Dear Friends,
The 2020 Fires Relief Fund was established on October 19 to support those affected by the Cal-Wood and Lefthand Canyon Fires. We extend hearty thanks to all the contributors. As of November 9, 2020, $521K has been raised from 1,000+ donors.
The fund was initiated with a $50K grant generously provided by an anonymous donor family, $15K from Community Foundation Boulder County, and $10K from Mile High United Way. We are also grateful to be partnering with Denver 7 Gives, Elevations Credit Union, Premier Credit Union, Rose Community Foundation, and Community First Foundation.
While thousands of Boulder County residents were on standby to be evacuated, or were evacuated, and many lost homes, the funds raised thus far for the 2020 Fires Relief Fund are sufficient to allow us to respond to this crisis in a holistic manner – addressing both immediate needs, restoration, and future prevention.
Grants from the fund will be allocated in the following manner, to address a wide range of community needs:
The 2020 Fires Relief Fund was established on October 19 to support those affected by the Cal-Wood and Lefthand Canyon Fires. We extend hearty thanks to all the contributors. As of November 9, 2020, $521K has been raised from 1,000+ donors.
The fund was initiated with a $50K grant generously provided by an anonymous donor family, $15K from Community Foundation Boulder County, and $10K from Mile High United Way. We are also grateful to be partnering with Denver 7 Gives, Elevations Credit Union, Premier Credit Union, Rose Community Foundation, and Community First Foundation.
While thousands of Boulder County residents were on standby to be evacuated, or were evacuated, and many lost homes, the funds raised thus far for the 2020 Fires Relief Fund are sufficient to allow us to respond to this crisis in a holistic manner – addressing both immediate needs, restoration, and future prevention.
Grants from the fund will be allocated in the following manner, to address a wide range of community needs:
- Approximately 10% of the fund will be used to provide direct assistance to individuals and families impacted by the fires and evacuations. A partnership between Community Foundation Boulder County and Boulder County Housing and Human Services is addressing this need.
- Approximately 20% of the fund will be granted to fire- and evacuation-affected nonprofit organizations, local government entities, and/or those that are providing additional services to the community or facing increased demand for services because of the fires.
- Approximately 10% of the fund will be utilized to provide vouchers for mental health services for fire-affected Boulder County residents without mental health care coverage. This will be implemented in partnership with a local nonprofit service provider.
- Approximately 25% of the funds will address the financial needs of fire protection districts impacted by the fires.
- Approximately 25% of the funds will be used to support restoration efforts of private and public lands in the burn areas.
- Approximately 10% of the funds will be invested in fire mitigation efforts to prevent or minimize impacts of future fires.
An advisory committee to Community Foundation Boulder County will advise grantmaking decisions. If funds raised exceed needs, the excess will be placed in Community Foundation Boulder County’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
Since joining the foundation in July, I have been privileged to see how this Boulder County community steps up to care for one another. Let us continue building on this strength.
Please consider a gift to the foundation’s annual operating fund, which enables the foundation to respond to community needs throughout the year, every year.
Warm regards,
Tatiana Hernandez, CEO