Denver Foundation
92% goes to programs $2 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Denver Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Denver, Colorado, registered in 1943, with $208,259,786 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 92% of spending to programs.
1009 N Grant St, Denver, CO, 80203 EIN 84-6048381 Since 1943
Revenue (FY2024)
$208.3M
▲ 91.5% vs prior year
Philanthropy median: $168K
Expenses (FY2024)
$161.8M
Net assets
$1.2B
Employees
68
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
A+Program efficiency40% of the rating92% to programs · $2 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Denver Foundation: 92% to programs · $2 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating88 mo reserves · +22% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Denver Foundation: 88 mo reserves · +22% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Denver Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Denver Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To inspire people and mobilize resources to strengthen our community.
What they do
Community grants program: the denver foundation's donor-built permanent endowment fuels the community grants program, which supports constituent-led organizations that work to reduce disparities in their communities. the community grants program helps nonprofit organizations create positive change. through this grantmaking, the foundation supports nonprofits that serve the seven-county metro denver area; advancing the foundation's core values; and aligning with the foundation's priority funding areas of climate and environment, economic opportunity, youth well-being, and housing. to be eligible for funding, organizations must have a 501(c)3 tax exempt status, serve residents in adams, arapahoe, boulder, broomfield, denver, douglas, or jefferson counties, and fulfill the goals outlined in the published grant.
The denver foundation operates 84 different scholarship programs. in 2024 these programs supported 1,131 students in 119 schools.
Administration and disbursement of funds for charitable use: the denver foundation administers endowments for numerous nonprofit organizations.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1009 N Grant St, Denver, CO, 80203
- City
- Denver
- State
- Colorado
- Subcategory
- Public Foundations
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $68.2M (FY2013) to $208.3M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $129.8MNet assets $1.2B
Operating margin
22.3%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$1.3B
Total liabilities
$129.8M
Net assets
$1.2B
Salaries & benefits
$6.9M
4% of expenses
Board members
19
18 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $208,259,786▲91.5% | $161,755,855▲2.8% | $1,192,868,095▲9.0% | $1,322,643,652▲8.5% | 990 |
| 2023 | $108,742,732▼21.0% | $157,373,207▲19.1% | $1,094,567,450▲6.1% | $1,218,743,437▲5.9% | 990 |
| 2022 | $137,620,038▼54.7% | $132,117,361▲9.4% | $1,031,832,937▼12.7% | $1,150,464,668▼12.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $304,010,379▲60.3% | $120,778,067▼4.6% | $1,181,520,108▲30.9% | $1,310,694,972▲31.9% | 990 |
| 2020 | $189,641,789▲29.6% | $126,565,139▲12.7% | $902,629,402▲17.7% | $993,536,650▲16.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $146,305,774▲46.8% | $112,346,898▲19.1% | $766,926,955▲17.9% | $852,362,353▲19.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $99,662,221▼17.0% | $94,336,303▲16.4% | $650,664,511▼6.7% | $711,115,822▼6.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $120,030,124▲55.8% | $81,071,246▲25.2% | $697,538,246▲18.7% | $763,707,293▲14.7% | 990 |
| 2016 | $77,019,558▼16.9% | $64,739,172▼41.8% | $587,548,419▲4.0% | $665,989,825▲0.9% | 990 |
| 2015 | $92,698,190▼27.6% | $111,284,632▲41.6% | $564,994,952▼8.3% | $660,158,892▼3.6% | 990 |
| 2014 | $127,965,471▲87.6% | $78,613,161▲29.2% | $616,070,877▲10.3% | $684,848,713▲8.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $68,227,870 | $60,868,102▼17.0% | $558,606,158▲12.1% | $630,847,845▲13.1% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $73,319,730▲33.1% | $498,149,213▲7.8% | $557,761,573▲9.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $55,084,442▼27.5% | $462,158,624▲1.2% | $507,743,860▼4.8% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $75,961,575 | $456,671,017 | $533,503,997 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Javier A Soto — $490,058 (0.30% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Javier A Soto | President | 45 | $490,058 |
| Dace West-schlue | Chief Impact Officer | 45 | $245,930 |
| Margaret Danuser | Chief Financial Officer | 45 | $229,586 |
| Ladawn Sullivan | Exec. Dir. of Black Resilience of Co | 45 | $153,259 |
| Abigail Kesner | Vp of Communication | 45 | $151,421 |
| Sharon Harper | Senior Director of Scholarships | 45 | $139,577 |
| Brian Van Vleet | Sen. Dir., Information Technology | 45 | $131,923 |
