How Philanthropy and Sponsorship Supports The Center on Colfax

Denver Pride is hosted by The Center on Colfax, a nonprofit community and resource center that offers free services, programs, and activities to LGBTQ+ individuals and our allies. Since we first opened our doors in 1976, our community has grown and changed, and The Center has evolved alongside the needs of our community.

Through it all, our mission has remained constant: to enrich, engage, empower, and advance the LGBTQ+ community of Colorado, and to be a safe and creative space for LGBTQ+ voices. Today, we serve thousands of community members each year through a wide variety of offerings, including a free annual Pride festival, weekly programming, support groups, educational opportunities, and more.

All of our programs and our staff of LGBTQ+ individuals are funded from a variety of sources – individual contributors, community organizations and small businesses, foundation grants, and corporate donations and sponsorships.

We recognize that the actions and values of our various partners and supporters may bring cause for concern for members of our community. The Center on Colfax is able to serve a diverse community by receiving philanthropic funds from companies and organizations that see value in supporting our mission. By accepting these funds, we can choose where they are directed and are committed to reinvesting them into our own community and mission. Our sponsors do not dictate how we run our programming.

When establishing partnerships, we work directly with LGBTQ+ individuals and committed allies within these organizations. Through those relationships, we engage and empower our community to enrich these spaces and advance initiatives that ensure LGBTQ+ community members are welcome, seen, heard, and can live happy, healthy, and productive lives.

We see immense value in and are thankful for the opportunity to offer year-round programming and resources free-of-charge, including mental healthcare, support groups, spaces for social connection, the region’s annual Pride celebration, and much more. When looking at all philanthropic dollars contributed to The Center on Colfax, including those that come through Denver Pride, eighty-three percent of all contributions to The Center are directed back to our own community. The remaining seventeen percent ensure the staff who make The Center and our programs possible are paid a living wage. We are grateful for this support and remain committed to ensuring it benefits those we serve.

Queer people are everywhere. While places like The Center serve as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ individuals, it is important that all places work to become safe havens too. We commend the effort of organizations who are investing in the creation of more inclusive and equitable spaces. No matter where you work or live, you deserve access to spaces that affirm your authentic self.

Whether you are a volunteer at The Center, an artisan, community organizer, drag performer, teacher at Denver Public Schools, public safety officer with the Denver Police Department, healthcare worker at Denver Health, software developer at HP, engineer at Lockheed Martin – The Center is here for you and continues to gather people together in community to change, sustain, and save lives. From the day-to-day connections made at The Center to the hundreds of thousands of community members who attend Denver Pride each year, our community remains united, and we say unequivocally –

We build our power together.

• The Center on Colfax remains diligent regarding our partnerships and strives to fully vet the companies and organizations we accept donations from, confirming their commitment to supporting and empowering LGBTQ+ equality and civil rights.

• The Center on Colfax will continue to be a space for resources and support for the LGBTQ+ community.

• The Center on Colfax will continue to listen to the people around us, both those we are here to support and those who are interested in supporting our mission.

• The Center on Colfax will continue to host and promote safe and successful events, including Denver PrideFest, that are accessible to Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community and our allies.

• The Center commits to fostering partnerships with individuals with diverse and intersecting identities and community organizations to further expand our organizational perspectives. Diverse community input and understanding are crucial as we strive to improve and better serve our community.

• Above all, The Center on Colfax is dedicated to our nonprofit mission to engage, empower, enrich, and advance the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community of Colorado.