Annual Report 2024
FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2023 - JUNE 30, 2024
Artwork by Evann Waterman | on Instagram @evannwaterman
ABOUT
CHINOOK FUND
OUR MISSION
Chinook Fund seeds community-led, systemic change by mobilizing resources for and trusting in grassroots social justice organizations across Colorado.
OUR VALUES
As we do our work, we are guided by the following values:
National Philanthropy Day, November 2024. Chinook Fund was honored to accept the Outstanding Foundation Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Back left to right: Shelby Bates, Mac Liman, Melia Polynice, Angela Schreffler, Barclay Jones, Selamawit Gebre, Trena Moya; Front left to right: Alma Urbano, Crys Middlestadt, Anna Ghublikian, Angela Daniels
37 YEARS OF SOCIAL IMPACT
1,222
GRANTS GIVEN
$5.1M
GIVEN
571
ORGANIZATIONS
funded since 1987
1,222
GRANTS GIVEN
$5.1M
GIVEN
571
ORGANIZATIONS
funded since 1987
LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Chinook Fund Community,
It’s truly been bittersweet to wrap up my time here after serving as executive director since 2018. Chinook Fund is a part of a radical legacy of funding grassroots power and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to steward this incredible organization through unprecedented crises, change, and growth. I am proud of all that we have accomplished over the past seven years, including distributing a record $2.2M in grants!
We have doubled down on our commitment to grantees, increasing our average grantmaking from $129,000 to $479,000 annually and directing 83–92 percent of grants to BIPOC-led groups. We have built a dynamic team that centers our community with 81% BIPOC leaders, 38% current/former grantees, and 52% Giving Project alumni on the current staff and board. We have invested in new philanthropic leaders through the Giving Project’s rigorous political education, dynamic skills building, and democratic grantmaking, equipping donor organizers with the tools they need to to share the story of Chinook Fund as they raise critical grant funds from meaningful conversations with friends and family.
As I reflect on my time of leadership, one lesson stands out above the rest: Relationships are core to all that we do; they must be tended to, nourished, and respected. Relationships are our greatest currency and source of strength. They may also be tested in the face of conflict or disagreement. In these challenging moments, we must act from a place of our values and remember that those in power benefit most when we turn on each other or when we doubt that our movements can hold this. The truth is we need each other now more than ever. Let us lean in with grace, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to collective liberation and solidarity.
As I transition from my role in this beloved organization, I hold the utmost trust in the staff and board to embody our core values of Liberation, Community, Integrity, and Leadership as they carry the work forward. May our vision of a Colorado where social justice movements are abundantly resourced and liberated communities are thriving come to fruition.
In community,
Crys Middlestadt
Executive Director (Through Jan. 2025)
(they/them)
Giving Projects have been especially successful at reaching traditionally underrepresented communities, including young people and BIPOC leaders, in Colorado and throughout the US. We are proud to collaborate with seven other community foundations across the country to develop this innovative model for social justice philanthropy.
THE GIVING PROJECT
The Giving Project is an innovative program for leadership development and social justice philanthropy. Over six months, we work closely with a diverse group of 15–20 people from all income levels who are passionate about social justice and want to strengthen their skills in fundraising, grantmaking, and grassroots organizing. They develop a shared analysis of race, class, and power within society, make a personal donation of an amount that is meaningful to them, then collectively raise and grant money to grassroots organizations working for social change in Colorado.
The Fall 2023 Giving Project granted
102,000
to 12 Organizations*
The Spring 2024 Grantmaking Committee granted
150,000
to 13 Organizations**
The Fall 2023 Giving Project granted
102,000
to 12 Organizations*
The Spring 2024 Grantmaking Committee granted
150,000
to 13 Organizations**
*Includes 3 start up and 9 established groups
**Includes 5 start up, 3 established, and 5 multi-year grants
WE BUILD MOVEMENTS
Since 2016, Chinook Fund’s Giving Project has:
Trained
228
Donor Organizers
Engaged Over
3,773
New Donors & Supporters
Raised Over
1,446,000
for Social Change Work in Colorado
Funded
122
Community-led Organizations
FALL 2023 GIVING PROJECT
Cohort Members
Savannah Carlson
Katie Damas
Jennifer Hamilton
Lexi Kilbane
Leah Muntges
Molly Smith
Nicolas Walter
Reed Young
”In many ways, the Giving Project exceeded my initial hopes when joining the project. It was nice to be immersed with a group of like-minded, motivated people from different backgrounds who worked together to make a big effort for Colorado’s social justice community.
