Supports the Colorado School of Mines through fundraising, alumni engagement, scholarship and program support to advance the university's mission.
The defining feature of the Colorado School of Mines Foundation is the size and consistency of its support for Colorado School of Mines itself: two recent general grants totaled more than $55 million across 2024 and 2025. That pattern points to a funder built around institutional support rather than a broad external grant portfolio. Its public summary emphasizes fundraising, alumni engagement, scholarship support, and program support to advance the university’s mission. The foundation’s recent grant record shows direct, unrestricted backing for the university in Golden, with no individuals funded and no non-U.S. recipients in the data provided. In addition to general support, the foundation operates named fundraising efforts that connect donor activity to Mines’ long-term priorities, including The Campaign for MINES@150 and #idigmines Day of Giving. It also recognizes alumni through the Colonel Wendell Fertig Award, a nomination-based program for Mines graduate veterans. Together, those pieces show a foundation centered on strengthening the institution, supporting students and programs, and keeping alumni engagement tied to the school’s mission.
Higher education support is the clearest theme in the foundation’s giving. A 2025 general grant of $30,119,835 went to Colorado School of Mines for unrestricted institutional support, followed by a 2024 general grant of $25,450,560 for the same recipient. Scholarship and student aid also appear in the foundation’s public priorities, alongside program support for academic departments and initiatives. The Campaign for MINES@150 adds another layer: it is framed as comprehensive fundraising for scholarships, programs, and initiatives tied to the university’s future. Alumni relations is part of the picture as well, with the Colonel Wendell Fertig Award honoring a Mines graduate veteran and recognizing service and perseverance. The active giving-day program, #idigmines Day of Giving, is directed at students and programs and is open to unsolicited support.
Grant size is tightly clustered at the top end: p25 is $26,617,879, the median is $27,785,198, and p75 is $28,952,516. The recent record shows two large general grants in consecutive years, indicating recurring institutional support rather than a one-off award pattern. The foundation is structured around the university and its advancement efforts, with program-related investments also noted in its profile. It funds individuals: False, so its grantmaking is directed to institutions and programs rather than people. Its active campaign and giving-day programs both accept unsolicited support, while the alumni award uses nominations.
$55.6M
$492.9M
$66.8M
$42.5M
Most grants fall between $26.6M and $29M, with a median of $27.8M.
25th Percentile
$26.6M
Median
$27.8M
75th Percentile
$29M
About 100% of grants go to recipients in CO.
STEVE KREIDLER
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Giving is entirely local in the data provided: 100% of grants went to recipients in Colorado, and the recipient country distribution is 100% United States. The recent grants both went to Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, which is also the foundation’s headquarters city. The top state by grant count is Colorado, matching the state where all recorded grants land. No other recipient cities or countries appear in the available grant record.
Its stated focus areas are higher education, scholarships, research, and alumni programs. The topic taxonomy adds higher education support, academic program enhancement, scholarships and student aid, and alumni relations and development, which aligns with its institutional role supporting Colorado School of Mines.
The grant-size distribution is concentrated at the top end: p25 is $26,617,879, the median is $27,785,198, and p75 is $28,952,516. The two recent general grants fall within that range, at $25,450,560 in 2024 and $30,119,835 in 2025.
In the data provided, yes. Both recent grants went to Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, and the geographic distribution shows 100% of grants to recipients in Colorado and 100% to recipients in the United States.
The active campaign and giving-day programs accept unsolicited support, including The Campaign for MINES@150 and #idigmines Day of Giving. The Colonel Wendell Fertig Award is nomination-based rather than an open application, and the foundation does not fund individuals.
Three active programs are listed: The Campaign for MINES@150, #idigmines Day of Giving, and the Colonel Wendell Fertig Award. The first two are fundraising efforts for scholarships, programs, and student support, while the award recognizes a Mines graduate veteran through nominations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES | GOLDEN, CO | $30,119,835 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES | GOLDEN, CO | $25,450,560 | 2024 | GENERAL |
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
$30,119,835GENERAL
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
$25,450,560GENERAL