Monarch Mountain Community Outreach
Monarch Mountain Community Outreach is thrilled to announce its partnership with the Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF) to enhance its support for the local community. Since its inception in 2004 by a dedicated group of Monarch Mountain owners and employees, Monarch Mountain Community Outreach has contributed over $400,000 to local charitable organizations.
Through partnership with CCCF Monarch Mountain offers three ways for local organizations to secure much needed resources for their critical work. See below for information on how to apply and how to contribute to the Monarch Mountain Community Outreach Fund.
Monarch Mountain Community Outreach Grant Opportunities:
Community Grants Application: Nonprofit organizations serving Chaffee County can apply for funding through the CCCF Community Grant process. Applications are open January 26 - February 27 with grant award announcements to be made in late April. In 2025, a total of 9 organizations were awarded $16,500: Learn More.
Matching Donation Program: Opportunity for Monarch Mountain Season Pass Holders and Employees to have their generous contributions to nonprofit organizations serving Chaffee County matched - doubling the impact. $5,000 in matching funds available in 2026. Matching Donations Open May 1, 2026!
Impact Grants: Nonprofit organizations serving Chaffee County can apply for $5,000 - $15,000 for a specific project that aligns with Monarch Mountain’s core values of environmental sustainability, recreation, humanitarian, and fostering a supportive community. $15,000 in funding available for 1-3 awardees. Applications open July 27 - August 28, 2026.
FAQs on Monarch Mountain Contributions: Please review the list of frequently asked questions.
2026 Monarch Mountain Impact grants
Monarch Mountain Impact Grant Program
The Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF) is proud to partner with Monarch Mountain to offer the 2026 Monarch Mountain Impact Grant Program. This funding supports projects that reflect Monarch Mountain's core values:
Environmental sustainability
Recreation
Humanitarian efforts
Building a strong, supportive community
Please review the information below carefully before beginning your application.
Important Dates
Applications Open: Monday, July 27
Applicants may create or update their user and organization profiles before applications open.
Application Deadline: Friday, August 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Application Review: September–October
Award Notifications: First week of November
Grant Payments: Within 10 business days of a completed and signed grant agreement
Funding Overview
A total of $15,000 is available to support one or more projects serving Chaffee County.
Projects should align with one or more of Monarch Mountain's core values and clearly demonstrate:
The community need being addressed
The proposed approach and activities
Expected outputs and measurable outcomes
The anticipated impact of the project
Organizations may request funding for either a new or existing program. If requesting support for an existing program, applicants should clearly explain how grant funding will expand or strengthen its impact.
Public-private partnerships are encouraged; however, the applicant must be an eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have an eligible fiscal sponsor.
Application Review Process
All applications will follow the process below:
Administrative Review
Staff will review each application for completeness, organizational eligibility, financial information, and Colorado Secretary of State Good Standing.
Staff Evaluation
Eligible applications will be evaluated and ranked using the Monarch Mountain Impact Grant Rubric.
Final Review
Top-ranked applications will be presented to the Monarch Mountain Fund Advisors for final funding recommendations.
Site Visits (if needed)
Some applicants may be contacted for follow-up questions or clarification. These conversations may take place by phone, email, virtual meeting, or in person.
It is anticipated that one to three grants will be awarded.
Approved grants will be distributed by direct deposit after a completed grant agreement has been received.
Competitive Applications
The strongest applications will demonstrate:
A clearly defined community need
Well-planned activities that address that need
Measurable outputs, outcomes, and community impact
Supporting data that demonstrates organizational effectiveness and project need
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Application Questions and Grant Rubric before starting their application.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or have an eligible fiscal sponsor.
Be in good standing with both the IRS and the Colorado Secretary of State.
Propose a project benefiting Chaffee County that aligns with Monarch Mountain's funding priorities.
Complete all grant-funded activities and submit a final report by July 30, 2027.
Organizations with outstanding or overdue grant reports from CCCF are not eligible for funding until all reporting requirements have been fulfilled.
Contact
Questions are welcome. Please email grants@chaffeecommunity.org and allow up to two business days for a response.
Matching Donation Program:
Double Your Impact, Strengthen Our Community
Monarch Mountain Community Outreach, believes a community thrives when everyone plays a role in creating positive change. That’s why we’re inviting you, our dedicated season pass holders and employees, to champion causes that inspire you! Together, we can amplify the impact of your generosity.