SPRING 2024 GRANTMAKING COMMITTEE
Cohort Members
Alisha Andrews-Simmons
Hannah Rose Baker
Zach Booz
Regan Byrd
LeRita Cavness
Max Chen
Hanifah Chiku
Kathleen Ferrick
Shannon Fitzpatrick
Denise Gomez
Kyron Rashad Hamilton
”The GMC was like a sequel to my favorite movie and the second time was even better than the first. I loved getting to really focus on grantmaking and interrogate my own values and practices around it. Thank you for the high-quality and innovative facilitation and agendas, and lots of real-time adjustments and pivoting.
INVESTING IN BLACK, INDIGENOUS & PEOPLE OF COLOR-LED MOVEMENTS
Chinook Fund believes communities are best equipped to solve the challenges they face. By trusting grassroots leadership and providing funding to groups led by and for communities impacted by injustice, we support Colorado’s movements for social justice.
CORE FUNDING CRITERIA
- Constituent-Led The work is led by the people most impacted by injustice.
- Community-Wide The work reflects all members of the constituency, especially those who experience multiple forms of oppression.
- Lasting Effect The work makes change not just for one individual today, but for the community as a whole, and for future generations.
Chinook Fund prioritizes funding for groups that are Black-led, Indigenous-led, based in rural communities, and those using community organizing as a strategy for change. The Giving Project model centers Black liberation and Indigenous sovereignty as a part of Chinook Fund’s racial justice commitment and the reality that all wealth in the U.S. is built on stolen land and stolen labor.
National Giving Project Network convening, July 2024.
Hosted by Crossroads Fund.
NATIONAL GIVING PROJECT NETWORK
Chinook Fund is a proud member of the National Giving Project Network (GPN) a collaboration amongst eight place-based social justice funds across the country actively working to refine and adapt this innovative model for donor organizing and social justice philanthropy.
Since 2010, Giving Projects have trained thousands of donor organizers and moved over
20,000,000
to grassroots community organizing, from over 22,000 donors.
Since 2010, Giving Projects have trained thousands of donor organizers and moved over
20,000,000
to grassroots community organizing, from over 22,000 donors.
THE GIVING PROJECT NETWORK
Click to Expand
To learn more about the National Giving Project Network, visit givingprojects.org
- 1. Bread & Roses Community Fund, Philadelphia, PA
- 2. Chinook Fund, Denver, CO
- 3. Crossroads Fund, Chicago, IL
- 4. Hawai’i People’s Fund, Honolulu, HI
- 5. Headwaters Foundation for Justice, Minneapolis, MN
- 6. Maine Initiatives, Portland, ME
- 7. North Star Fund, New York, NY
OUR GRANTEES
FALL 2023
ESTABLISHED - $10,000
Justice for the People Legal Center
Denver
OUR GRANTEES
SPRING 2024
START UP - $4,000
ESTABLISHED - $10,000
El Alba Cooperative
Aurora
GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT
Lamar Unidos
Lamar, CO – Fall 2023 Grantee
Lamar Unidos was started in 2015 as a response to the critical need to have a space for Lamar’s Latino immigrant families to address collective challenges, have a reliable source of information and accessible services. Lamar Unidos has become a primary source of trusted information and support to the Lamar Latino Community. Since its inception, Lamar Unidos has worked with the community to tackle issues that are most pressing such as education, economic justice, immigration, financial and tax help, physical health and civic engagement.
Western Slope Native American Resource Center
Mack, CO – Spring 2024 Grantee
The Western Slope Native American Resource Center (WSNARC) was founded to empower Native Americans/Alaskan Natives to exercise their cultural values with integrity, in partnership with the communities we live in, through cultural identity, while advocating for racial justice and health equity.
