AFP Colorado Chapter

10/20/2026

Please join the AFP Colorado community in celebrating an amazing organization in our community making a difference in philanthropy through their business culture.

Design Workshop – Outstanding Small Business

Presented to a small for-profit business that has demonstrated outstanding long-term or sustained commitment to the community. Ideally, this is achieved through the creation of a corporate philanthropic culture that includes financial support and corporate social responsibility while also encouraging and motivating employees/others to take leadership roles and volunteer.

Design Workshop demonstrates how a business can make philanthropy part of its everyday culture. The 100% employee-owned landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm empowers employee-owners to contribute time, expertise, and resources to the communities where they live and work.

Through the Design Workshop Foundation, the firm has delivered more than $1 million in pro bono design services supporting equity, education, environmental stewardship, and public space. In 2025, employees contributed more than 2,000 volunteer hours to over 100 nonprofit and community organizations, while a single firmwide Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service generated more than 900 hours.

Its community-led work has advanced projects such as Greening Five Points and environmental equity efforts in Globeville, including work that helped secure a $500,000 EPA Environmental Justice grant.

Jevon Taylor, CEO of Green Dot Coalition, wrote, “Design Workshop responded with generosity, expertise, and a true spirit of partnership.”

Design Workshop is honored for using design, collaboration, and shared leadership to create healthier, more equitable, and resilient communities.

Make sure to join us at National Philanthropy Day 2026 on November 5: https://community.afpglobal.org/afpcocoloradochapter/npd48/new-item

10/14/2026

Please join the AFP Colorado community in celebrating an amazing organization in our community making a difference in philanthropy through their business culture.

Wings Credit Union – Outstanding Large Business

Presented to a large for-profit business or government agency that has demonstrated outstanding long-term or sustained commitment to the community. Ideally, this is achieved by creating a corporate philanthropic culture that includes financial support and corporate social responsibility while also encouraging and motivating employees/others to take leadership roles and volunteer.

For nearly 70 years, Ent Credit Union, now becoming Wings Credit Union, has built a culture rooted in “people helping people.” In 2025 alone, the organization invested more than $3 million in Colorado communities, supporting 290 nonprofits focused on youth development, education, healthcare, housing stability, food security, and financial well-being.

Its YES Grants program awarded $300,000 to 116 youth-serving organizations, while long-term commitments include a $2.5 million investment in pediatric mental health care at Children’s Hospital Colorado. More than 100 employees also serve as certified Financial Coaches, and employees contributed more than 4,500 volunteer hours in 2025.

Jennifer Lackey, Chief Development Officer at Food Bank of the Rockies, wrote, “Wings has proven to be the kind of community partner that consistently shows up where they are needed most.”

Wings Credit Union is honored for embedding philanthropy, volunteerism, and financial empowerment into its culture and strengthening communities across Colorado.

Wings Credit Union was nominated by Brent's Place and Vivent Heath.

10/12/2026

Join us for TOMORROW our October Coffee Chat: Ethical Horror Stories

Join us at:
Junior League of Denver
1301 S. Washington St
Denver, CO 80210

Anyone with fundraising duties in their job description is welcome to attend. Coffee Chats are free to everyone and there is no need to register. Coffee Chats are hosted on the second Tuesday of each month.

10/08/2026

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, AFP Colorado honors the histories, cultures, generosity, and leadership of Hispanic and Latino communities. Their contributions enrich our Colorado communities and the fundraising profession. This year, we invite members to consider a question that can strengthen our work: Who has the opportunity to shape how philanthropy happens?

In a new AFP Global article, Christiamilda Correa, CFRE, draws on her experience as a fundraiser and leader to explore what it means to move beyond having a seat at the table. She describes how cultural knowledge and lived experience can strengthen donor relationships, inform the stories organizations tell, and shape gatherings that reflect the people and communities at their heart.

For Colorado fundraisers, her perspective invites us to look at our everyday decisions. Who helps define the message before an appeal is written? Whose insight guides the design of a donor event? Are we creating paths for Hispanic and Latine colleagues to lead strategy and grow in our profession?

We invite you to read Correa’s article and bring one of those questions into a conversation with your team. Honoring contributions also means making room for people to shape what comes next.

How Latine and Hispanic leaders leverage cultural authenticity, strategic marketing, and intentional event design to reframe donor engagement a

10/06/2026

Join us next Tuesday for our October Coffee Chat: Ethical Horror Stories

Join us at:
Junior League of Denver
1301 S. Washington St
Denver, CO 80210

Anyone with fundraising duties in their job description is welcome to attend. Coffee Chats are free to everyone and there is no need to register. Coffee Chats are hosted on the second Tuesday of each month.

10/02/2026

🏆 National Philanthropy Day 2026: Lifetime Achievement Award

AFP Colorado is proud to honor William J. “Bill” Hybl, Chair Emeritus of El Pomar Foundation, with the **2026 Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more than five decades, Bill has helped shape philanthropy, civic leadership, education, and amateur sport across Colorado. As El Pomar’s first employee and later its Chairman and CEO, he helped guide more than $450 million in grants across all 64 Colorado counties.

His impact extends far beyond grantmaking. Bill championed rural Colorado through El Pomar’s Regional Partnerships, helped launch the El Pomar Fellowship—which has supported more than 300 emerging leaders—and played a significant role in establishing Colorado Springs as a national center for Olympic and amateur sport.

His legacy is one of visionary leadership, expanded opportunity, and lasting investment in Colorado communities.

Please join us on Thursday, November 5, 2026, as we celebrate Bill and all of the 2026 National Philanthropy Day honorees at the NPD Luncheon.

👉 https://bit.ly/NPD-26

10/01/2026

2026 RMPI is in the books!

The day started with an insightful keynote presentation by the Chair of AFP Global Board, Roger Ali. Roger emphasized the importance of having clarity in a time of uncertainty. Uncertainty is all around us, and we are all operating within it. What we can have, however, is clarity of purpose that allows orientation and reorientation, awareness, and adaptability.

Throughout the day, RMPI presented 12 workshops on topics ranging from Donor Advised Funds and Non-Cash Assets to personal development themes like preventing burnout and leading teams.

Many thanks to our host UCAR, the sponsors, the speakers, all the attendees and volunteers, and the RMPI committee! See you next year at RMPI!

Check out the photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FqhUhhLzHm8f56CA6

09/30/2026

Don't miss out on a chance to join AFP at a discount! Coupon ends today.

https://afpglobal.org/join

09/29/2026

Join us for our October Coffee Chat: Ethical Horror Stories

Join us at:
Junior League of Denver
1301 S. Washington St
Denver, CO 80210

Anyone with fundraising duties in their job description is welcome to attend. Coffee Chats are free to everyone and there is no need to register. Coffee Chats are hosted on the second Tuesday of each month.

09/24/2026

AFP Colorado is proud to announce the outstanding individuals and organizations being recognized at the 2026 National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon

See the list of 2026 honorees here: https://afpcc.org/npd48/new-item

These remarkable honorees represent the generosity, leadership, and commitment to strengthening communities across our state. Over the coming weeks, Thursday Thoughts will showcase each award recipient and share more about the impact that inspired their recognition.

We are incredibly grateful to our selection committee that made this possible. Thank you for the time and investment to recognizing philanthropy throughout our community.

Tickets for luncheon on are sale now: https://bit.ly/NPD-26