2021 Grant Recipients
In our inaugural grant cycle, in fulfillment of NTSOC‘s charitable mission, we awarded $533,750 to 17 local non-profits who were granted funds because their requests prioritized the unmet needs of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) across our six funding areas. “Addressing the unmet needs of children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community is our top priority. Ultimately, our organization wants to disable as many barriers as possible” (Christopher Robinson, Disabling Barriers President).
Local nonprofits can learn more about our criteria, funding areas, and annual grant cycle details on the Grant Info page.
Mission Statement: Reigning Hope (formally Chuckie’s Place), is a farm clinic providing life changing therapies. Reigning Hope is a farm-based clinic that enhances the lives of individuals, through therapies that create positive cognitive, emotional, physical, spiritual, and social growth while also providing support and programs for their family and caregivers.
DB Funding Area(s):
Medical Care & Case Management Awareness
Grant Description: DB awarded Reigning Hope $131,200 to fund the installation of a ceiling lift, to safely transport clients with disabilities from the ground to the horse and safely back to the ground following a ride, as well as a wheelchair – accessible ramp to assist in safely getting riders on and off the horse. Along with the ramp and lift, the grant also supports sensory rich therapy and adaptive riding to clients whose insurances don’t cover hippotherapy. The grant from DB, “opens up more opportunities to serve the special needs community and gives clients more time on the horse which is so beneficial” (Kesti Suggs, Reigning Hope founder and adaptive riding instructor).
Mission Statement: NTSOC, a nonprofit organization, serves southern Colorado families of children and young adults with disabilities by providing compassionate quality home care, case management, CNA training, and outpatient therapy. We pursue the best possible outcome defined by the client, family members, and care team.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Medical Care & Case Management Awareness
Grant Description: DB awarded NTSOC $100,000 to fund the architectural design for an aquatic center to be built as an attachment to their current clinic.
Mission Statement: To promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the communities of the Pikes Peak region throughout their lifetimes.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Coaching, Post-High School Education and Job Support
Assistive Technology
Independent Living
Grant Description: DB awarded The Arc-PPR $82,650 to support The Children of All Types Succeeding (C.A.T.S.) Club and the Arc-PPR’s School and Life program which will “help empower families and students with the resources they need to succeed” (Wilfred Romero, The Arc-PPR Executive Director). This program creates home-learning environments for students with I/DD to improve school readiness, independent living success, and address the academic disparities that affect students with I/DD. Additionally, seven adaptive bikes will be provided to students participating in the Cool C.A.T.S. Club to aid at-home therapy, social opportunities, and transportation needs of transition age students who are seeking employment or are employed.
Mission Statement: To promote, strengthen, and support individuals with disabilities, their families, and caregivers.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Independent Living
Assistive Technology
Grant Description: DB awarded ARISE $50,000 to purchase track wheelchairs for their new program, Get Out and Hike (GOH!). With DB’s support of a grant, ARISE’s program will enable young adults and youths with disabilities to utilize these adaptable chairs for climbing trails in the mountains which were inaccessible to them previously. “Our clients will be able to enjoy the experience of hiking a mountain trail which they would have never thought possible” (Tim Ashley, ARISE Program Director and CEO).
Mission Statement: Our mission is to transform the lives of children with autism. Partnering with families, we create life-long relationships through thoughtful, innovative, empirical learning treatment programs. Our vision is a world where the lives of children with autism, their families
and communities, are transformed through learning.
and communities, are transformed through learning.
DB Funding Area(s):
Medical Care & Case Management Awareness
Grant Description: DB awarded Firefly Autism $25,000 to support their individual treatment plans, social skill groups, clinical assessments, in-home ABA, speech/occupational therapies, and mental health services that are provided one-on-one with children, teenagers and adults in the southern CO community.
Mission Statement: IN!’s mission is to create inclusive college opportunities in Colorado for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to foster academic growth, social development, and career advancement. IN!’s vision for its work is for students with I/DD to be
welcomed on college campuses and allowed to continue their education and preparation for life, making inclusive pathways to higher education a part of the fabric of all colleges and universities statewide.
DB Funding Area(s):
Coaching, Post-High School Education and Job Support
Independent Living
Grant Description: DB awarded IN! $25,000 to support and expand their services of inclusive higher education outreach and engagements to individuals with I/DD in southern CO. Before inclusive higher education was created in Colorado, traditional pathways after high school were limited to minimum wage jobs, and in many cases, individuals with I/DD had no opportunities after graduation to pursue their futures and reach their full potential. IN!’s advocacy and ongoing commitment to creating higher education and workforce development opportunities for individuals with I/DD brings representation from the community served to classrooms, campuses, and workplaces, normalizing and celebrating the value and achievements individuals with I/DD bring to their communities.
Mission Statement: Goodwill of Colorado helps individuals achieve greater independence.
DB Funding Area(s):
Coaching, Post-High School Education and Job Support
Grant Description: DB awarded Goodwill of Colorado $20,000 for their Employment Transition Services for students aged 18-21 with I/DD’s. This program provides one-on-one job skills development and mentoring with the aim of ensuring long term and competitive employment.
Mission Statement: To promote, strengthen, and support individuals with disabilities, their families, and caregivers.
DB Funding Area(s):
Medical Care & Case Management Awareness
Sports & Recreation
Skilled & Non-Skilled Home Care & Respite
Assistive Technology
Grant Description: DB awarded SKSF $20,000 to support Zach’s Place, their center for children ages 2.5-18 who have developmental disabilities and other high needs (behavioral, developmental, physical, and medical). DB’s support allows for the inclusion of children from low-income backgrounds who cannot afford the cost of specialized programming and services. SKSF’s clients have a range of diagnoses including autism, neurological disabilities, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other developmental and medical issues.
