The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation gives highly targeted support to local heritage preservation, focusing its modest resources on sustaining a single historic museum in Colorado Springs. Grants are explicitly designated for operational needs (visitor center staffing), indicating a preference for ensuring day-to-day public access and programming rather than broad or national initiatives. The foundation’s giving appears place-based and mission-specific rather than diversified across many causes.
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation’s grantmaking is centered on keeping the McAllister House Museum staffed and open in Colorado Springs. That operating support has appeared in multiple years, with grants of $18,500 in 2025, $17,000 in 2024, and $13,400 in 2023 for visitor center salary. Around that core commitment, the foundation also backs nearby public-facing charities that serve children, families, veterans, and people needing emergency assistance. Recent awards include $10,000 to Care & Share for a children’s nutrition initiative, $8,000 to the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum for children’s programs, and $6,000 to Project Angel Heart for meals for sick kids. The pattern suggests a small foundation with a narrow geographic footprint and a consistent preference for practical support that helps organizations deliver day-to-day services. Its grants also reach education, childcare, behavioral health, and historic preservation groups, but the overall picture remains highly place-based and mission-specific within Colorado Springs and the surrounding region.
Historic preservation is the clearest thread in the foundation’s giving. It gave $18,500 in 2025 to McAllister House Museum for visitor center salary, and it also awarded $5,000 to the African-American Historical and Genealogical Society of Colorado Springs for operating support. In youth and education work, the foundation supported Early Connections with $5,000 for educational and childcare programs and gave $5,000 to Atlas Preparatory School Inc for operating support. Family and crisis services also appear regularly: The Place received $5,000 for emergency youth shelter, while Mt Carmel Veterans Service Center received $5,000 for behavioral health in 2025 and $5,000 for mental/physical health services in 2023. Health-related grants include $10,000 to Care & Share for a children’s nutrition initiative and $6,000 to Project Angel Heart for meals for sick kids.
Typical grants are small: the p25 is $2,500, the median is $3,500, and the p75 is $5,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, especially McAllister House Museum, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, Care & Share, Early Connections, The Place, and Mt Carmel Veterans Service Center. That repeat pattern is paired with a modest annual grant budget and a focus on operating or program support rather than one-off capital awards. The foundation also accepts unsolicited applications through its general grant programs, which are described as project and operating grants.
$156K
$996K
$241K
$194K
Most grants fall between $3K and $5K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Highly concentrated: very small total giving directed to one repeat grantee, funding operational/personnel needs rather than capital or broad program portfolios.
Notable grantees: McAllister House Museum (visitor center staffing)
Giving is entirely concentrated in Colorado, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Colorado Springs is the main recipient city, appearing across museum, health, education, shelter, and veteran-service grants. A smaller share reaches nearby communities such as Salida, where Colorado Farm to Table received $5,000 for operating support. The stated grant geography for the active programs is El Paso and Teller Counties in the Pikes Peak region, matching the city-level pattern in the recent grants list.
The active grant programs list health, welfare, arts, education, and open space preservation. Recent grants show those themes in practice through support for museums, children’s nutrition, childcare, youth shelter, behavioral health, veteran services, and historic preservation groups in Colorado Springs and nearby communities.
Typical grants are small. The p25 is $2,500, the median is $3,500, and the p75 is $5,000. The active programs also describe grants in a $500–$5,000 range.
Yes. The active General Grant Program and related general grant descriptions both say they accept unsolicited applications. Those programs provide project, operating, and general operating support for charitable nonprofit organizations.
It gives almost entirely in Colorado: 100% of grants in the recipient-country data go to the US, and the top state by grant count is Colorado. Colorado Springs is the most common recipient city in the recent grants list, with additional giving in Salida.
Recurring support is visible in the recent grants list. McAllister House Museum received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Care & Share, Early Connections, The Place, and Mt Carmel Veterans Service Center also show repeat awards across multiple years.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations must be charitable nonprofits (IRS tax-exempt). Grants are rarely made to agencies outside El Paso and Teller Counties. Certification of IRS tax-exempt status required with each request.
