West End Pay It Forward Trust

12/09/2025

If you appreciate our efforts, please consider making a donation via Colorado Gives Day!

A permanent charitable fund to improve the West End now and for future generations.

10/24/2025

Reminder! Grant applications are now open!

🎉 Big News for the West End! $22,000 in Community Grants Now Available! 🎉
Thanks to incredible fundraising momentum and a growing endowment, the West End Pay It Forward Trust (WE Pay It Forward)—in proud partnership with Citizens State Bank of Ouray—is thrilled to announce that $22,000 in Community Grants is up for grabs!

💸 Grants range from $500 to $5,000 and are open to:
*Nonprofit organizations
*Local taxing entities
*Groups operating under a 501(c)(3) umbrella (fiscal agent)

🌟 If you're working to uplift the communities of Nucla, Naturita, Bedrock, or Paradox, this is your moment to shine. Whether you're launching a new initiative, expanding a beloved program, or dreaming up something bold for the West End, we want to help make it happen.

📅 Deadline to apply: November 3, 2025

📥For more info and to apply: https://www.westendpayitforward.org/grant-programs

💪 A Legacy of Impact
Founded in 2013, WE Pay It Forward is on a mission to build a brighter future for the West End—one project, one grant, one act of generosity at a time. The Trust has now raised over $350,000 and counting!

🌱 Each year, 5% of the endowment is reinvested directly into the community through grants. And thanks to a generous $6,000 annual contribution from Citizens State Bank, this year’s grant pool has reached an exciting $22,000!

⚡ In 2020, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. supercharged WE Pay It Forward’s mission with a $500,000 donation, fueling over $380,000 in Resiliency Grants for economic development across the West End since then and $100,000 invested into the long-term endowment to grow and sustain our annual Community Grants.

⚡⚡ Soon, Tri-State will help amplify WE Pay It Forward's mission by making another generous bequest of $400,000 to be utilized within our community!

❤️ Want to Be Part of the Movement?
WE Pay It Forward is powered by monthly donors who believe in paying it forward. Just $10/month can help transform lives and build a stronger West End for generations to come. Join the movement through Citizens State Bank of Naturita or online via credit/debit card.

👥 Meet the passionate board behind the mission:
Sara Bachman, Jane Thompson, Erin Jones, Doylene Garvey, Troy Masters, Barb Olander, Sarah Carlisle (serving as our Tri-State collaborative), and April Montgomery of the Telluride Foundation as an ex-officio member.

📣 Interested in learning more? Email [email protected], visit westendpayitforward.org, or find us on Facebook!

Let’s make tomorrow proud of what we do today and build a legacy together. 💙

09/16/2025

🎉 Big News for the West End! $22,000 in Community Grants Now Available! 🎉
Thanks to incredible fundraising momentum and a growing endowment, the West End Pay It Forward Trust (WE Pay It Forward)—in proud partnership with Citizens State Bank of Ouray—is thrilled to announce that $22,000 in Community Grants is up for grabs!

💸 Grants range from $500 to $5,000 and are open to:
*Nonprofit organizations
*Local taxing entities
*Groups operating under a 501(c)(3) umbrella (fiscal agent)

🌟 If you're working to uplift the communities of Nucla, Naturita, Bedrock, or Paradox, this is your moment to shine. Whether you're launching a new initiative, expanding a beloved program, or dreaming up something bold for the West End, we want to help make it happen.

📅 Deadline to apply: November 3, 2025

📥For more info and to apply: https://www.westendpayitforward.org/grant-programs

💪 A Legacy of Impact
Founded in 2013, WE Pay It Forward is on a mission to build a brighter future for the West End—one project, one grant, one act of generosity at a time. The Trust has now raised over $350,000 and counting!

🌱 Each year, 5% of the endowment is reinvested directly into the community through grants. And thanks to a generous $6,000 annual contribution from Citizens State Bank, this year’s grant pool has reached an exciting $22,000!

⚡ In 2020, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. supercharged WE Pay It Forward’s mission with a $500,000 donation, fueling over $380,000 in Resiliency Grants for economic development across the West End since then and $100,000 invested into the long-term endowment to grow and sustain our annual Community Grants.

⚡⚡ Soon, Tri-State will help amplify WE Pay It Forward's mission by making another generous bequest of $400,000 to be utilized within our community!

❤️ Want to Be Part of the Movement?
WE Pay It Forward is powered by monthly donors who believe in paying it forward. Just $10/month can help transform lives and build a stronger West End for generations to come. Join the movement through Citizens State Bank of Naturita or online via credit/debit card.

👥 Meet the passionate board behind the mission:
Sara Bachman, Jane Thompson, Erin Jones, Doylene Garvey, Troy Masters, Barb Olander, Sarah Carlisle (serving as our Tri-State collaborative), and April Montgomery of the Telluride Foundation as an ex-officio member.

📣 Interested in learning more? Email [email protected], visit westendpayitforward.org, or find us on Facebook!

Let’s make tomorrow proud of what we do today and build a legacy together. 💙

08/06/2025

In May, Tri-State announced an additional bequest of $400,000 to the West End Pay It Trust. This is an extension of Tri-State’s $500,000 bequest to the trust in 2019 which was distributed in part to the community via a program called the Resiliency Grants. While announced to the public at the same meeting as the proposed solar project, this gift is separate and does not hinge on the approval of the solar project. Like in 2019, the Telluride Foundation agreed to match Tri-State’s additional gift via their community grant program.

Link to press release: https://sanmiguelbasinforum.com/stories/smpa-tri-state-announce-additional-support-investment-in-montrose-county,68436