Seasoned with Grace UnBoxed
Denver, CO – Spring 2024 Grantee
Seasoned With Grace UnBoxed is a nonprofit committed to advancing civil rights, human rights, and social justice through community-led public safety initiatives. SWG UnBoxed currently oversees two key programs: the Denver Task Force to Reimagine Policing and Public Safety (Task Force) and Transforming Our Communities Alliance (TOCA). UnBoxed centers the voices of those who have been most impacted by systemic injustices resulting from criminal justice policies and practices that fueled hyper-criminalization and mass incarceration of communities of color for generations.
STRATEGIC PLAN
Over the course of a year, our board and staff members worked to imagine and craft our vision for the world we know is possible. As part of the strategic plan process, Chinook Fund board and staff comprehensively reviewed our core organizational pillars and reaffirmed our mission, vision, and values. In support of our vision, Chinook Fund identified four areas for action in the coming years.
Justice for the People Legal Center, Fall 2023 Grantee
Renaming and Rebranding Chinook Fund:
Chinook Fund’s founders named the organization after the Chinook Winds. These winds were a symbol for the change Chinook Fund founders envisioned for our communities. We honor this history, and recognize the term “Chinook” refers to a group of Indigenous Peoples, cultures, and languages of the Pacific Northwest and look forward to gathering community feedback as we embark towards our new name.
Defining Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty:
Chinook Fund will continue to develop and refine our organization’s understanding of Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty as it relates to grantmaking, political education, and organizational leadership.
Clarify and Shift Funding Criteria:
We will refine Chinook Fund’s funding criteria to better align with the organization’s mission and vision. We do not anticipate significant changes to core criteria or priority areas. To drive this work forward, we will be convening a Program Committee that includes representatives from grantee organizations.
Aligning Internal Culture:
We commit to ensuring staff feel supported, resourced, and valued. To foster a healthy culture and work environment, we remain committed to a 32-hour full-time work week and plan to deepen investments in team building, collaborative goal-setting, and cultivating spaces of belonging.
As we progress with our new strategic plan, we look forward to continuing to seed organizations at the forefront of racial, economic, disability, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ justice. Read the full strategic plan online.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
INCOME
Support & Revenue
Contributions
$426,644
Foundation Grants
$376,667
Another World Contributions
$5,000
Net Investment Income
$191,084
Fiscal Sponsorship, Other
$92,016
Total Support & Revenue
$1,091,411
EXPENSES
Program Services
Support for Social Justice
$766,545
Another World
$9,094
Fiscal Sponsorship
$22,115
Total Program Services
$797,754
Supporting Services
General Administration
$160,246
Fundraising
$140,202
Total Supporting Services
$300,448
Total Expenses
$1,098,202
Changes in Net Assets
-$6,791
Net Assets: Beginning of Year
$2,694,876
Net Assets: End of Year
$2,688,085
Chinook Fund Serves as the fiscal sponsor for Colorado Funders for Inclusiveness and Equity (COFIE). COFIE was founded in 2008 and exists to support, educate and embolden Colorado funders to lead the movement toward inclusivity and equity in philanthropy. What started as a small group of about ten people has grown into a vibrant group of more than 300 grantmakers committed to personal and professional development to advance and promote inclusiveness and equity. The group serves as a resource to local funders as they challenge their thinking and consider implementing changes within their own organizations regarding inclusiveness and equity. The group also serves as a support network for members as they educate themselves about inclusiveness, equity, diversity, and anti-oppression practices. Membership is open to all Colorado funders.
COFIE SPONSORS & DONORS
AJL Foundation
Bee Vradenburg Foundation
Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
Chambers Initiative
Chinook Fund
Denver Arts and Venues
GreenLight Fund Denver
Kaiser Permanente
Philanthropy Colorado
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
State of Colorado Dept. of Human Services
The Colorado Health Foundation
The Colorado Trust
The Denver Foundation
Windy Pines Foundation
Individual Donations and Membership Contributions
Celebrating community at our January 2024 Constellations of Change event
CONSTELLATIONS OF CHANGE
Constellations of Change is a series of intergenerational, intimate gatherings of Chinook Fund supporters passionate about mobilizing resources and co-creating a meaningful community of donor activists. The Constellations community includes sustaining donors, both multi-year and monthly, who collectively contribute $240,000 a year in critical, unrestricted support to Chinook Fund. Through Constellations of Change, we aim to imagine something beyond the typical donor/funder exchange, and invite you to join us in dreaming among the stars.
