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The Denver Foundation
The Denver Foundation reported $208.3 million in revenue and $161.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $91.83 went to program services, $6.55 to management and general costs and $1.62 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 68.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $534,496 (PRESIDENT). 19 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 42% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $162MFor context, the median across 1,001 covered philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities: $91.65 programs, $6.50 management, $1.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $208MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.8% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.6% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 68.6% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.7% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $534,496 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.33% | 1.56% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 19 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 88.5 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 19 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDonor-advised fund grants: the Denver Foundation gave 3,635 grants from donor-advised funds in 2024. Donor-influenced grants represent approximately 82% of the grants made by the Denver Foundation. These grants supported charitable endeavors in nearly every type and size of nonprofit organization. The majority of these organizations are located in the seven-county metro denver area; however, these funds can make grants to any U.S.-based charity, or foreign equivalent
Community grants program: the Denver Foundation's donor-built permanent endowment fuels the community grants program, which supports constituent-led organizations that work to reduce disparities in their communities. The community grants program helps nonprofit organizations create positive change. Through this grantmaking, the foundation supports nonprofits that serve the seven-county metro denver area; advancing the foundation's core values; and aligning with the foundation's priority funding areas of climate and environment, economic opportunity, youth well-being, and housing. To be…
The Denver Foundation operates 84 different scholarship programs. In 2024 these programs supported 1,131 students in 119 schools
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $490,058 | $0 | $44,438 | $534,496 |
| CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $245,930 | $0 | $35,824 | $281,754 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $229,586 | $0 | $22,098 | $251,684 |
| TRUSTEE Director/trustee, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $179,500 | $17,683 | $197,183 |
| EXEC. DIR. OF BLACK RESILIENCE OF CO Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $153,259 | $0 | $28,165 | $181,424 |
| SEN. DIR., INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $131,923 | $0 | $39,768 | $171,691 |
| SEN. DIR., PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $130,675 | $0 | $40,118 | $170,793 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIPS Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $139,577 | $0 | $22,030 | $161,607 |
19 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Denver Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.2M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b19 · 18 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 568
- Volunteers Part I, line 6100
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| DENVER COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SERVICES Building parking lot repair | $452,000 |
| NEPC LLC Investment consultant | $411,694 |
| HOLLAND & HART LLP Legal services | $336,700 |
| LATINO COALITION FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHI Contract services | $262,500 |
| FOUNDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC Financial activities software | $158,850 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 11 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
12 private foundations reported grants to The Denver Foundation totaling $2.3M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Denver Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Denver Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Denver Foundation spent in 2024, $91.83 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Hopewell FundWashington, DC · revenue $208M · programs 94.5% · 2024
- Community Foundation of Northwest IndianaMunster, IN · revenue $209M · programs 41.3% · FY2025
- Arizona Community FoundationPhoenix, AZ · revenue $203M · programs 90.7% · FY2025
- Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationSt Paul, MN · revenue $211M · programs 88.3% · 2025
- Daffy Charitable FundLos Altos, CA · revenue $197M · programs 99.9% · 2024
All philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities · Largest charities in Colorado
Questions people ask
How much of The Denver Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Denver Foundation reported that 91.8% of its $161.8 million in expenses went to program services, 6.6% to management and general and 1.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Denver Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Denver Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $534,496, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Denver Foundation get its money?
Of $208.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 68.6% came from contributions and grants (including 1.7% from government grants) and 0.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Denver Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 84-6048381 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513159349303936 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433119349303518 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303199349312830 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223189349305337 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113159349306511 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043219349309164 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 84-6048381: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.