Explore answers to frequently asked questions.
What is the Lake County Community Fund (LCCF)?
The LCCF serves as a link between donors who want a trusted way to give to the community and Leadville and Twin Lakes nonprofits in need of funding. The fund encourages donations and invites charities in Leadville and Twin Lakes to apply for grants to further their missions. Learn more about us.
What is the mission and vision?
The Lake County Community Fund’s mission is to provide a means to expand the capacity of local organizations, promote and facilitate giving opportunities, and inspire investment in Lake County. We envision a Lake County that has an abundance of sustainable philanthropic resources to support a thriving community.
How will the fund bring additional funds into the community?
The Lake County Community Fund (LCCF) provides a mechanism to capture funds from outside of Leadville. It provides an avenue for people who may want to donate to the community but who are unfamiliar with area charities. It also provides an easy, one-stop method for donating to a variety of causes within Leadville and Twin Lakes. The fund also can serve as a fiscal agent for entities that are unable to provide tax-deductible receipts to donors.
In addition, the fund will have the resources and nonprofit status to apply for grant opportunities that could bring additional funds to many area nonprofits. In short, the LCCF can gather more funding opportunities for area charities collectively than those charities could secure alone.
How can the fund augment a nonprofit’s existing fundraising efforts?
Writing grant applications is time consuming. Applying to a smaller fund may be a better choice for some nonprofits, as a community fund may not require a lengthy application or may be more flexible on timing and budget. This approach enables the nonprofit to spend its limited time on serving its clients while at the same time gaining a better chance of securing funds.
Will the fund prompt competition among nonprofits?
The fund is intended to help achieve shared community goals. Often, multiple nonprofits work together on a collective goal, such as homelessness, and joint funding requests are often accepted. We do encourage collaboration and plan to award grants to programs that increase the capabilities and capacity of other local nonprofit organizations. Read about our grant making process.
Will the fund compete with area nonprofits for funding?
The Lake County Community Fund does not compete with other community organizations. Instead, we seek to create a more-efficient way for donors to make a gift, grant, or contribution to a variety of causes in Lake County and to inspire donors to invest in Lake County.
When will funds be available?
Our 2022 grant cycle is now open. Local nonprofits are encouraged to please learn about our current grant cycle.
Who is on the board
The fund is set up by locals, a group of community members who saw the need for financial help for nonprofits that are doing good to help the community. People on the board care about the community and about bringing in more resources to develop it. Meet our board members.