direct effect awards

CHFA’s Direct Effect Awards recognize Colorado nonprofit organizations whose missions align with CHFA’s work to strengthen Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development.

Direct Effect Recipients

Since 2021, CHFA has provided over $9.9 million in Direct Effect Awards to over 630 organizations. Read more about the beneficiaries here.

In order to review applications more holistically and respond to an increased volume of requests, CHFA has refined its funding guidelines to be more responsive to organizations working to directly advance affordable housing and economic development.

In 2026, CHFA will have two Direct Effect Award rounds, each round will focus on different strategic funding priority areas.

Round One: Application will open April 1st and close April 30th. Awardees will be notified in late July 2026. Round One will be open to organizations applying for funds to advance affordable homeownership and affordable rental housing.

Round Two: Application will open June 22nd and close July 17th. Awardees will be notified in early October 2026. Round Two will be open to organizations applying for funds to advance economic development, food access, and education.

For organizations applying for funding to support affordable homeownership, affordable rental housing, and economic development, awards will typically range from $5,000 to $50,000. In the food access and education spaces, awards will typically range from $5,000 to $20,000. In certain cases, funding may exceed those thresholds.

To receive announcements about CHFA’s Community Partnership efforts including Direct Effect Awards and future grant opportunities, please sign up to receive CHFA’s Community Connections eNews.

Submission Information

The Round One Application will open April 1st and close April 30th. Round One will be open to organizations applying for funds to advance affordable homeownership and affordable rental housing.

Please note: While all applications must be strong to be competitive, applications requesting higher dollar amounts must demonstrate a strong alignment with CHFA’s mission to strengthen Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development. They should also demonstrate strong support from the community and other funding sources, provide specific details about their projected impact, and show how they will advance equity in their community.

If you experience issues filling out the online application, please contact us.

Reviews

All eligible entries will be judged quantitatively and qualitatively by a panel comprised of CHFA staff. For the quantitative assessment, CHFA uses a scoring rubric, which can be found here. Please use the scoring rubric to self-assess if your organization will be a good fit.

It is possible that CHFA will schedule time with you to discuss your application further prior to awarding funding, if applicable.

Eligibility

CHFA’s Direct Effect Awards typically fund nonprofits working in the following strategic funding priority areas:

Strengthening low- and moderate-income Coloradans’ ability to achieve or sustain affordable homeownership through:

  • Financial literacy
  • Foreclosure prevention
  • Home rehabilitation, repairs, and renovations to ensure livability, adaptability, and mobility
  • Housing counseling, including homebuyer pre/post education
  • Reducing barriers to homeownership for diverse, rural, and/or economically disadvantaged populations
  • Utility assistance or energy‑efficiency improvements to reduce household expenses

Strengthening low- and moderate-income Coloradans’ ability to achieve or sustain affordable rental housing through:

  • Providing support and wrap-around services for residents such as 
    • Collaborative partnerships providing increased food access, health, mobility, and energy cost assistance for tenants
    • Eviction prevention
    • Fair housing support
    • Housing and services navigation
    • Rental assistance
    • Tenant legal aid
  • Support for people experiencing homelessness 

Strengthening low- and moderate-income Coloradans’ ability to achieve economic prosperity through:

  • Child care for low- and moderate-income households
  • Entrepreneurship, leadership, or business-readiness education
  • Job training and skill development
  • Support for career readiness in construction and trades
  • Increasing access to or achievement in early childhood education, K-12, higher education, financial education, mentoring, or narrowing the education gap particularly among diverse, rural, and/or economically disadvantaged populations.
  • *Due to limited funding, CHFA’s Corporate Giving Programs are unable to fund individual schools, school districts, or school district foundations unless the request is for a clear and direct link to affordable housing. Through its Direct Effect program, CHFA is unable to support scholarship programs outside of its direct support of Colorado higher education institutions through the Building the Future scholarship program. CHFA will consider event sponsorship requests for scholarship programs but has a limited budget so it will prioritize funding for organizations serving historically disadvantaged communities.
  • Increasing access to nutritious and affordable food for low- and moderate-income Coloradans and those from economically disadvantaged populations

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations include public housing authorities, cities, counties, and local municipalities.

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s contribution is restricted to supporting the general operations and programs of the organization and may not be used to support any activity proscribed by Section 1-45-117 of the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act or advocacy in support or opposition to any state, federal, or local legislation.

Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for funding if they have clear policies and practices that state that anyone is eligible for services, regardless of their faith. CHFA does not discriminate in eligibility solely on an applicant’s religious character. However, based on the historic and substantial state interest against using public funds or moneys to aid a church or establish or support any religion or sectarian purpose, CHFA does not fund religious activities, programs, or organizations that require an individual to participate in religious activity or receive religious information or materials as a condition of receiving services from those organizations. CHFA’s funds may not be used to further a religious doctrine or sectarian purpose.

Funds may not be used for predevelopment costs, gap funding, or construction costs for single family or multifamily housing projects. Funds may not be used to fund mobile home park infrastructure. Funds may not be used for repairs or rehabilitation of multifamily properties. Individual home repair and/or rehab to ensure livability, energy efficiency, adaptability, and mobility for homeowners is an eligible use of funds.

