The Catalyst Foundation concentrates its giving into a few sizable, unrestricted grants that primarily support higher education and local community/civic capacity-building. Its funding is purposefully general-purpose (operating) support rather than project-restricted awards, and it shows both regional (Colorado) and at least one out-of-state higher-education commitment. The foundation appears to prefer a small portfolio of meaningful partnerships rather than broad, diversified grantmaking.
Concentrated giving: a small number of relatively large, general-purpose grants with evidence of repeat funding to favored community/civic partners rather than many small awards.
Catalyst Foundation’s most distinctive recent grant is a $109,000 general-purpose award to Ndsu Foundation, a signal that the funder is willing to make a single, large commitment when it sees a fit. Across the recent grants list, the foundation favors unrestricted support and a compact portfolio of recipients rather than many small, project-specific awards. That pattern shows up in its repeated support for Civico in Denver, which received $50,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for general purpose support. The foundation also backs higher education and civic capacity work alongside community-serving organizations. Its recent grants include support for universities, museums, faith-based institutions, conservation groups, and local service organizations, but the common thread is flexibility: the awards are described as general purpose across the board. Several recipients appear more than once, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than one-time transactions. The mix of Colorado organizations and a few out-of-state institutions points to a funder that concentrates locally while still making selected national grants. With annual giving of $486,150 and total assets of $8,080,115, Catalyst Foundation operates at a scale that supports meaningful individual grants.
Higher education is one clear thread in Catalyst Foundation’s giving. The foundation awarded $109,000 to Ndsu Foundation in 2024 for general purpose support, and it also made smaller general-purpose awards to Cornell University and Yale University in the recent grant list. Community and civic capacity are another recurring area. Civico, based in Denver, received $50,000 in 2023 and another $50,000 in 2024, both for general purpose support. The foundation also backs Colorado-based public and cultural institutions. Recent examples include $16,000 to Denver Museum of Natural History, $5,000 to Denver Public School Foundation, and $20,000 to The Nature Conservancy in Boulder, all listed as general-purpose grants. Faith-based and service organizations appear as well, including support for St Joseph Catholic Church in Devils Lake, St Ann Catholic Church in Saratoga, and Friends of Vail Mtn Rescue in Edwards.
Catalyst Foundation’s typical grant size is modest at the low end but stretches higher for selected awards: the p25 is $500, the median is $1,050, and the p75 is $16,500. The recent grant list shows both one-time gifts and repeat support. Civico, Ndsu Foundation, Busted Halo, Nat'l Leadership Academy, Craig Hospital Foundation, Denver Museum of Natural History, Yale University, and Friends of Vail Mtn Rescue each appear more than once across 2023 and 2024. The foundation is a Regular Funder, makes no program-related investments, and does not fund individuals. Awards in the recent list are described as general purpose, indicating broad operating or discretionary support rather than project-restricted funding.
$486K
$8.1M
$302K
$365K
Most grants fall between $500 and $17K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$17K
About 46% of grants go to recipients in CO.
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Notable grantees: NDSU Foundation, Civico, Ben Colorado
Catalyst Foundation gives nationally, but Colorado receives the largest share of grants, at 46% of awards. Denver appears repeatedly in the recent list through recipients such as Civico, Ben Colorado, Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver Public School Foundation, Wish for Wheels, and Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Other Colorado locations include Boulder, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Basalt, and Edwards. Outside Colorado, grants also went to Fargo, New York, Washington, Devils Lake, Saratoga, Ithaca, New Haven, and Virginia Beach. All recent grants in the provided data were to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants point to higher education, civic capacity, community development, conservation, and local service organizations. Named recipients include Ndsu Foundation, Civico, The Nature Conservancy, Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver Public School Foundation, and several churches and community nonprofits. The grants are described as general purpose support.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Civico, Ndsu Foundation, Busted Halo, Nat'l Leadership Academy, Craig Hospital Foundation, Denver Museum of Natural History, Yale University, and Friends of Vail Mtn Rescue. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is relatively broad. The p25 is $500, the median is $1,050, and the p75 is $16,500. Recent awards range from $500 gifts to larger commitments such as $109,000.
