Recovery Summer 2021 Grant Awards

Colorado Map with Recovery Summer program locationsLed by the Colorado Education Initiative and Early Milestones Colorado, the Recovery Summer Coalition was formed in February 2021 to develop channels of support for a summer response to the short- and long-term impacts to student learning and social and emotional needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eleven programs have been selected to receive funding for regional equity-centered efforts that leverage the upcoming summer for supporting Colorado children and families. These grants were made possible by $350,000 in joint funding from Caring for Colorado Foundation and Rose Community Foundation. Communities that will benefit from this programming are shown in the accompanying map.

Facing unprecedented challenges created by more than a year of global pandemic conditions, the grantees listed below have demonstrated creativity in engaging with the students and families who most need enhanced offerings. Funds will help these organizations strengthen and expand programs to provide more equitable access and support ahead of the 2021-2022 academic year. These grantees were selected in June 2021 to receive between $10,000 and $40,000 for community- and place-based initiatives. An estimated 4,000 youth will be impacted by the efforts of nearly 75 organizations.

The Recovery Summer Coalition aims to use successes and lessons learned from these initiatives to fuel future system-level innovation for engaging students and families both during and outside the traditional school year.