Denver Economic Development and Opportunity awarded seven community development programs $150,000 through the city’s annual Community Development Block Grant program to support underserved neighborhoods and disadvantaged small businesses.

When soliciting applications for the program, DEDO requested proposals from organizations with a budget of at least $150,000 that have programs serving residents in one or more priority neighborhoods, including Globeville, Elyria/Swansea, Northeast Park Hill, Montbello, East Colfax, Westwood, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park and West Colfax.

“Our selection criteria include alignment with our broad mission for an innovative and inclusive economy that works for everyone along with factors such as meeting program priorities, serving low-income individuals, financial capacity and experience, the ability to forge collaborative proposals, and the grantee’s history of delivering strong and measurable outcomes,” said Seneca Holmes, executive director of DEDO’s Neighborhood Equity & Stabilization team.

The program received 46 applications, 14 of which were eliminated because of technical disqualifications. Of the remaining 32, these seven were selected, with more than 24 local organizations contributing to all of the programming:

• Colorado Nonprofit Development Center: Music Without Barriers
• The Fax Partnership: East Colfax Thrives
• Groundwork Denver: Youth Employment and Career Exploration
• La Raza Services Inc.: Employment Support
• Mi Casa Resource Center: Business Pathways
• Montbello Organizing Committee: Montbello Solutions
• West Community Economic Development Corporation: Southwest Denver Business and Culture Preservation

The money for the program comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

“Awarding federal dollars to local organizations brings a profound pleasure in knowing that the city’s thoughtful stewardship results in tangible and positive differences for people,” DEDO Executive Director Jen Morris said in a news release. “These grants strongly embody our values of economic equity and inclusion, and as diverse as these seven projects are, they all exist to lift up Denver residents and improve the quality of their lives.”