We’re excited to announce that the Valley Housing Fund has been awarded three new grants from local and statewide organizations.
The awards, from the El Pomar Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, and the Town of Mt. Crested Butte’s Community Grant program, provide the kind of support that strengthens our ability to fund, facilitate, and advocate for long-term housing solutions across the Gunnison Valley.
While it’s easy to associate this work with big milestones, like groundbreakings or families moving into new homes, there’s another side to housing progress that doesn’t often make headlines. It’s the steady, behind-the-scenes work that keeps momentum going, and these grants give us the stability to do just that.
Here is a closer look at each of our recent grant awards.
Support from the El Pomar Foundation
Earlier this summer, we were honored to receive a grant from the El Pomar Foundation. El Pomar has been serving Colorado communities since 1937, and every year, it directs funding to regions and organizations where it can have the biggest impact.
Through their Grant Making program, local leaders across Colorado come together to identify what’s most needed in their communities, and then El Pomar’s trustees award funding based on those recommendations. Being chosen as a grantee this year means our neighbors and partners recognize the critical role housing plays in the strength and well-being of small mountain communities like ours.
A Continued Partnership with the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley
The Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley (CFGV) has been a long-time champion of local nonprofits, and we are grateful to once again be a part of their annual Community Grants program. These grants are designed to provide organizations like ours with the operational support we need to continue addressing our valley’s long-term housing needs.
CFGV’s grants respond to the biggest challenges facing our valley, including housing, food insecurity, childcare shortages, and mental health. By including housing in that mix, CFGV ensures that housing security remains central to the broader conversations about what our community needs to thrive.
Local Support from the Town of Mt. Crested Butte
The Town of Mt. Crested Butte also awarded the Valley Housing Fund a Community Grant this year. Local support like this shows that housing solutions matter across every corner of the valley, including the North Valley, where workforce housing demand and costs continue to rise.
The Town’s contribution serves as a reminder that housing is not just a Gunnison issue or a Crested Butte issue; it’s a valley-wide issue. The more partners we have investing in this work, the stronger our chances of creating lasting solutions for everyone who lives and works here.
Why This Type of Support Matters
Operational support from local partners is what keeps our doors open and fuels our work every day. It’s what enables us to plan ahead, build partnerships, and participate in conversations that shape the future of housing in our valley. Without it, the big wins wouldn’t be possible.
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to:
- El Pomar Foundation, for recognizing the importance of rural nonprofits and providing us with the support to keep this critical work moving forward.
- Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, for standing alongside us year after year and believing in our mission.
- Town of Mt. Crested Butte, for investing directly in the well-being of our valley’s residents.
While housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing the Gunnison Valley, these grants serve as proof that leaders and partners at every level recognize the vital importance of investing in long-term solutions for our community.