Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grants

The Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grant Program is offered by the Boettcher Foundation to strengthen the capacity of leadership organizations working to create a more inclusive and accessible leadership ecosystem in Colorado. The program is connected to the Foundation's Leadership Practitioner Collaborative, a series of quarterly convenings that began in 2021 and bring together leaders of leadership programs and organizations to share knowledge, exchange resources, and build relationships. Through the Catalyst Grant Program, the Foundation provides targeted capacity-building support for organizations participating in this broader leadership ecosystem. Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are intended for one-time, strategic projects rather than general operating support. Proposed projects must address at least one of four identified project areas. Eligible work may launch evaluation or impact measurement activities, diversify program participants, increase or formalize collaboration across programs or organizations, or provide professional development for an organization's executive leadership. The source does not identify a total amount available across the program, a specified number of awards, a required cost share, or a matching-funds requirement. Applicants must present a strategic opportunity rather than a request for general operating support and must address one of the program's eligible issue areas. In addition, at least one staff member, volunteer, or board member from the organization must attend a Leadership Practitioner Collaborative meeting in 2025 or 2026. The relevant Collaborative meeting dates are identified on the application. The source describes applicants as leadership organizations working within Colorado's leadership ecosystem but does not state a specific nonprofit tax status or otherwise identify particular legal entity types that are eligible. Organizations should therefore review the application itself for any additional entity-level eligibility requirements not included in the supplied program information. For the 2026 Summer Cycle, the grant application window opened May 4 and closed May 29. Applicants were instructed to complete the Catalyst Grant Application, which is available through the Foundation's online application link at https://boettcherfoundation.tfaforms.net/217921. The supplied information does not identify a separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating requirement. It also does not list detailed narrative questions, required uploads, financial documents, or other application components beyond completion of the Catalyst Grant Application and satisfaction of the program requirements. Grants are awarded following a competitive review. The program information emphasizes alignment with one of the specified capacity-building project areas, the strategic rather than general-operating nature of the proposed opportunity, and participation in a 2025 or 2026 Leadership Practitioner Collaborative meeting. The Foundation also states a preference that organizations submit only one application among the Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grant, Rural Catalyst Grant, or Community Connections Grant opportunities per cycle. The supplied material does not provide additional scored evaluation criteria, review weights, or a stated performance period for funded projects. For the 2026 Summer Cycle, applicants were scheduled to receive notification of funding or declination on June 22, following the May 29 application deadline. As of August 28, 2026, that application window and notification date have passed. Although the source refers to a Summer Cycle and to applications being limited by cycle, it does not explicitly state that the Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grant recurs annually, quarterly, or according to another fixed application schedule, so a future deadline is not inferred. Questions about the Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grants process may be directed to Garrett Mayberry, grants program officer, at garrett@boettcherfoundation.org. The Boettcher Foundation also lists its address as 1800 Larimer St., Suite 1400, Denver, Colorado 80202 and its general telephone number as 303.534.1937.

Frame the request as a one-time strategic capacity-building opportunity rather than general operating support; address one of the four eligible project areas; ensure at least one staff member, volunteer, or board member attends a Leadership Practitioner Collaborative meeting in 2025 or 2026; note the Foundation's preference that organizations submit only one application among the Leadership Practitioner Catalyst Grant, Rural Catalyst Grant, or Community Connections Grant per cycle.