Lillis Foundation

About Lillis Foundation

A $50,000 donor-advised fund grant to The Independent Charitable Gift Fund anchors the Lillis Foundation's recent record and signals a flexible giving style that can move through pooled charitable vehicles as well as direct program support. The foundation's grants also show a strong Colorado orientation, with awards to organizations serving students, families, older adults, and local community needs across education, health, and human services. Scholarship support is a visible thread in the portfolio. The foundation backs named student awards, college access, and transition support for learners at different stages, including undergraduate recipients and programs tied to educational opportunity. Alongside those scholarships, it funds direct-service work such as school-based student assistance, early childhood learning, music education, workforce training, and senior services. The recent grant list also shows the foundation supporting capital and infrastructure needs, not only ongoing services. Examples include a building campaign for Kids First Health Care, a digital database project for Seniors' Resource Center, and a sensory wall project for Castle Rock Parks and Trails Foundation. Those grants suggest a mix of immediate program support and practical investments in the organizations they back.

What Lillis Foundation Funds

Education is a core theme. In 2025, Lillis Foundation gave $15,000 to Colorado Women's Education Foundation for a mentoring program for graduates, and it also supported multiple scholarship awards for students pursuing postsecondary education. Early childhood and K-12 support appear in several grants. The foundation gave $20,000 to Early Connections Learning Centers for an early care and learning program, and $10,000 to Education Through Music Colorado to expand music instruction to financially constrained schools. Workforce and employment-related support is another clear area. It awarded $15,000 to Hands of the Carpenter Automotive Repair for an apprentice program and $10,000 to Wellspring Community for a wage program. Community support for students and families also appears through school and basic-needs programs, including $10,000 to Clothes to Kids of Denver for its wardrobe program and $10,000 to Denver Asset Building Coalition for volunteer tax preparation services.

How Lillis Foundation Gives