| Benjamin Perry | Sen. Dir., Philanthropic Investment | 45 | $130,675 |
| Courtney Clapp | Interim Cfo (thru 2/5/24), Treasury Manager | 20 | $125,085 |
| Alisha Brown | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Brenna Simmons-st Onge | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Damon O Barry | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Erika Reyes Martinez | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jennifer M Kilpela | Trustee | 1 | — |
| John Loewy | Immediate Past Chair | 2 | — |
| Joseph Garcia | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Julie Reiskin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Karen M Robinson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kelly Jean Brough | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Lee E Reichert | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Commercial Property Services | Building Parking Lot Repair | $452,000 |
| Nepc LLC | Investment Consultant | $411,694 |
| Holland & Hart LLP | Legal Services | $336,700 |
| Latino Coalition For Community Leadershi | Contract Services | $262,500 |
| Foundant Technologies Inc | Financial Activities Software | $158,850 |
Grants received · $153.6M total
93 grants to Denver Foundation totaling $153.6M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Community Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $500,000 |
| New Hampshire Charitable Foundation | For the western art gallery fund | 2024 | $100,000 |
| Rose Community Foundation | Denver immigrant legal services fund, house1000 fund | 2024 | $71,985 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $33,000 |
| The Seattle Foundation | Black resilience colorado fund. | 2024 | $30,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $8,331 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $2,150,561 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Philanthropy | 2023 | $942,080 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $712,700 |
| Denver Foundation | Roman catholic | 2023 | $100,000 |
| The Seattle Foundation | To support the black resilience colorado fund. | 2023 | $100,000 |
| Mile High United Way Inc | Desig, other | 2023 | $45,434 |
| Rose Community Foundation | Aapi demographic study, colorado asian american pacific islander circle fund | 2023 | $30,222 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2023 | $25,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $18,048 |
Grants made · $131.7M in FY2024
1,184 grants totaling $131.7M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Denver Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Philanthropic Tr | Philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking foundations n.e.c. | $25,000,000 |
| Plentiful | Food programs | $4,000,000 |
| Denver Public Schools Foundation | Fund raising & fund distribution | $3,246,196 |
| The Denver Health and Hospitals Foundation | Fund raising & fund distribution | $2,650,879 |
| Regents of the University of California At Berkeley | Universities | $2,176,316 |
| Barton Institute For Community Action | Philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking foundations n.e.c. | $2,106,500 |
| Urban Peak Denver | Children & youth services | $2,028,660 |
| Colorado Community College System Foundation | Fund raising & fund distribution | $2,010,129 |
| Northeast American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church | Christianity | $2,000,000 |
| Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Diocese of South-west America | Christianity | $2,000,000 |
| Childrens Hospital Colorado | Specialty hospitals | $1,691,233 |
| University of Colorado Foundation | Single organization support | $1,431,553 |
| The Gathering Place A Refuge For Rebuilding Lives | Emergency assistance | $1,426,618 |
| Cobalt Foundation | Reproductive rights | $1,275,883 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Named trusts n.e.c. | $1,239,085 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Denver Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Denver Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 84-6048381, based in Denver, Colorado. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Denver Foundation's EIN?
- Denver Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 84-6048381.
- How much revenue does Denver Foundation report?
- Denver Foundation reported $208,259,786 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Denver Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Denver Foundation spends about 92% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Denver Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Denver Foundation A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Denver Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Denver Foundation's latest Form 990 is $490,058, paid to Javier A Soto (President).
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Data for Denver Foundation (EIN 84-6048381) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.