In 2025, the Ballantine Family Fund awarded $455,110 — including six unsolicited Core Value grants — to 156 nonprofits in Southwest Colorado, which encompasses Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan counties.
Unsolicited Core Value grants went to nonprofits focusing on supporting Colorado 250/150 festivities as identified by the Ballantine Family Fund trustees. These grants included support for Animas Museum in Durango, Montezuma Heritage Museum in Cortez, Dolores County, Rico Historical Society, San Juan County Historical Society in Silverton, and San Juan Historical Society and Museum in Pagosa Springs as they commemorate our state’s milestone in 2026.
The average grant size for regular granting was $2,917. Trustees award grants across a broad spectrum of sectors, including arts and culture, environment, animal protection, education, human services and youth.
“After nearly seven decades, our commitment to supporting the nonprofits of Southwest Colorado is unwavering,” said Richard Ballantine, of the Ballantine Family Fund’s board of trustees. “We appreciate our partnership with the Community Foundation which helps ensure our granting supports a healthy nonprofit sector for our whole region.”
Grants awarded by the Ballantine Family Fund in 2025 by sector include:
• Animal protection: $16,000, representing 4 percent of giving totals.
• Arts and culture: $101,900, representing 22 percent of giving totals.
• Education: $85,710, representing 19 percent of giving totals.
• Environment: $24,500, representing 5 percent of giving totals.
• Human services: $149,000, representing 33 percent of giving totals.
• Youth: $67,000, representing 15 percent of giving totals.
• Other: $11,000, representing 2 percent of giving totals.
Trustees awarded grants across all five counties encompassing Southwest Colorado, as well as organizations that support the region and are located elsewhere.
Grants awarded by the Ballantine Family Fund in 2025 by county include:
• Archuleta: $63,150, representing 14 percent of giving totals.
• Dolores: $16,000, representing 3 percent of giving totals.
• La Plata: $225,460, representing 50 percent of giving totals.
• Montezuma: $97,000, representing 21 percent of giving totals.
• San Juan: $18,500, representing 4 percent of giving totals.
• Other: $35,000, representing 8 percent of giving totals.
“The Community Foundation is uniquely positioned to provide grant management services to the Ballantine Family Fund trustees,” said Briggen Wrinkle, grant manager for the Ballantine Family Fund and executive director of the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado. “Our work with nonprofits and boards as well as our grant making for the region provide us with the expertise needed to be a trusted advisor.”
Trustees meet quarterly to review and award grants. A full listing of Ballantine Family Fund grant recipients can be found at BallantineFamilyFund.com. To apply for funding, nonprofits in Southwest Colorado may submit grant applications online at the same web address.
The Ballantine Family Fund was established in 1957 by Morley C. Ballantine and Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. for the purpose of providing financial assistance to nonprofit causes that benefit the human condition in Southwest Colorado. For more information, visit the fund’s website.
The Community Foundation acts as grant managers for the Ballantine Family Fund providing knowledge in nonprofit management and financial review. The Ballantine trustees make independent decisions in granting allocations and funding priorities.
In 2024, the Community Foundation facilitated $5.2 million in grants to Southwest Colorado nonprofits. Learn more about the Community Foundation’s work at SWCommunityFoundation.org.
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