Colorado is the top state by grant count, with 46% of grants going to recipients in that state. Denver appears frequently, along with Boulder, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Basalt, and Edwards.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NDSU FOUNDATION | FARGO, ND | $109,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CIVICO | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BEN COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $35,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | BOULDER, CO | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BUSTED HALO | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NAT'L LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | WASHINGTON, DC | $19,900 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | DENVER, CO | $16,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CRAIG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | ENGLEWOOD, CO | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ACCESS OPPORTUNITY | BOULDER, CO | $11,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ASPEN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BASALT, CO | $5,250 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $1,250 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION | GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| WISH FOR WHEELS | DENVER, CO | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NAVY SEALS FOUNDATION | ST VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH | DENVER, CO | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GASPARILLA ISLAND CONSERVATION | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FRIENDS OF VAIL MTN RESCUE | EDWARDS, CO | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CLEO PARKER DANCE | DENVER, CO | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| YALE ATHLETICS | NEW HAVEN, CT | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $250 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $250 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| COLORADO 14'ERS INITIATIVE | GOLDEN, CO | $100 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE ELIZABETHAN CLUB | NEW HAVEN, CT | $100 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CIVICO | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NDSU FOUNDATION | FARGO, ND | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BUSTED HALO | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NAT'L LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CRAIG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | ENGLEWOOD, CO | $18,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | DENVER, CO | $12,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH | DEVILS LAKE, ND | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST ANN CATHOLIC CHURCH | SARATOGA, WY | $1,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $1,100 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SOURIS VALLEY ANIMAL SHELTER | MINOT, ND | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| YALE ATHLETICS | NEW HAVEN, CT | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ARCS FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FRIENDS OF VAIL MTN RESCUE | EDWARDS, CO | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $250 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $250 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ST DOMINIC'S CATHOLIC CHURCH | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE ELIZABETHAN CLUB | NEW HAVEN, CT | $100 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| COLORADO 14'ERS INITIATIVE | GOLDEN, CO | $100 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
NDSU FOUNDATION
$109,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CIVICO
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BEN COLORADO
$35,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BUSTED HALO
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NAT'L LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
$19,900GENERAL PURPOSE
DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
GENERAL PURPOSE
CRAIG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ACCESS OPPORTUNITY
$11,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ASPEN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$5,250GENERAL PURPOSE
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
YALE UNIVERSITY
$1,250GENERAL PURPOSE
COLORADO GOLF ASSOCIATION
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
WISH FOR WHEELS
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NAVY SEALS FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC CHURCH
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GASPARILLA ISLAND CONSERVATION
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
FRIENDS OF VAIL MTN RESCUE
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
CLEO PARKER DANCE
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
YALE ATHLETICS
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
$250GENERAL PURPOSE
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$250GENERAL PURPOSE
COLORADO 14'ERS INITIATIVE
$100GENERAL PURPOSE
THE ELIZABETHAN CLUB
$100GENERAL PURPOSE
CIVICO
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NDSU FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BUSTED HALO
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NAT'L LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CRAIG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$18,000GENERAL PURPOSE
DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$12,500GENERAL PURPOSE
ST JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ST ANN CATHOLIC CHURCH
$1,500GENERAL PURPOSE
YALE UNIVERSITY
$1,100GENERAL PURPOSE
SOURIS VALLEY ANIMAL SHELTER
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SAN FRANCISCO
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
YALE ATHLETICS
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
ARCS FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
FRIENDS OF VAIL MTN RESCUE
$500GENERAL PURPOSE
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
$250GENERAL PURPOSE
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$250GENERAL PURPOSE
ST DOMINIC'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
$250GENERAL PURPOSE
THE ELIZABETHAN CLUB
$100GENERAL PURPOSE
COLORADO 14'ERS INITIATIVE
$100GENERAL PURPOSE