STATEWIDE — The Daniels Fund announced that it distributed $55.9 million in grants and scholarships in 2017. This brings the total to more than $761 million in grants and scholarships distributed since the Daniels Fund’s inception in 2000.

The 2017 total includes $38.8 million in grants to highly effective nonprofit organizations throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, as well as to select national organizations. Colorado communities are benefiting from $24.7 million in grants to outstanding nonprofits throughout the state. The list of nonprofits that were awarded grants in 2017 for programs in Colorado included in the San Luis Valley the City of Alamosa and North Conejos School District.

Also included in the 2017 total, is $17.1 million in scholarships across the four-state region through two distinct programs — the Daniels Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to deserving high school seniors, and the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides funding to participating colleges and high-demand job training programs to offer scholarships to non-traditional students. Colorado students received $12.2 million in scholarships.

The Daniels Fund makes grants in eight funding areas as specified by its founder, Bill Daniels: Aging, Amateur Sports, Disabilities, Drug & Alcohol Addiction, Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education Reform, Homeless & Disadvantaged, and Youth Development.

The Daniels Fund also provided grant funding for ethics education through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative and other efforts.

“We are honored to carry on Bill Daniels’ legacy of giving back by supporting nonprofit organizations and deserving students in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming,” said Linda Childears, President & CEO of the Daniels Fund. “I am sure he would be delighted to see the impact these grants and scholarships will have for citizens of these four states that meant so much to him.”

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.