, service members, and their families to treat pain, PTSD, and sleep disorders.
Rotarian Susan Brand presented a check to Gina Wallick, treasurer of the Front Range Chambers Players. She represented this organization at last Wednesday’s noon meeting when the Community Grants Committee presented the educational grant for $2,000 to support FRCP’s free children’s concerts.
Last Wednesday, our Rotary Club presented a $1,000 check to Gene Apuan, Captain of the Fort Collins Salvation Army, to be used for backpacks and school supplies distributed to 700 students during SA‘s Back to School Carnival.
Community grants recently awarded a $1270 youth program grant to Sustainable Living. They will use our grant to help fund their youth climate action event. This is a youth-developed, youth-driven, and youth-led event to promote climate awareness.
Our community grants committee recently awarded a $3,000 youth program grant to the Food Bank for Larimer County to purchase snack items for their mobile food truck. As part of this grant award, we were able to volunteer by helping to provide meals and snacks at recent locations for the Food Bank’s mobile food truck. Thanks Rotarians for making a difference in our community!
Our Community Grants Committee recently awarded $3,000 to the Gary Bamford Pack Pantry. The students at Bamford elementary researched the needs of the people in their area. They will use our grant to help purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat and poultry, and new sock & underwear. This pantry serves Poudre School District families in Southeast Fort Collins. The pantry is open to families in the Bamford area or anyone in the greater community area that has a need.
Community Grants recently awarded a youth program grant to the Food Bank for Larimer County. They will use our grant to provide snacks to every child who visits their mobile Lunch Lab meal program this summer. This take-home snack will be a supplement to the free lunch they eat on site.