Announcing our Rapid Response Grant Partners ($400,000)

How We Took Action: Responding to Crisis with Commitment

When Denver’s arts and culture community faced sudden and destabilizing challenges this year, we asked ourselves a simple but urgent question: What does real support look like, right now?

Federal policy shifts sent shockwaves through local funding streams, putting pressure on small cultural nonprofits already operating on the edge. Many of these groups are led by and serve BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability communities, and they were some of the first to feel the impact.

Launching the Rapid Response Grant Initiative

In response, we moved quickly to launch the Rapid Response Grant Initiative, committing $400,000 in unrestricted funding to stabilize the organizations doing critical, community-centered work. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, offering the flexible support nonprofits needed to weather uncertainty without pausing their programs or compromising their values.

From dance companies and cultural festivals to youth storytellers and disability-led ensembles, these 22 organizations are anchoring their communities through creativity, care, and connection. And they needed more than encouragement, they needed immediate, meaningful resources.

This was about backing our beliefs. About leading with our values—and showing what it means to respond not just with words, but with investment.

We are deeply grateful for our 2025 Rapid Response Grant Partners for their resilience, leadership, and vision they bring to Denver’s cultural life.

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Congratulations to the 2025 Rapid Response Grant Partners:

Art from Ashes Inc – $10,000 @afaphoenix

‍Athena Project – $10,000 @athenaprojectarts

‍CMDance – $5,000 @communitymindeddance‍

Colorado Dragon Boat Festival – $10,000 @codragonboat

‍Colorado Humanities – $10,000 @coloradohumanities‍

Colorado Nepalese Community – $5,000 @coloradonepalesecommunity

‍D3 ARTS – $5,000 @d3artswestwood‍

Denver Architecture Foundation – $20,000 @denverarchitecture

‍Feel the Beat – $10,000 @feelthebeat.dance.studio‍

Filipino-American Community of Colorado – $5,000 @coloradofilipinos

‍Gift of Jazz – $20,000 @giftofjazz‍

Mo’ Betta Green Marketplace – $5,500 @mobettagreen

‍Motus Theater – $20,000 @motustheater‍

Phamaly Theatre Company – $20,000 @phamalytheatre

‍PlatteForum – $7,500 @platteforum

‍The Center on Colfax – $5,000 @centeroncolfax‍

RedLine Contemporary Art Center – $20,000 @redlinedenver

‍Roshni – $10,000 @roshi.yapa

‍Su Teatro – $15,000 @su_teatro‍

The Word, A Storytelling Sanctuary – $10,000 @wordisdiversity

‍Union Hall – $20,000 @unionhalldenver‍

Youth Seen – $5,000 @youth_seen