Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, Denver’s premier private arts funder, has committed over $90 million in grants since 1981 to support arts institutions and organizations. With a vision to foster a just and vibrant city, the foundation integrates arts and leadership to influence Denver's cultural and civic landscape. It focuses on impactful investments, innovative grant-making, and forming community partnerships to build a lively city that is inclusive and works for everyone.
The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation's grantmaking approach emphasizes supporting inclusive, diverse, and equitable arts and culture organizations, alongside nonprofit leaders, to contribute to a thriving and just Denver. The foundation is dedicated to achieving three main goals: strengthening cultural organizations and increasing arts engagement, nurturing creative and transformative nonprofit leaders and artists, and elevating the arts, cultural heritage, and identity. It offers quarterly community grants in the form of unrestricted operating grants to enhance an organization's ongoing stability and mission fulfillment, with project support available for fostering relations. These grants, which can reach up to $60,000, aim to provide foundational support, acknowledging that building a lasting relationship may be a gradual process. Initial applications require an eligibility questionnaire and consultation with foundation staff.