To join, or for more information, contact Shelby Bates at sbates@chinookfund.org.
OUR TEAM
CHINOOK FUND STAFF–CURRENT
Crys Middlestadt
They/Them
Executive Director
(Through Jan. 2025)
Shelby Bates
She/Her
Development & Communications Manager
(Since Dec. 2023)
P. Barclay Jones
He/Him
Program Manager, Interim Program Director
(Dec. 2023–May 2024)
Trena Moya
She/Her
Finance & Operations Manager
Mateo Parsons
He/Him
Program Director
(Since May 2024)
Alma Urbano Torres
She/Her
Grants Manager
(Since Apr 2024)
CHINOOK FUND STAFF–FORMER
Mac Liman
She/Her
Program Coordinator
(Dec. 2023–Jul. 2024)
Ginnie Logan
She/Her
Program Director
(Through Dec. 2023)
Judith Marquez
She/Her
Grants Manager
(Through Mar. 2024)
CURRENT CHINOOK FUND STAFF
Swipe to browse team members
Crys Middlestadt
They/Them
Executive Director
(Through Jan. 2025)
Shelby Bates
She/Her
Development & Communications Manager
(Since Dec. 2023)
P. Barclay Jones
He/Him
Program Manager, Interim Program Director
(Dec. 2023–May 2024)
Trena Moya
She/Her
Finance & Operations Manager
Mateo Parsons
He/Him
Program Director
(Since May 2024)
Alma Urbano Torres
She/Her
Grants Manager
(Since Apr 2024)
FORMER CHINOOK FUND STAFF
Swipe to browse team members
Mac Liman
She/Her
Program Coordinator
(Dec. 2023–Jul. 2024)
Ginnie Logan
She/Her
Program Director
(Through Dec. 2023)
Judith Marquez
She/Her
Grants Manager
(Through Mar. 2024)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Angela Daniels
She/Her
Co-Chair
Donna Chrisjohn
Wiƞyan/She/Her
Co-Chair
Erik Ortiz
He/Him
Treasurer
Anna Eunjoo Ghublikian
They/Them
Secretary
V.J. Brown
He/Him
Board
(Through Jan. 2024)
Shannon Francis
She/Her
Board
(Through Jan. 2024)
Davian Gagne
She/Her
Board
(Through Oct. 2023)
Selamawit Gebre
She/Her
Board
Candace Johnson
She/Her
Board
(Through Jan. 2024)
Matt Karkut
He/Him
Board
Angela Schreffler
She/Her
Board
Pamela Reséndiz Trujano
They/Them/Elle
Board
(Through May 2023)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Swipe to browse board members
Angela Daniels
She/Her
Co-Chair
Donna Chrisjohn
Wiƞyan/She/Her
Co-Chair
Erik Ortiz
He/Him
Treasurer
Anna Eunjoo Ghublikian
They/Them
Secretary
V.J. Brown
He/Him
Board
(Through Jan. 2024)
Shannon Francis
She/Her
Board
(Through Jan. 2024)
Davian Gagne
She/Her
Board
(Through Oct. 2023)
Selamawit Gebre
She/Her
Board
Candace Johnson
She/Her
Board
(Through Jan. 2024)
Matt Karkut
He/Him
Board
Angela Schreffler
She/Her
Board
Pamela Reséndiz Trujano
They/Them/Elle
Board
(Through May 2023)
FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
V.J. Brown
Selamawit Gebre
Nancy Hernandez
Matt Karkut
Mac Liman
Lucy Loomis
Erik Ortiz
RESOURCE MOBILIZER COMMITTEE
Dee Arias
Marine Brichard
Molly Delandsheer
Emma Goldman
Davian Gagne
Rachel Garcia
Angela Schreffler
GIVING PROJECT CAUCUS FACILITATORS
Mac Liman
FEEL INSPIRED BY THIS YEAR’S WORK?
LEARN Visit chinookfund.org/grantees to learn about the most innovative and effective grassroots organizations and activism in Colorado.
CONNECT Join our Giving Project. Chinook Fund’s democratized grantmaking brings together a diverse cohort of people from all income levels who are passionate about social change and interested in developing skills in fundraising, grantmaking, and community building.
ACT Give generously. Make a meaningful gift to ensure all communities have a voice and the power to create a better life.
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