Supports Denver Public Schools students, educators, and families by raising and distributing funds for classroom grants, programs (afterschool, career & college success, My Spark), food security, educator supports, and emergent needs to advance student success across Denver Public Schools.
Denver Public Schools Foundation’s grantmaking is anchored by large school-program awards to Denver Public and Charter Schools, including grants of $6,920,375 in 2024 and $5,340,613 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder built around district-wide support rather than a narrow, single-issue strategy. Across the latest grants list, the foundation also backed Denver Public Schools directly, plus school-linked partners and education organizations serving students and educators in Denver. The foundation’s work centers on Denver Public Schools students, educators, and families. Its stated programs and giving priorities include classroom grants, afterschool opportunities, career and college success, My Spark scholarships, food security, educator support, and support for urgent needs. Recent grants also show support for school programs at Denver Public and Charter Schools in 2023 and 2024, a $75,000 grant to Denver Scholarship Foundation for COSI MSS funds, and additional funding to Monarch Montessori Es Charter. The overall pattern is local, school-based, and tied to the district’s day-to-day needs.
A major part of the foundation’s grantmaking goes to school programs. Recent examples include $4,745,140 to Denver Public Schools in 2023 for school programs and $52,682 to Monarch Montessori Es Charter in 2023 for school programs. Those awards fit the foundation’s broader emphasis on supporting classroom and school-based activity across Denver Public Schools. The foundation also funds college and career pathways. In 2024, it gave $75,000 to Denver Scholarship Foundation for COSI MSS funds, linking its work to postsecondary access and student success. Beyond that, its named programs include MySpark scholarships and career and college success support. Family and community supports are another clear theme. Its active programs include Food Security Fund, Emerging Needs Fund, Community Hubs, and New Arrivals, Student & Family Fund, showing a mix of basic-needs, wraparound, and crisis-response support for students and families in Denver Public Schools.
Typical grant size is split between smaller awards and very large district-level grants: the p25 is $33,841, the median is $75,000, and the p75 is $4,701,394. That spread reflects a mix of school- and district-scale support. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund. The recent grants list shows repeated support to Denver Public and Charter Schools across multiple years, including 2024 and 2025, and to Denver Public Schools in 2023, indicating recurring rather than one-off district support.
$5.3M
$13M
$7.6M
$7.5M
Most grants fall between $34K and $4.7M, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$34K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$4.7M
RICHARD TAGLE
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Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Colorado, with 86% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and Colorado as the top state by grant count. The recent grants list is dominated by Denver recipients, including Denver Public and Charter Schools, Denver Public Schools, Denver Scholarship Foundation, Monarch Montessori Es Charter, and Denver Tennis Park Inc. Outside Colorado, a recent grant went to Grantmakers for Education in Portland, Oregon.
Its stated programs include Student Grantmaking, Food Security Fund, A to Z Fund, MySpark, Emerging Needs Fund, Educators Take Flight, Community Hubs, and New Arrivals, Student & Family Fund. The foundation also describes support for classroom grants, afterschool programs, career and college success, educator supports, and emergent needs.
The grant-size distribution ranges from a p25 of $33,841 to a median of $75,000 and a p75 of $4,701,394. That range shows both smaller targeted awards and very large district-level grants.
Its giving is local, and 86% of grants go to recipients in Colorado. The recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based, with one named out-of-state recipient: Grantmakers for Education in Portland, Oregon.
Yes. Denver Public and Charter Schools appears multiple times in the recent grants list, with awards in 2024 and 2025, and Denver Public Schools appears in 2023. That pattern indicates repeated support for district-level school programs.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Denver Public Schools Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: DPS educators; applications are reviewed through the DPS Foundation grant process and must follow posted grant guidelines.
Deadline: Applications for the 2026–27 A to Z Fund are now open; DPS educators are invited to apply by Monday, September 14, 2026.
Who can apply: Current DPS educator; professional development opportunity must align with DPS educational priorities; travel within the continental United States; travel dates within 1 year of submission; applicant must participate in a brief follow-up interview; school principal or department head approval required.
Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round and reviewed bimonthly; for the 2025-2026 school year, review dates begin September 14, November 9, January 11, March 8, and May 10. A specific request deadline mentioned on the page is March 9, 2026.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DENVER PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS | DENVER, CO | $5,340,613 | 2025 | SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| DENVER PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS | DENVER, CO | $6,920,375 | 2024 | SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| DENVER PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS | DENVER, CO | $4,657,649 | 2024 | SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| DENVER SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $75,000 | 2024 | COSI MSS FUNDS |
| GRANTMAKERS FOR EDUCATION | PORTLAND, OR | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DENVER TENNIS PARK INC | DENVER, CO | $6,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS | DENVER, CO | $4,745,140 | 2023 | SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| MONARCH MONTESSORI ES CHARTER | DENVER, CO | $52,682 | 2023 | SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
DENVER PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS
$5,340,613SCHOOL PROGRAMS
DENVER PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS
$6,920,375SCHOOL PROGRAMS
DENVER PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS
$4,657,649SCHOOL PROGRAMS
DENVER TENNIS PARK INC
$6,000GENERAL OPERATING
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$4,745,140SCHOOL PROGRAMS
MONARCH MONTESSORI ES CHARTER
$52,682SCHOOL PROGRAMS