Mission Statement: The Arc of Southwest Colorado’s mission is to serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. We believe that all people deserve to love, work, play, and learn in the communities in which they choose to live, and that all people, with or without disabilities, have inherent value with innate abilities and strengths and are equal before the law.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Coaching, Post-High School Education and Job Support
Independent Living
Grant Description: DB awarded The Arc of Southwest Colorado $12,000 to support their Education Advocacy and Adult Social Activity efforts for those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Southwest Colorado.
Mission Statement: The mission of the Spina Bifida Association of Colorado is to build a better and brighter future for all those impacted by Spina Bifida.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Independent Living
Grant Description: DB awarded Spina Bifida Association of Colorado $12,000 to support their efforts in serving individuals/families living with spina bifida in southern CO. With DB’s support, more educational and networking opportunities/activities like school support, pursuit of higher education, relationship support, and more will be provided both in person and virtually for the southern CO community. Additionally, a portion of the grant will be used as emergency aid for individuals needing medical/therapy supplies, assistance with healthcare bills, and more.
Mission Statement: Working with individuals, their families, and the community, we create independence so that all may thrive.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Independent Living
Grant Description: DB awarded The Independence Center $10,000 for their Independent Living Activities & Recreation Project which will help youth and adults with disabilities overcome feelings of isolation, develop strong relationships, and gain confidence. Through the program,
participants will have the opportunity to engage in activities including, but not limited to, adaptive biking, bowling, adaptive yoga, fishing, and social activities in the community.
Mission Statement: The Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado (BIAC)’s mission is: Through guidance, resources, support, and education, we seek to engage with Coloradans in the lifelong growth of those affected by an injury to the brain.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Grant Description: DB awarded BIAC $10,000 to expand their Social and Recreational Programs to rural communities including Pueblo, El Paso, Fremont, and La Plata counties. BIAC’s Social and Recreation Programs help survivors combat social isolation while developing self-management and skill-building tools that support independence and rebuild skills in specific areas that can be challenging after a brain injury. Support from DB will enable BIAC to expand these programs, enhancing brain injury survivors’ quality of life and allowing them to participate as integral members of their communities.
Mission Statement: Community Connections, Inc. (CCI) is dedicated to the mission of creating opportunities for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead healthy and fulfilling lives within our community. Our vision is of a community where all people
with disabilities have the same opportunities as other community members to live, learn, work and play.
DB Funding Area(s):
Skilled & Non-Skilled Home Care & Respite
Coaching, Post-High School Education and Job Support
Assistive Technology
Independent Living
Grant Description: DB awarded CCI $10,000 for their Supported Living Services program (SLS), which helps adults with I/DD attain personal goals and achieve increasing levels of independence and community integration. SLS clients get to meet their daily living, health and safety needs while promoting maximum independence from government agency support. The program includes a variety of community-based services such as homemaking, personal care, respite, day habilitation, job placement and coaching, money management, home and vehicle modification, assistive technology, and mentorship. SLS also provides emergency services for those at risk of homelessness, self-harm or abuse and respite for caregivers.
Mission Statement: Fishing Has No Boundaries®, Inc. (FHNB) is an organization whose goal is to open up the great outdoors for people with disabilities through the world of fishing, enabling thousands of individuals with disabilities to participate fully in this spirit-lifting, morale-
boosting, trouble-free recreational activity. We believe through education, training, and the use of adaptive angling equipment, everyone is able to share in a dream come true.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Assistive Technology
Grant Description: DB awarded FHNB $10,000 to support their efforts in the southern CO community. With DB’s support of a grant, FHNB will be able to expand their services of taking individuals with disabilities and their families out on the lake for fishing experiences in southern CO.
Mission Statement: To achieve healthy families and healthy children through the creation of practical and readily accessible resources that will provide knowledge and support for parents of special needs children.
DB Funding Area(s):
Alternate Focus Area
Grant Description: DB awarded Need Project Inc. $8,400 so they could continue to develop their Local Online Resource Search Database for individuals and families to find the resources they need like therapies, recreational programs, school intake and more in Colorado Springs.
Gathering these resources, validating the information, organizing it into logical categories, and building a user-friendly search page will make the site a valuable tool for families in need.
Mission Statement: CPCD prepares children for success in school and in life by providing excellent comprehensive early childhood services in partnership with diverse families and the community.
DB Funding Area(s):
Assistive Technology
Grant Description: DB awarded CPCD $5,000 for an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device for young children with special needs to help them communicate needs and express feelings to therapists, teachers, and peers.
Mission Statement: The mission of the Colorado Springs Conservatory: To inspire, challenge and motivate all students to aspire to their highest potential as artists and human beings through arts immersion studies and community arts advocacy.
DB Funding Area(s):
Sports & Recreation
Grant Description: DB awarded Colorado Springs Conservatory $2,500 for their music making program, A Positive Note (APN), designed for young adults with special needs that empowers all participants to access a sense of joy, self-discovery, belonging and accomplishment. The APN program develops important leadership and musical skills including focused listening, respect for self and others, respect for the instruments, innovating and nurturing ideas to fruition, appropriate risk-taking, collaboration, personal goal setting, cognitive engagement, creativity, friendship and support, physical exercise, stress reduction, empowering self-expression. This approach challenges APN students to reach their highest potential.
Local nonprofits can learn more about our criteria, funding areas, and annual grant cycle details on the Grant Info page.
*Disclaimer: The information provided by Disabling Barriers on this page is for general informational purposes only. All information and links to external sites (those of our grant recipients) are provided in good faith; however we make no representation, or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information within these sites.