# Colorado Gives Foundation

Colorado Gives Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Arvada, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Arvada, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 5855 Wadsworth Bypass Unit A, Arvada, CO 80003, United States
- **Founded:** 1975
- **Assets under management:** 486 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** communityfirstfoundation.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/coloradogivesfoundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Colorado Gives Foundation traces to 1975 as Community First Foundation. Kelly Dunkin leads operations as President and CEO while Russell W. Kemp chairs the board. The entity functions as a grantmaking vehicle for Colorado nonprofits with no disclosed private wealth origin. The foundation allocates across public markets and direct impact holdings. It maintains a pooled investment portfolio of roughly $500 million managed by Graystone Consulting. Confirmed positions include the Bring it Home Fund for affordable housing and a minority stake in Vance Street Lofts. Geographic focus remains Colorado with additional exposure through the Colorado Housing Accelerator Initiative. Asset classes span fixed income, equities, and real estate. Assets total $486 million. The foundation employs no disclosed investment staff count. It maintains membership in the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Nonprofit Association. December 2024: Sponsored Colorado Gives Day, a statewide online giving movement that distributed funds to thousands of local nonprofits. The foundation operates through an outsourced investment mandate with Graystone Consulting rather than an internal CIO structure. This arrangement separates grant decisions from portfolio management and ties capital deployment to community partnerships in Jefferson County.

## Sectors

- Diversified

## People

- Kelly Dunkin — President and CEO
- Russell W. Kemp — Board Chair

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Colorado Gives Foundation?

Kelly Dunkin serves as President and CEO. The foundation outsources portfolio management to Graystone Consulting (Morgan Stanley) under a mandate that began in 2019.

### Does Colorado Gives Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

It holds both. Positions include the Bring it Home Fund and the Colorado Housing Accelerator Initiative Fund alongside a large outsourced public portfolio.

### What is Colorado Gives Foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

The foundation has acted as a limited partner through the Bring it Home Fund and partnered with Weave Social Finance on the CHAI Fund.

### How is Colorado Gives Foundation related to Community First Foundation?

The two names refer to the same 1975-established entity that now operates grant programs under the Colorado Gives Foundation brand.

## Related profiles

- [American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee](https://altss.com/profile/american-jewish-joint-distribution-committee)
- [United Scenic Artists](https://altss.com/profile/united-scenic-artists)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/colorado-gives-foundation

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology