GFF Strategic Grants

Gates Family Foundation

Deadline: Rolling

Grant amount: Unspecified amount

Funding uses: Project / Program, Training / Capacity Building

Location of project: Colorado

Location of residency: United States

Overview:

NOTE: While the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding in these areas, we encourage you to browse our grants and investments database and strategic priorities to determine our scope of interest — and if you believe you might be a fit, reach out to one of our program officers.

Strategic Grants

The Gates Family Foundation uses a portfolio approach to grant making in three priority areas: K‐12 Education, Natural Resources, and Community Development. Overall, strategic grants constitute about 60% of the Foundation’s annual grant making budget (with the remaining 40% dedicated to capital grants). This approach allows the Foundation to pursue ambitious, large-scale outcomes with a set of key partners while also remaining responsive to the broader community’s needs.

Please note that this type of funding is not an opportunity for ongoing operating or program support, though it does allow us to work over multiple years with grantees focused on a specific set of goals and outcomes. While we continually work with grantees to adjust strategies and approaches, we expect to maintain a commitment to these broad priority areas over time.

Education

Approximately 23% of the Foundation’s annual grant making is devoted to strategic efforts to increase the quality and equity of Colorado’s public K-12 education system. Our K-12 education team uses this portfolio to support three key strategies: innovative learning environments, school system innovation, and conditions for sustained innovation.

• Innovative Learning Environments
• School System Innovation
• Conditions for Sustained Innovation

Natural Resources

Approximately 23% of the Foundation’s annual grant making is devoted to strategic efforts to protect and steward our state’s precious land and water resources. Our natural resources team uses this portfolio to support three key strategies: balanced water management, forest health and watershed restoration, and landscape conservation and land trust capacity building.

• Balanced Water Management
• Forest Health and Watershed Restoration
• Landscape Conservation and Land Trust Capacity Building

Community Development

Approximately 12% of the Foundation’s annual grant making is devoted to strategic efforts to increase the vitality and resilience of Colorado’s urban and rural communities. Our community development team uses this portfolio to support two key outcomes: economic mobility for families and individuals, and equitable community assets.

• Economic Mobility for Families and Individuals
• Equitable Community Assets

Informed Communities

Approximately 5% of the Foundation’s annual grant making is devoted to catalyzing innovations in Colorado’s civic news ecosystem that make it more collaborative, sustainable, and responsive to the communities it serves. Our Informed Communities team uses this portfolio to support three key priorities: a stronger civic news ecosystem, more coverage of Gates’ core issue areas, and more diverse and inclusive local news leadership, voices and models.

• Evolve and Strengthen the Civic News Ecosystem
• Address Gaps in Civic News Coverage
• Build Inclusive News Leaderships, Voices and Models

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.