When you support charitable, civic, or educational organizations with a financial contribution, Monarch Mountain Community Outreach will match your donation dollar-for-dollar up to $500 to qualifying organizations. It’s our way of helping you make a bigger difference for the causes that matter most to you.
Monarch Mountain Community Outreach matching donations are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis from a limited pool of funds administered by the Chaffee County Community Foundation.
Let’s work together to build a stronger, more vibrant community—one inspired act of generosity at a time
Click Here for full Monarch Mountain Matching Donation Program Guidelines and to submit a matching donation.
FAQs:
How do I request an event sponsorship from Monarch Mountain? Sponsorships opportunities should be directed to Monarch Mountain. Sponsorship opportunities will be evaluated based on marketing benefits and value.
Can I apply for a community grant, impact grant and request a sponsorship? Yes. Organizations are welcome to apply to multiple funding opportunities and are not precluded from applying for another opportunity if they are awarded.
How do I request inkind donations from Monarch Mountain, like lift tickets or swag? Inkind requests should be directed to Monarch Mountain.
I received more than the $2,000 limit in the past from MMCO. Am I able to request more than $2,000 from the competitive grants? The ceiling request amount for the competitive grants is limited to $2,000. Organizations are welcome to apply for the impact grants, secure matching grants and submit sponsorship requests in addition to applying for the competitive grants to meet their funding needs.
Will it help my application if I reach out to a Monarch Employee or Board Member? No - applications are evaluated by a predefined process. Contacting Monarch Mountain employees or Board Members is not appropriate.
Grantmaking History
2025 Monarch Mountain Impact grants
Information on 2025 Recipients can be found HERE.
2025 Monarch impact Grants Process Information
CCCF is excited to partner with Monarch Mountain for the new Impact Grant cycle. These funds support projects that align with Monarch Mountain’s core values of environmental sustainability, recreation, humanitarian, and fostering a supportive community. Please read this information carefully before applying.
Applications open Monday, July 28th (you can create/update your user & organization profiles ahead of time!).
Application deadline is Friday, August 29th at 11:59 pm.
Reviews and decisions will be conducted in September/October.
Grant Award notifications will be issued in the first week of November.
Approved grants will be paid within 10 business days of a completed grant agreement.
Reviews and decisions will be conducted in September/October.
PROCESS
All applications will follow this process:
Initial staff screening to ensure completeness, CO Secretary of State Good Standing, review of financials and eligibility check.
Staff review and ranking based in the Grant Rubrics. Finalists will be shared with the Monarch Fund Advisors for final funding recommendation.
The committee may assign applicants to a “site visit” if follow up questions or clarifications are needed to fully evaluate the grant request. Site visits may take the form of a phone call, email or in-person meeting depending on the nature of the questions.
It is expected that 1-2 applicants will be funded.
All approved grants, upon the completion of a grant agreement, will receive funds via direct deposit.
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
The 2025 Monarch Mountain Impact Grant process will award $10,000 to one or more applications for projects that align with Monarch Mountain’s core values of environmental sustainability, recreation, humanitarian, and fostering a supportive community across Chaffee County. Strong applications will clearly describe the needs being addressed, approach to addressing the needs, activities, outputs and outcomes of the project or program. Applicants can apply for an existing project or program, but should be able to clearly describe how the grant will increase the impact. Public/private partnerships are encouraged to apply, but the applicant must be a 501c3.
Applications that demonstrate the following factors will be most competitive:
Clearly defined activities that are meeting an identified community need
Measurable outcomes, outputs, and impacts for proposed programs and projects
Supporting data to help define the organization's impact and need
Applications are encouraged to review the Application Questions and the Impact Grants Rubric prior to starting the application.
Type of Organization: All applications must be 501c3 (or under the fiscal sponsorship of an eligible organization) in good standing with the IRS and State of Colorado to be eligible for funding. The review committees will determine how many awards will be selected for each grant, but all applicants are eligible to request up to the maximum amount.
Funds must be expended and final reports on the project or program impact submitted by July 31, 2026.
Reporting Requirements: Organizations with outstanding grant reports will not be considered for funding opportunities. Receipt of any past due grant report by CCCF is required before the organization will be considered for an impact grant.