- September 18, 2026
golf tournament raises $110,000 for project diakonia
(DENVER) - Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s (CHFA) annual David W. Herlinger Golf Tournament raised $110,000 for Project Diakonia on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Based in Colorado Springs, Project Diakonia is a nonprofit organization providing vocational training and education to underserved youth in the Pikes Peak region.
“Project Diakonia is incredibly grateful to CHFA and everyone who participated in this year’s tournament,” said Cliff Hunter, executive director of Project Diakonia. “This support will help us create meaningful opportunities for young people who have faced significant barriers to education and employment as they build a different future for themselves. More than anything, partnerships like this show our staff and students that their community believes in them and is willing to invest in what they’re working so hard to achieve.”
Project Diakonia offers courses in construction trades that includes hands-on training programs, mentorship, jobsite experience, and job placement services for youth aged 17 to 24. Project Diakonia’s students include those transitioning out of foster care and the juvenile justice system, as well as youth experiencing homelessness. Their work focuses on connecting at-risk youth with skills employers are actively seeking. A 2024 report published by Colorado Succeeds estimated that Colorado’s construction industry faced a shortage of approximately 30,000 laborers, and that demand was expected to grow.
“By providing a foundation of vocational skills and mentorship, Project Diakonia facilitates opportunities for young people in difficult circumstances to find stability and success,” said Thomas Bryan, executive director and CEO of CHFA. “Congratulations to this great organization, and many thanks to our tournament sponsors, whose generosity helped make this donation possible.”
CHFA’s annual golf tournament raises proceeds to benefit a local nonprofit whose work coincides with CHFA’s mission of affordable housing and community development. The 2026 tournament was held at Arrowhead Golf Club in Littleton, Colorado. The event is named in memory of CHFA’s former Executive Director, David W. Herlinger, who passed away in 2012. It serves as a reminder of his passion for the game of golf, and for helping local nonprofit organizations whose work supports affordable housing and community development in Colorado.
Thank you to the 2026 tournament sponsors:
Presenting sponsor: RBC Capital Markets
Eagle sponsors: Bank of America, Wells Fargo
Birdie sponsors: PNC Bank (2X Birdie Sponsor), Janeway Law Firm
Par sponsors: Barclays, Integro Wealth Advisors, Jefferies, Lument, Taft, Wells Fargo
Hole sponsors: Alliance Construction Solutions, Brean Capital, Brikwell, Computershare Corporate Trust, CSG Advisors, Evercrest Advisors, KeyBank, Morgan Stanley, Narrate Holdings, Pinkard Construction, Piper Sandler, Raymond James, Stifel, Ulysses Development Group, UMB, Wells Fargo, Zions Bank
Mulligan ticket sponsors: Taylor Kohrs
Leaderboard sponsor: Janeway Law Firm
Photography sponsor: Housing and Development Software
Corporate donations: Kutak Rock, Milender White
Past beneficiaries of CHFA’s golf tournament include:
2025: Montbello Organizing Committee;2024: NEWSED Community Development Corporation;
2023: Home Builders Foundation;
2022: Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute (RMMFI);
2021: Second Chance Center;
2020 (virtual): Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center;
2019: The Empowerment Program;
2018: Arrupe Jesuit High School;
2017: Saint Francis Center;
2016: Volunteers of America Colorado Branch;
2015: Mercy Housing Colorado;
2014: Habitat for Humanity of Colorado;
2013: Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver;
2012: HomeAid Colorado;
2011: Rebuilding Together Metro Denver and Rebuilding Together Colorado Springs;
2010: The Gathering Place;
2009: Porter-Billups Leadership Academy;
2008: Warren Village;
2007: Urban Peak and Energy Outreach Colorado;
2006: Senior Housing Options;
2005: Food Bank of the Rockies; and
2004: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
About CHFA
For more than 50 years, CHFA has strengthened Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development. CHFA invests in affordable homeownership, the development and preservation of affordable rental housing, helps small- and medium-sized businesses access capital, and supports local communities and mission-aligned nonprofits through technical assistance and philanthropic investment. CHFA is not a state agency. CHFA is a self-sustaining public enterprise. For more information about CHFA, please visit chfainfo.com or call 1.800.877.chfa (2432).
About Project Diakonia
Project Diakonia walks alongside young people ages 16–24 in the Pikes Peak Region who face barriers to education and employment, helping them build a path toward meaningful work and long-term stability. Through hands-on construction training, mentorship, career navigation, and real-world work experience, participants develop the skills, confidence, and connections needed to succeed. By investing in young people, Project Diakonia strengthens families, expands opportunity, and helps build a stronger community. Please visit projectdiakonia.org for more information.