Funds may not be used to prepare a site or application for a future state Affordable Housing Tax Credit or federal Housing Tax Credit (HTC) application.

CHFA is unable to fund individual schools, school districts, or school district foundations unless the request is for a clear and direct link to affordable housing. Through its Direct Effect program, CHFA is unable to support scholarship programs outside of its direct support of Colorado higher education institutions through the Building the Future scholarship program. CHFA will consider event sponsorship requests for scholarship programs but has a limited budget so will prioritize funding for organizations serving historically disadvantaged communities.

CHFA does not typically fund pass through organizations except for in response to emergency situations.

CHFA’s financial support must be directed to serve Coloradans only.

Organizations may only be awarded one Direct Effect grant in a 12-month period.

  • If an organization received an award in Round One 2025 (announced July 2025), it will be eligible to apply in either round of 2026. Please ensure your grant report is submitted prior to your next application.
  • If an organization received an award in Round Two 2025 (announced December 2025), it will be eligible to apply in either round of 2027. Please ensure your grant report is submitted prior to your next application.

Application Information

Applicants will be asked to respond to the following questions:

Describe, in 150 words or less, how your organization has made the state stronger by helping Coloradans access affordable housing and/or by furthering economic development. For example, describe your impact (people supported, etc.) over the past five years.

Describe in 500 words or less, the specific program you are seeking funding for and how Direct Effect dollars will be used. Be sure to describe the anticipated impact (people supported etc.) of the project.

Describe, in 300 words or less, who else has contributed to and/or is being asked to contribute toward the funding goal, including committed or anticipated dollar amounts. What is your plan to fulfill the total budget needed? If you receive partial funding from CHFA, how will you fill the gap? (Be sure to include cash support and in-kind, include value of in-kind).

Describe in 300 words or less how your organization strives to advance equity through your programs, who you serve, staff, board, volunteers, and/or engagement with community.

Based on your anticipated impact, describe in 300 words or less, at least three ways you will measure success for this effort. Examples of success measures could include but are not limited to: total number of households expected to be supported, program launch date, or project completion date. Please note: Award recipients will be asked to provide a brief written summary report within one year of receiving their award documenting their progress in reaching the success measures defined in this response.

A copy of the organization’s IRS exemption letter demonstrating proof of nonprofit status or a state charter, articles of incorporation or other establishing documents designating the organization as a nonprofit or not-for-profit entity under the laws of Colorado, and the Colorado Secretary of State's Certificate of Good Standing are required for submission as part of the application process.

Need more information?

Please contact Kristen Soroko or Jerilynn Francis for more information. 

Kristen Soroko

Corporate Giving Program Officer

303.297.7425

Jerilynn Francis

Chief Communications and Community Partnerships Officer

303.297.7427

Use of Applicants’ and Awardees’ Entries and Privacy Consent and Release

All content included in the applications or any other submittals to CHFA under or in connection with the Direct Effect Awards Program (the “Program”) whether prior to or after an award is made, if applicable (each a “Program Submittal”) shall become the sole property of CHFA and, as such, may be used by CHFA in its sole discretion for purposes related to CHFA’s mission, including art, publicity, marketing, trade, and promotion of CHFA and its various programs without compensation to Program applicants or awardees (each a “Program Participant” and, collectively, the “Program Participants”). Program Submittals may be copied and distributed by means of various media, including video presentations, television, radio, podcast, news bulletins, mail-outs, billboards or signs, brochures, placement on CHFA websites, other electronic delivery or publications, as well as other social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, and use of Program Submittals will be further subject to the user agreements for those media applications. Program Participants waive any and all rights to inspect or approve the finished product, any accompanying text, or any material in which CHFA may eventually use the Program Submittals. By submitting an application under the Program, Program Participants relinquish and give CHFA all rights, title, and interests in and to the Program Submittals, including any copyright. This consent and release shall be binding on the Program Participants’ heirs, successors, assigns and legal representatives.

CHFA will use the Program Submittals in accordance with these Program guidelines and with standards of good judgment; however, CHFA does not warrant or guarantee that any further dissemination by third parties of Program Submittals will be subject to CHFA’s supervision or control. Additionally, please note that records held by CHFA may be subject to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), C.R.S. 24-72-201, et seq. By submitting an application under the Program, Program Participants release CHFA and its directors, members, officers, agents, employees, personnel, successors, and assigns from any and all liability related to the dissemination, reproduction, distribution, and display of the Program Submittals in print or any and all other media, and any alteration, blurring, use in composite form, distortion, or illusionary effect, whether intentional or otherwise, that may be produced in taking, processing, reduction, or production of the finished product, its publication, or distribution.

As a condition to receipt of an award under the Program, Program Participant agrees to be interviewed and featured in communication pieces related to CHFA’s mission, including art, publicity, marketing, trade, and promotion of CHFA and its various programs without compensation to the Program Participant. It is, however, in CHFA’s sole discretion whether to use the Program Participant in any such publication(s).

Sign up for Community Connections eNews

This monthly eNewsletter provides CHFA news and information highlighting how local communities are addressing their unique affordable housing and economic development needs, oftentimes in collaboration with CHFA and its partners. 

Sign up now