Grant Opportunities
We are now accepting Letters of Intent for the 2025-26 Colorado State Respite Grant!
To respond to the growing respite care needs of Colorado’s family caregivers, the Colorado Respite Coalition, a program of Easterseals Colorado, is seeking applications from qualified entities currently providing respite services. Respite care provides family caregivers with a break from caregiving. Respite care can be provided in a home, at a center, or in the community. The key is that the caregiver must have the opportunity to leave and know their loved one is being cared for. This grant program supports services across the lifespan and health and disability spectrums and serves the entire state of Colorado.
This grant program is funded through Colorado State General Funds and is managed by Easterseals Colorado and the Colorado Department of Human Services, State Unit of Aging. The intent of these funds is to increase access to respite care options for family caregivers and to help agencies build the capacity to provide additional services. All funds are specified to be used to support families as a Payer of Last Resort (i.e., families who do not actively receive respite allocations through Medicaid waivers or other funds).
The grant period is July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
New changes to the grant for 2025-26 grant year:
- The award range will be between $10,000 and $30,000 per grant year.
- Monthly billing is required as of July 1, 2025. We will also accept quarterly billing in certain circumstances.
- Colorado Respite Coalition is updating the application requirements for the State Respite Grant.
- New requirement for grant application for the year 2025-2026 is the submission of a letter of intent (LOI).
- Competitive LOIs will be invited to submit a full application for the State Respite Grant.
To be considered for this grant, please submit an LOI by Wednesday, April 9th.
The LOI should be no more than two pages and include:
- Agency Name
- Grant contact name
- Description of Program (day program, in-home, volunteer, etc.)
- What activities will participants (care recipients) do during the respite period
- Location of program (County, urban, rural, mixed)
- How will the grant funds be utilized? How many family caregivers will be helped?
Note: Funds may not be used for brick and mortar, food, beverage, vehicle purchases, etc. If you have questions, please contact us.
Submit LOI to Megan Bettinger at [email protected] with the subject indicating “Colorado State Respite Grant Letter of Intent.” LOIs are due on April 9, 2025.
2024-25 State Respite Grantees
A Little Help
All Star Sports Club
Alpine Adult Day Care
Alpine Homecare
Catholic Charities of Denver
Chaffee County Public Health
City of Boulder’s Expand Program
Faith Place Outdoors
Hilltop
Kids at Heart
Larimer County Office on Aging
Lil’ Friends
Lutheran Family Services
Night Lights Respite Care
Nurturing Newborns
Porchlight Friends
Seniors’ Resource Center
Special Kids Special Families
Teller Senior Coalition
The Arc of Southwest Colorado
Timberline Adult Day Program
Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments
Volunteers of America
Weld County Area Agency on Aging
FAQ For Community Grant Program
What if my organization already conducts the required fingerprint based background checks?
What types of programs are eligible for funding?
Any group operating an existing (not new) respite program is encouraged to apply. This could include in-home care services, a day program, a camp or other types of programs that provide a break for caregivers.
What is the required privacy insurance policy all grantees must carry during the grant period?
Grantees are required to maintain a privacy insurance policy, which can also be called cyber or professional liability, throughout the duration of the grant period. This is required to protect electronically-shared HIPAA information. There are required tiers for coverage based on the number of clients served annually or annual revenues. Further questions can be directed to your insurance agency.
Can agencies be Approved Voucher providers and Community Grant recipients at the same time?
Yes, agencies can be voucher providers and grant recipients at the same time. This is not required. An application to both programs must be submitted to participate in both programs. The community grants are agency-directed, whereas the vouchers are family-directed. A single family cannot be simultaneously served through both sources by an agency (“double dipping”). An agency can use grant funding for some families, and provide services through the voucher for others.
Can funds be used for meals?
No, no funding can be used for food or beverages.
If an agency currently receives other respite funding (i.e. Older Americans Act dollars), are they eligible to apply?
Do applicants have to use sample budget template?
What is the maximum percentage of budget that can be used for indirect costs?
13% of proposed budget.
Indirect costs are costs that would be required even if program wasn’t in existence. These may be things like agency insurance policy, which program pays an allocation of, but would be needed without the program. Direct costs are 100% needed for the services provided by program. Please note applicants should review current RFP for any changes within funding cycles.
