Colorado county resumes program giving financial support to nonprofits

A program helping nonprofit organizations in Arapahoe County is resuming after being put on pause for a year.

Since 2008, Aid to Agencies has given financial support to nonprofits providing critical services in the community. The program will return after Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners redesigned it and its priorities.

"The County decided to look at the data that we had available to us, as well as our community needs assessment and community health assessment, and we have decided we want to be much more strategic and be much more impactful with our service dollars," said Jill McGranahan, Arapahoe County's public information officer.

Since starting the program, the county has provided about $27 million from its general fund to over 50 nonprofits that meet service gaps.

McGranahan acknowledged, while some nonprofits have closed their doors recently and faced uncertainty, by using data, the county can better target resources where they're needed most.

The county is concentrating on four priority areas -- housing and homeless services, food assistance, mental and behavioral health/substance abuse and transportation.

"You'll really see that the alignment is there with these areas," McGranahan said. "We want to be good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars and get the biggest bang for it back. And we feel like, focusing on these areas, we're going to be able to do that."

Integrated Family Community Services, which has been around for over six decades, relies heavily on outside support and grants from Aid to Agencies. The organization has a no-cost grocery store, providing food and other items to community members in need, and up to 72,000 people every year. In the last funding cycle, the organization received $20,000 in grants from the Aid to Agencies program, and that money helped a lot of people.

"With the Aid to Agency grant, throughout the year, we can serve our 6,700 families or about 22,000 individuals," said Todd McPherson, the development director at IFCS.

 McPherson said, as demand grows, and other funding becomes limited, the return of the program is welcomed.

"The Aid to Agencies grant is a really big difference in filling the void from a lot of other resources that are not renewed," McPherson said. "We subside on partnerships, and Arapahoe County and surrounding communities have been our biggest supporters over the last six decades."

"We feel very grateful that we still have the funds within our general fund to support these community partners," McGranahan said.

McPherson said the organization plans to apply for more grants from Aid to Agencies for the upcoming funding cycle.

"We can give more people more resources through this grant," McPherson said. "About a quarter of our constituents come from Arapahoe County, and we serve people of all demographics and all needs, and the grant going a long way in helping people get through their societal obstacles," McPherson said.

In turn, McPherson believes it will help residents such like Jackeline Ibarra, who benefits by being able to pick up groceries for her family at IFCS.

"The economy is really crazy expensive right now, so this center has been a big help for us," Ibarra said. "I just really appreciate everyone, all the volunteers and the organization that's been super helpful for not only my family, but everybody else in the community."

Aid to Agencies applications for the 2026 funding cycle close on Sept. 19.

The Aid to Agencies Committee is also offering workshops to nonprofits to help during the application period. The sessions will provide guidance and information to nonprofits on eligibility requirements, application procedures and review process.

To attend a workshop, register with Aid to Agencies. A virtual meeting link will be sent in advance of the workshop date. Arapahoe County also has more information about Aid to Agencies on the county website.