Investing in critical community services

Since 1994 the City of Boulder's Human Services Fund (HSF) has provided funding to community nonprofit agencies for human service programs benefitting people in need. Funding is primarily made through a competitive annual grant process based on alignment with the city’s human services goals.

2024 Grant Funding

Congratulations to the programs that will receive Human Services Fund (HSF) grants for 2024! View the list of applicants and grant awards PDF.

The city anticipates opening the HSF 2025 fund round in summer 2024. Please check this webpage at that time, for more information about the fund round request for proposals.

Background

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).

  1. 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, other services that help with housing retention).

  1. Advance personal growth, development and leadership potential (e.g., childcare; child, teen or adult academic support; youth, adult or older adult training; language access)

  1. Increase safe environment for people with diverse identities (e.g., through advocacy, legal representation, protection from violence or other form of vulnerability).

  1. Increase positive physical, mental or behavioral health and wellbeing (e.g., direct health care, wellness, food security or nutrition, social connectivity).

  1. Increased ability among community members to access critical services (e.g., transportation, digital divide, culturally centered assistance programs, independent living).

Human Services Fund 2023 Funding Allocations

In December 2022, the City of Boulder approved $2.4 million in 2023 Human Services Fund grants (PDF), including 2023 single-year and 2022-2024 multi-year grants for community nonprofit programs. This amount also includes renewed support for the Keep Families Housed program, managed by the Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA).