Funding Landscape Insights
Highlights from Part 5 of the report.
Emerging Trends
- Funders are prioritizing trauma-informed mental health for youth—align narratives with healing outcomes.
- Equity questions are standard; document language access, affordability, and outreach to underserved families.
- State funds for school-based mental health are growing—position prevention work accordingly.
Funding Gaps
- VOCA reductions leave core victim services underfunded—private multi-year grants must backfill.
- Child abuse prevention dollars are scarce; package SafeKids to tap broader youth development funds.
Collaborative Opportunities
- Many grants (OVW, TGYS) require partnerships—leverage MDT relationships and cultivate new alliances (DV agencies, schools, mental health providers).
- Engage in county-level ARPA and special initiative conversations to stay eligible for pooled funding.
- Stay active with Colorado Children’s Alliance advocacy as VOCA and state appropriations shift.
Multi-year Funding Potential
- Caring for Colorado and Daniels Fund entertain multi-year commitments—design proposals accordingly.
- VOCA already spans two-year periods; emphasize program stability to encourage renewal.
- Prepare data-rich cases showing how multi-year support advances equity and deeper evaluation.
Competitive Intelligence
Key Competitors
- Victim services agencies (DV shelters, rape crisis centers) competing for VOCA/VALE slices.
- Youth development, health, and education nonprofits vying for local/private dollars.
What Makes Winners Successful
- Blending compelling stories with rigorous data and clear evaluation plans.
- Demonstrating collaboration and system impact beyond a single program.
- Showcasing strong stewardship and outcome measurement.
Common Failure Points
- Ignoring funder priorities or failing to document equity impact.
- Overpromising beyond organizational capacity.
- Submitting rushed, error-prone proposals or failing to seek feedback after declines.