About Colorado Grants

Colorado Grants helps nonprofit and community agencies obtain grant funding by providing grant proposal writing services and trainings, prospect research, and grant proposal review. Since 1997, we have helped nonprofit and tax-exempt groups raise $120 million through more than 1,000 funded grants and awards. Since 2001, we have returned $143 for every dollar spent on our services. Click here to see a selected list of our funded grants.

We have served groups that focus on the arts, disability services, early education, environmental education, emergency food and shelter, health care, higher education, housing, job training, K-12 education, mental health services, recreation, substance abuse treatment and youth programs. 

We provide a holistic view of how your organization appears to a potential funder. We make sure that there is an opportunity for you to obtain funding before agreeing to take on a job. We examine the strength of your program, budget, evaluation, outcomes and collaboration. We recognize that every organization is different, and know that you require custom solutions to your needs.

Clients have included...

Adams County
America Scores Denver
Aurora Public Schools
Broadway Assistance Center
Cerebral Palsy of Colorado
City of Aurora
City and County of Denver
Colorado Rural Health Center
Colorado State University Extension
Community Resource Center
The Delores Project
Denver Public Schools
Dress for Success Denver
JFK Partners/The Children's Hospital
Kempe Center
Metro CareRing
Metro Community Provider Network
Mi Casa Resource Center for Women
Otero Community College
Regis University
St. Francis Center
The Senior Hub
Sheridan School District
State of Colorado Department of Human Services
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
The Urban League of Metropolitan Denver
Urban Children's Coalition

 

Trainings

We have led more than 50 trainings on topics such as basic proposal writing skills, prospect research, proposal critique workshops and seeking federal funding. In addition to public trainings and workshops, we have developed private trainings for the following groups:

• Arapahoe/Douglas Works! (2011)
• Colorado Association of School Executives (2011)
• Colorado Society for Public Health Education (2009)
• Colorado Rural Health Initiative (2011)
• Colorado Nonprofit Association Conference (2009, 2011)
• Colorado Governor’s Commission on Community Service – AmeriCorps Annual Conference (2010, 2011)
• Environmental Protection Agency (2011 subcontract to develop training materials)
• Oral History Association (2011)
• San Diego Business Improvement District (2009)
• Social Advocates for Youth San Diego (2009)

 

About Jay Katz, President

I began writing grant proposals for nonprofit organizations in 1990. It wasn't my first effort at nonprofit fund-raising. During my college years at the University of Pittsburgh, I was (briefly!) a door-to-door canvasser for Clean Water Action. I believed in the cause but did not enjoying the hard sell of ringing doorsbells. When my boss at a community group said he wanted me to help him raise money, I thought he was going to send me out into the neighborhood with a tin can. Imagine my relief when all he did was set me up in front of a computer, and taught me how to write an effective grant proposal. That was the beginning of my new career.

After informally providing  proposal writing services for different nonprofits, I formed Grants West in 1995. I renamed it Colorado Grants in 2007. Over the years, I have always loved not just proposal writing, but being able to help nonprofit groups build capacity and better understand how to write a fundable grant proposal. Often that means helping them modify or even design a program, create evaluation criteria, adapt budgets and craft a needs assessment that truly matches up with the work to be carried out. I have learned that every nonprofit has a different culture, operating structure and approach for addressing their mission statements, and that has made my work interesting and exciting.

I have provided trainings on proposal writing since 2002. It took me a few years to learn that there were better ways to provide the classes than using have come a ways from offering my initial training in an echo-y room with scrawled notes and a white board. I was pretty nervous in those early years; today I truly enjoy running presentations and workshops, and helping people learn how to pursue grant funding. In addition, I have been flattered to have my articles included in publications such as the California Grants Guide, Colorado Grants Guide, Iowa Grants Guide and Ohio Grants Guide. 

In addition to grant writing, I am actively involved as a volunteer with several projects. It provides me with the hands-on experience that grounds me as I write proposals. Some years back, I received two community service awards (CHUN Good Neighbor Award, Life on Capitol Hill's Man of the Year). I have volunteered as a youth mentor, adult literacy tutor, neighborhood group president, microlending consultant, and in many other roles. I also am one of the coordinators for a large Spanish conversation group, helping organize meetings and events for people interested in learning Spanish.

 

LinkedIn Recommendations for Jay Katz:

"Jay has provided St. Francis Center with Grant management and grant writing services since before my hire date. His understanding of the funding landscape is a real asset to our organization. Jay is also more than competent is framing our programs and services in a fresh manner for narrative and reporting purposes in all communications to funders. We are very satisfied with his work." December 13, 2011

Andrew Spinks, hired Jay as a Writer/Editor in 1988

"I attended one of Jay's grant-writing classes through Colorado Grants. It was very informative and presented a lot of insightful information in a clear, concise way. Definitely worth the money, I look forward to additional classes." December 13, 2011

Stacy Feeney, hired Jay as a Business Consultant in 2011

"I have taken two grant writing classes from Jay -- one a basic grant writing class and one on how to start a grant writing business. Jay creates a very supportive, friendly atmosphere in his classes and is very responsive to questions. He tailors the class to the needs of people in the class and offers lots of practical advice that can only come from someone with long experience in the field. I highly recommend Jay for anyone seeking to expand his/her knowledge of grant writing." December 7, 2011

Jeffery Miller, hired Jay as a Grant writing course instructor in 2008, and hired Jay more than once

"I took a Grant Writing class with Jay when I first started in the non-profit fundraising field. His workshops are very approachable and deliver valuable information that is easy to understand. I left with skills that I brough back to my work and it helped immediately. Jay is a kind person with a tremendous amount of skill and knowledge - I would recommend his services to anyone seeking to practically improve their grant writing skills." December 1, 2011

Stacey Saggese, hired Jay as a Non-Profit Grant Writing in 2009

"Jay's ability to take a complicated government request for proposal and make it understandable is invaluable for grant writers. His style of presentation is casual while bringing his experience and expertise to make the trainings useful and practice." December 1, 2011

Christy Crosser, Director, Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center worked with Jay at Grants West

"As the Executive Director of a local nonprofit organization I hired Jay for at least 10 projects, thanks to his help I was able to continue to do my regular work while Jay would help me organize information, help with research and finalize all the written materials and attachments required for the different grants we were focusing on. Our success rate was in the high 80%, I think Jay is a very knowledgeable grant writer with many years of experience. What I am most impress with is his ability to adapt to different projects and how quick he is to research information and statistics that would help prove the need of valid project." November 30, 2011

Enrique R. Orozco, hired Jay as a Grant Writer in 2007, and hired Jay more than once

"I recently attended a grant-writing course Jay provided. He was fantastic! Our class was completely full and all of us were engaged in active learning throughout the 3 hour session. Jay provided information, strategies, tips, and a helpful cooperative learning exercise. His course has helped me improve my grant prospecting, too. I highly recommend him as a grant writer and/or instructor for grant-writing." June 2, 2011

Meredith Roach, hired Jay as a Writer/Editor in 2011

"Jay Katz is articulate and ethical, he is an effective advocate for the organizations he serves. He is professional, service oriented, and manages turn-around times very well." March 30, 2009

Linda Templin, Owner, Seaborn Consulting, LLC