Bee Vradenburg Foundation offers a simple three-step process to apply for grants. This page is designed to help you with the first step of the process: making sure your project fits our criteria for eligibility.
Once you’re done here, you can move on to step two: Getting in touch with Foundation staff. We’re happy to answer questions along the way!
Is your project a fit?
Making sure your project is a fit for Bee Vradenburg Foundation. If you can answer ‘yes’ to these five questions, you are likely eligible to apply for a BVF grant.
Bee Vradenburg Foundation was founded in 2001 as a private foundation to advance the relevance, resilience and greatness of arts in the Pikes Peak Region.
We only fund projects and organizations that use the arts to serve the community.
We do not fund performances or arts events designed as fundraisers for non-arts causes.
Think carefully about this – our application asks you to explain how our goals are relevant to what you do.
- Advocate for arts and arts education as a vital part of the region’s economy and quality of life.
- Support emerging and diverse artists, art forms, audiences, and artistic endeavors.
- Foster growth and resilience for arts organizations that are part of the cultural fabric of the region.
- Build organizational capacity of arts groups.
- Cultivate partnerships with businesses and funders to leverage new financial resources for the arts.
We only fund projects and organizations that impact El Paso County and the Ute Pass corridor of Teller County, including Woodland Park.
BVF can only write checks to nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organizations.
This means we cannot provide grants to individual artists or for-profit businesses.
If your project does not have 501(c)3 status, you will need to provide proof that you have a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization ready to receive checks and take care of tax compliance on your behalf.
As part of our application, you’ll be asked to provide a copy of your official nondiscrimination policy, signed by your board chair.
To be eligible for funding from BVF, your policy must be inclusive of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status and marital status.
Grant FAQs
Applications must be submitted by January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15.
We’ll let you know the outcome of the grant request within six weeks.
Organizations may apply for funding once per calendar year.
Grants are structured based on the size of your organization.
- Organizations with prior-year or current-year revenues of $50,000 or less can apply for up to $2,500.
- Organizations with prior-year or current-year revenues of more than $50,000 can apply for up to $15,000.
The Foundation awards several different kinds of grants. You should decide which one fits you best before applying.
General operating grants
- This type of grant can be used for anything your organization does. It is the most common type of grant our Foundation makes. If your organization focuses only on arts activities and you’ve received BVF grants before, consider applying for general operating support.
Program grants
- This type of grant provides funds that will be used for a specific project or activity. While this means you can’t use the money for anything else, it does help boost your chances of getting a grant if you’re applying for the first time, or if not all your organization’s programs are arts-related. Program support is also a good option for large organizations, as BVF grants are relatively small and we’d like to know our funds are making a difference. If any of those describe you, applying for program support may be a good way to ensure your request aligns with our foundation’s goals (see #2 under “Making sure your project is a fit for BVF.”
Capacity-building grants
- This type of grant is for projects that will help your organization function better. Rather than funding the work you do, it funds things that improve your ability to do the work. Hiring a strategic planning consultant, making a fundraising strategy, planning for a key staffer’s retirement, building a database, or exploring a merger are examples of activities that are eligible for capacity-building support.
Challenge grants
- This type of grant uses BVF’s name, credibility and money to help you get more donations. If you are working on recruiting new donors, grantors or businesses to support you, you can ask Bee Vradenburg Foundation to “challenge” those supporters by matching the contribution you want them to make. To apply for a challenge grant, you will need to tell us who you hope to challenge to donate, a specific amount you want them to give, the date by which you hope to get the donations, and how you plan to use the Bee Vradenburg Foundation name to motivate them to give.
Capital projects
- This type of grant helps an organization to buy buildings, land or equipment, or to make improvements to property they already own. Organizations seeking capital support should contact the Foundation before applying.
Outreach grants
- This type of grant provides money for things that will help you reach more people with your art. Offering a program designed to include a new group of people, creating an advertising campaign, or other activities aimed at increasing exposure to the arts are examples of projects that are eligible for outreach support.
In general, we prefer to fund nonprofit arts organizations working in schools. Please contact the Foundation if you would like more information on this.
No problem. Please send us an update and together we’ll determine the best course of action.
No fear – BVF often works with new organizations and first-time applicants. Please contact us so we can help walk you through the process. This is one of our favorite parts of working with our partner organizations!
If you’re looking for more grant writing help, check out the Grantsmanship Center.
There are many organizations that provide funding for Colorado nonprofits. Here’s a list of who funds what.
Bee Vradenburg Foundation is a proud member of the Philanthropy Collective. If you believe your project would be a good fit for one of our fellow TPC members, please let us know so we can refer you.
Not seeing your answer on this page? Please contact us; we’ll be happy to talk with you.