Business/Technology Reporter
Quick links: Donations by year | 39 days | Demand already up at Food Bank of the Rockies | Unemployed federal worker update | Take the poll | More Colorado economic briefs
If there’s one thing that moves the financial needle in Colorado to help those in need, it’s Colorado Gives Day, which kicks off today.
While the threat of a freeze on funding the food stamps program known as SNAP was resolved temporarily on Friday, it’s already been a tough year for many who’ve lost their jobs, were furloughed with no pay or have faced food insecurity.
Topping last year’s $54.8 million will be a challenge, but organizers are undeterred.
“It has been a really hard year for a lot of people, and we acknowledge that,” said Kelly Dunkin, president and CEO of Colorado Gives Foundation. “I think we’re also really optimistic, because we’ve seen it time and time again. Coloradans always respond, and we’re hopeful that they’ll do it again this year.”
Legend has it, she said, that during Colorado Gives Day’s inaugural year in 2010, organizers hoped to raise $1 million. They raised $8 million.
“People were afraid that maybe we made a mistake and it wasn’t really $8 million,” Dunkin said. “But it was eight times greater than the goal. And I think that’s when we knew we were on to something that’s cool.”
This year will also be the last for FirstBank, which helped get the event rolling with the Community First Foundation, now known as Colorado Gives Foundation. Back then, the state ranked 25th in the nation for charitable giving. It’s now No. 12, according to financial site WalletHub.
FirstBank is in the process of being acquired by PNC Bank in Pittsburgh. The $4.1 billion sale is expected to close early next year and convert to the new name by mid-2026, said Chandra Brin, a FirstBank spokesperson. The new owners plan to keep the tradition going.
“We’re thrilled PNC shares our deep commitment to community giving and plans to continue supporting FirstBank’s partnerships and hallmark initiatives, including Colorado Gives Day,” Brin said in an email.
FirstBank has long supported the $1 million incentive fund, a bonus that is divided among all participating nonprofits based on their share of Gives Day’s total fundraising dollars.
“We’re excited to get to know PNC,” Dunkin said. “But we’re a little sad that it’s the last year, the end of an era with FirstBank. They’ve just been incredibly generous and supportive for 16 years.”
More than one day. Try 39.
If you’re confused about why Colorado Gives Day starts on Nov. 1 and ends Dec. 9, the actual Colorado Gives Day, it’s because of technology and credit cards.
When the event began in 2010, it was more of a pledge drive. Make a pledge at any time and your credit card would be scheduled to be charged on the actual day. But the delayed payment confused some donors, who didn’t remember their earlier contributions. Chargebacks ensued. Nonprofits lost some expected revenue. And other folks looked forward to the actual day in December, and then forgot to donate in the 24-hour period.
In 2022, the organization switched to technology from Mightycause, which allowed folks to donate instantly, a request that came from donors and nonprofits. Donors also have the option to contribute anonymously this year.
With more than a month to fill, fundraising events are planned to increase Gives Day awareness. Laser light shows will be held again at drive-in movie theaters in Fort Collins, Lakewood and Colorado Springs on Dec. 2. The Good for Business Challenge, sponsored by Delta Dental of Colorado, lets businesses set up their own fundraising pages to highlight their favorite nonprofits.
Food insecurity groups are also partnering to create one-stop donation pages to benefit multiple food pantries around the state. You can search for “food” on the site (as of Friday, there were 634 different food serving organizations).
Food demand up as SNAP faces changes
Over at Food Bank of the Rockies, demand for food was already picking up in October with a 20% increase in food distribution, said Erin Pulling, CEO of the nonprofit that buys food in bulk and distributes it to more than 700 food pantries in Colorado and Wyoming.
They’ve been prepping for Nov. 1 because SNAP was set to run out of money due to a funding lapse caused by the federal government shutdown. On Friday, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funds to keep the program running. There’s enough to cover a partial month but the program will be disrupted if Congress doesn’t pass an appropriations bill. SNAP recipients also face less support in the future.
Food Bank of the Rockies lost 7% of its commodity food supply earlier this year when the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled $1 billion to support schools and food banks. That’s the equivalent of a reduction of 14,000 meals a day for the organization, she said. And Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, passed in July, added new eligibility requirements and reduced SNAP funding permanently.
“And for us to close that gap, even just the gap left by reductions in SNAP, could be a doubling of our service overall,” Pulling said. “For every meal that a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine. … This is really a crisis within a crisis.”
Just like retailers that rely on holiday buying to boost revenues, the fourth-quarter is also the biggest for food banks in terms of need and charitable contributions. Forty percent of its operating revenues come in during the quarter, and a lot of it is thanks to Colorado Gives Day, Pulling added. Donations have been coming in.
“We’re already hearing from a lot of donors and individuals that are like no one should have to choose between feeding their family and paying rent. And so people are stepping up,” she said. “We are seeing an increase in gifts already. And we need, honestly, just an absolute outpouring of support for the Food Bank of the Rockies and for food banks and food pantries across Colorado to even come close to filling this tremendous gap.”
Added Dunkin, from the Colorado Gives Foundation, “For so many nonprofits, this is what they do. They have a mission to serve individuals in times of need and so they’re built for a moment like this.”
➔ Find a nonprofit >> coloradogives.org
Sun economy stories you may have missed
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Take this week’s reader poll
Rents are down. Unemployment is (likely) up. The federal government shutdown is more than a month old. Help us better understand how Coloradans are impacted by taking the What’s Working reader poll.
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Other working bits
➔ Colorado’s unemployed federal workers now number 1,885. At least those are the ones that filed a claim since Oct. 1, according to the latest Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Halloween marked 31 days since the federal government shut down with no budget agreement in Congress.
➔ University of Colorado revenues grew 5.2%. There are so many people employed in the CU system — 51,848 — it’s the third-largest public employer in the state. Add in all those salaries, plus investment in research, education and health care, and the university system’s economic impact amounted to $12.2 billion last fiscal year, according to the Business Research Division at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. Excluded from that impact amount? The University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado, which added another $7.8 billion boost. >> View report
➔ More than $610,000 awarded 15 local tourism groups. The funding comes from the Colorado Tourism Office as part of a marketing grant program. Awards ranged from $20,000 to $49,000, including Chaffee County Visitors Bureau, Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association and Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. Here’s how the money will be used. >> Read more
➔ There’s $800,000 in grants available for broadband. It’s part of the Capital Projects Fund overseen by the Colorado Broadband Office. The Mini Grant Program is open to companies previously awarded state or federal broadband grants. Applicants must propose fiber internet technology with a minimum symmetrical speed of 100 Mbps. Gigabit speeds are encouraged. Deadline is Nov. 7. >> Details
**Correction** Social Security benefits are going up 2.8% in January. Last weekend’s What’s Working mistakenly wrote 3.1%, but that was the average annual cost-of-living allowance for the last 10 years. We’ve corrected the original story but wanted to let readers know. Apologies for the let down.
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Thanks for sticking with me for this week’s report. As always, share your 2 cents on how the economy is keeping you down or helping you up at cosun.co/heyww. ~ tamara
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