The Rifle Community Foundation is accepting applications for 2023. The Foundation is an organization dedicated to the distribution of charitable funds to community service, human service, and educational organizations from South Canyon to De Beque Canyon. Funding comes primarily from the City of Rifle, but it is an independent entity operated by an executive board.
Organizations that would like to apply for grants in 2023 should visit the Rifle Community Foundation’s website at http://riflecf.org/board.html. Applications are due April 1, 2023.
In the 2023 budget, Rifle City Council appropriated $36,000 to support local 501(c)(3) organizations that met specific grant criteria. These requirements are:
1. Clear and compelling community need is present.
2. A significant number of people will be served.
3. Program/organization/initiative assists vulnerable or underserved populations.
4. Grant proposal demonstrates that funding will lead to clear and positive outcomes.
The organizations awarded traditional grants in 2022 were:
Access After School
Advocate Safehouse
Buddy Program
CASA of the Ninth
Family Visitor Program
Focused Kids
Garfield County Search & Rescue
High Country RSVP
Kenzi's Cause
NUTS
Middle Colorado Watershed
Pathfinders
Raising a Reader
RIDE Program
Journey Home Animal Care Center
River Bridge
West Elk Trails
Western Slope Veterans Coalition
The City of Rifle also provides funding to the Rifle Community Foundation for the Dependency, Prevention and Recovery Fund to be distributed to entities that address the impacts of drug and alcohol usage in the Rifle community. Recipients in the 2022 grant cycle were Youth Zone, FLINT, A Way Out, and the Discovery Café.
Requirements for the Dependency, Prevention and Recovery Fund grants include:
1. The funds can be used for any program that addresses the impacts of any problem drug and alcohol usage, including marijuana, for those children 18 years old or under living in the jurisdiction of the Garfield County RE-2 School District. This includes educational efforts and treatment.
2. The funds should be used for direct intervention with the person or persons actually experiencing personal drug and alcohol abuse. Directing funds to address tangential problems of other family, friends or relationships will not be considered. However, voluntary counseling for parents of children abusing drugs or alcohol may be considered.
3. Applicants must be a 501(c)(3), government, special district or organization under the oversight of another organization with similar qualifications.
For updated information on all City matters, please go to our website, www.rifleco.org or our Facebook and Twitter pages.