NoCo community foundation sets record distributions

FORT COLLINS — The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado has set a record for fund distributions by distributing more than $12 million during the past year. The foundation’s fiscal year ended June 30.

Among the highlights of the foundation’s work this past year was the transfer of the $2.45 million Sky Corral Ranch to a newly created, independent nonprofit organization. Sky Corral Ranch, located on Old Flowers Road in Stove Prairie, invites nonprofit organizations, youth groups, corporate retreats, families, and organizations of all kinds to take advantage of the 105-acre facility adjacent to the Roosevelt National Forest, 45 minutes west of Fort Collins. Sky Corral Ranch provides day use (capacity 100), or overnight stays for groups between 15 and 33 people.    

The Bill and Avis Ward family donated the ranch to the foundation in 2015. The foundation funded $1.2 million in improvements to the ranch since that time.

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The foundation’s Enander Family Foundation Fund — which honors the legacy of Aqua-Hot Heating Systems founder Hap Enander (the first corporation given in its entirety to the community foundation) — provided a $1 million operating endowment.  The city of Greeley donated water rights for the property, and numerous donors have helped make the vision of a regional gathering place a reality, according to information supplied by the foundation.  

“The role of the community foundation has been to serve as a catalyst for the project,” said Ray Caraway, president and CEO. “The foundation’s relationship with hundreds of donors, many of whom have donor advised funds, places this organization in a unique position to bring resources and expertise together.”

Also among the foundation’s distributions in the past year was money donated to Colorado’s Hurricane Recovery Fund. During the fall of 2017, more than 1,000 Coloradans collectively donated $1,111,805 to support U.S. communities and territories impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. This amount includes $553,660 from the Bohemian Foundation that was issued as a dollar-for-dollar match to encourage residents throughout the state to support those in need. Organizations in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were among those to receive recovery funding for home repair, health care, disaster-recovery counseling, case management and legal services.  The complete list of organizations that received funding is found at NoCoFoundation.org/hurricane.

The foundation also supported the Poudre Whitewater Park Fund with $1.2 million. The whitewater park will be located just north of Old Town Fort Collins in the river district. This project was supported by other foundation funds and donors, including the Jack and Ginger Graham Family Fund.