Human Services Fund

In response to shifting needs in our community, the City of Boulder’s Human Services Fund (HSF) grant funding will be awarded through a closed, invite only process for the 2026 fund round*. Rather than issuing an open call for applications, this year’s fund round will be open only to currently funded programs with the option to directly invite a small number of programs. Invitations for programs not funded in 2025 will be based on a range of factors, including strategic alignment, level of need for program services (with a focus on critical needs), existing partnerships, and our capacity to provide meaningful support. The goal of this shift is to offer greater stability by allowing limited funding to be focused on a smaller number of organizations during a time when many are facing significant uncertainty.

Invitations for the 2026 HEF Fund Round will go out on June 23, 2025.

*The City of Bouder will not participate in the joint HSF application and will instead have a separate application. The closed, invite only process only applies to the City of Boulder.

If you have any questions about this, contact Markisha Key-Hagan at key-haganm@bouldercolorado.gov or by phone at 303-441-3146.

Through the HSF, the City of Boulder invests resources in improving well-being for community members experiencing social or economic disparities. An annual allocation from the city’s general fund serves as the source for this grant program. The HSF supports programs and service delivery that promote the following shared outcomes:

1. Increased economic stability, mobility, and resilience (e.g., employment, financial assistance, benefits or other earnings, financial literacy, or other forms of self-sufficiency assistance).
2. Increase the ability for people to obtain and maintain housing (e.g., rental assistance, legal representation for housing, pathways to housing for individuals experiencing homelessness or other services that help keep people housed including those that use a housing first strategy).
3. Advance personal growth, development and leadership potential (e.g., childcare; child, teen or young adult academic support)
4. Increase safe environment for people with diverse identities (e.g., through advocacy, legal representation, protection from violence or other form of vulnerability).
5. Increase positive physical, mental or behavioral health and wellbeing (e.g., direct health care, wellness, food security or nutrition, social connectivity).
6. Increased ability among community members to access critical services and improve quality of life including upstream solutions that address the root causes of social problems (e.g., transportation, digital divide, culturally centered assistance programs, independent living, language access).

Visit the Community Funding Dashboard to view grant awards from previous years.