Deadline: Grant request must be received by September 30 for consideration at the annual allocations meeting.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EARLY CONNECTIONS | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL AND CHILDCARE PROGRAMS |
| CARE & SHARE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $10,000 | 2026 | CHILDRENS NUTRITION INIATIVE |
| Chamber Orchestra Of The Springs | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $8,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PROJECT ANGEL HEART | Denver, CO | $8,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| WESTSIDE CARES | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $7,500 | 2026 | HOUSEHOLD STABILIZATION PROGRAM |
| Colorado Springs Pro Housing | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $7,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Tri Lakes Cares | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Partners In Housing | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Homeward Pikes Peak | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| United Way | Colorado Springs, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ORMAO DANCE CO | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SPECIAL KIDS SPECIAL FAMILY | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT RESPITE AND SPECIALIZED CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES |
| PROJECT DIAKONIA | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FAMILY LIFE SERVICES INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Penrose St Francis Health | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DREAM CENTERS | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | MARYS HOME/WOMENS CLINNIC |
| Cool Science | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CHEYENNE VILLAGE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ATLAS PREPARATORY SCHOOL INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PEAK EDUCATION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Women Partnering | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Mercys Gate | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,600 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Lotus Foundation | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| B Cos - We Care For Our Community | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Teller Senior Coalition | DIVIDE, CO | $3,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| RISE Southeast | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $2,500 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado Inc | Colorado Springs, CO | $2,500 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AGE WISE COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $2,500 | 2026 | EXPAND IN COLORADO SPRINGS AREA |
| Opera Theatre Of The Rockies | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $2,000 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MCALLISTER HOUSE MUSEUM | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $18,500 | 2025 | VISTOR CENTER SALARY |
| CARE & SHARE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | CHILDRENS NUTRITION INIATIVE |
| COLORADO SPRINGS PIONEERS MUSEUM | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $8,000 | 2025 | CHILDRENS PROMGRAMS |
| PROJECT DIAKONIA | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PEAK EDUCATION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MT CARMEL VETERANS SERVICE CENTER | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH |
| THE MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | WHOLE BLOOD PROGRAM |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE PLACE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY YOUTH SHELTER |
| ATLAS PREPARATORY SCHOOL INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FAMILY LIFE SERVICES INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| EARLY CONNECTIONS | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL AND CHILDCARE PROGRAMS |
| ASSISTANCE LEAGUE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DREAM CENTERS | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2025 | MARYS HOME/WOMENS CLINNIC |
| SPECIAL KIDS SPECIAL FAMILY | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESPITE AND SPECIALIZED CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES |
| WESTSIDE CARES | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2025 | HOUSEHOLD STABILIZATION PROGRAM |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CHILDRENS LITERACY CENTER INC | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| COLORADO SPRINGS COMMUNITY CULTURAL COLLECTIVE AT THE CITY AUDITORIUM | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
EARLY CONNECTIONS
$10,000SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL AND CHILDCARE PROGRAMS
Chamber Orchestra Of The Springs
$8,000OPERATING SUPPORT
WESTSIDE CARES
$7,500HOUSEHOLD STABILIZATION PROGRAM
Colorado Springs Pro Housing
$7,000OPERATING SUPPORT
Tri Lakes Cares
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
United Way
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ORMAO DANCE CO
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
SUPPORT RESPITE AND SPECIALIZED CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
PROJECT DIAKONIA
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
FAMILY LIFE SERVICES INC
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
Penrose St Francis Health
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
DREAM CENTERS
$5,000MARYS HOME/WOMENS CLINNIC
Cool Science
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ATLAS PREPARATORY SCHOOL INC
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
Women Partnering
$4,000OPERATING SUPPORT
Mercys Gate
$3,600OPERATING SUPPORT
Lotus Foundation
$3,500OPERATING SUPPORT
B Cos - We Care For Our Community
$3,500OPERATING SUPPORT
Teller Senior Coalition
$3,000OPERATING SUPPORT
RISE Southeast
$2,500OPERATING SUPPORT
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado Inc
$2,500OPERATING SUPPORT
AGE WISE COLORADO
$2,500EXPAND IN COLORADO SPRINGS AREA
Opera Theatre Of The Rockies
$2,000OPERATING SUPPORT
MCALLISTER HOUSE MUSEUM
$18,500VISTOR CENTER SALARY
CARE & SHARE
$10,000CHILDRENS NUTRITION INIATIVE
PROJECT DIAKONIA
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
THE MEMORIAL HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION
$5,000WHOLE BLOOD PROGRAM
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ATLAS PREPARATORY SCHOOL INC
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
FAMILY LIFE SERVICES INC
$5,000OPERATING SUPPORT
EARLY CONNECTIONS
$5,000SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL AND CHILDCARE PROGRAMS
ASSISTANCE LEAGUE
$4,000OPERATING SUPPORT
SUPPORT RESPITE AND SPECIALIZED CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
WESTSIDE CARES
$4,000HOUSEHOLD STABILIZATION PROGRAM
COLORADO SPRINGS COMMUNITY CULTURAL COLLECTIVE AT THE CITY AUDITORIUM
$3,500OPERATING SUPPORT