Edwards, CO –In order to better serve locals in the valley who are experiencing a medical crisis, the Vail Valley Charitable Fund (VVCF) is pleased to announce the approval of a $100,000 Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant.
The Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant was created after the Colorado House Bill 22-1356 was signed into law in June 2022 to help underrepresented communities with limited access to state and federal funding and those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The emphasis on infrastructure and capacity building will help small nonprofits build critical staff and boards while providing funds to invest in the organization’s makeup. A total of 56 grants were awarded statewide; 13 nonprofits In Eagle County were funded for a total of $887,657.
The Vail Valley Charitable Fund runs extremely efficiently with an all-volunteer board of directors, a two-person staff and no physical office space. The local non-profit that is headed into its 28 years of operation applied for this competitive grant and was approved to spend $100,000 on a salary for a full-time Bilingual Program Coordinator.
As the demand for VVCF programs has grown exponentially, the organization has found it increasingly difficult to connect with community members and partnership organizations, find new funding sources, and support locals who need assistance. This new position will help the VVCF better serve the Spanish-speaking community, administrative tasks taken on by the team of two, and allow more time to build relationships with grant recipients, donors, program partners, and grant funders.
“This Non-Profit Infrastructure Grant will provide the Vail Valley Charitable Fund the opportunity to build upon the already strong foundation that exists so that we can better serve our local community members who are experiencing financial hardship due to unforeseen medical catastrophes,” states Brooke Skjonsby, VVCF Executive Director. “Thank you to The Yampa Valley Community Foundation and The Department of Local Affairs for believing in us. We acknowledge the exorbitant amount of time, effort, and collaboration that went into this process, and we are grateful to be awarded this generous grant.”
The Vail Valley Charitable Fund is looking to hire the Bilingual Coordinator position quickly. For more information on the position or how to get involved, go to VVCF.ORG or email brooke@vvcf.org.
The Vail Valley Charitable Fund was created in 1996 to assist individuals who live and work in the Vail Valley experiencing financial hardship due to a medical crisis or long-term illness. The organization distributes one-time grants up to $7,500 and coordinates extended grant fundraisers for applicants requiring additional assistance. Other VVCF programming includes the Eagle County Smiles children’s dental program, Eagle County Grins adult dental program, Eagle County Moves physical therapy program, and the Vail Breast Cancer Group. Since its inception, the Vail Valley Charitable Fund has distributed 9.4 million dollars to over 2,100 local families.
