With just 17 days to go to Election Day 2026, the cash is rolling in for the only statewide ballot measures voters will face.

Propositions LL and MM, both originating from the General Assembly, address the Healthy School Meals for All program approved by voters in 2022.

The program has run a shortfall due to greater-than-anticipated demand and a cap on what the program can spend.

The ballot measures aim to free up additional funds for both the school meal program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is experiencing federal funding cuts.

Proposition LL will allow the state to spend all tax revenues levied on taxpayers earning $300,000 or more. Proposition MM increases the tax by reducing state income tax deductions for households with incomes above $300,000.

Those in favor of the two ballot measures include the issue committee Keep Kids Fed Colorado. Through Oct. 16, the committee has raised nearly $789,000.

Hunger Free Colorado is the committee’s largest donor at $433,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. Save the Children Action Network has contributed $108,000.

According to Influence Watch, Save the Children receives donations from the Walt Disney Company, PayPal, Google, Apple, and Microsoft. The non-profit raised more than $1 billion in 2022.

Other large donors include philanthropist Pat Stryker of Fort Collins, an heir to the Stryker medical technology corporation, who gave $50,000, as well as Stand for Children, which also contributed $50,000.

The non-profit Nourish Colorado has donated $71,000. Their funders include Albertsons and the Denver Foundation.

A second issue committee, Community Change Action-Colorado, has raised just over $15,000 and spent about $10,000 to support the ballot measures. The Arlington, VA-based group is a 501(c)(4), which often means it doesn’t disclose its donors.

However, Influence Watch reports the group is funded by the Service Employees International Union, which is tied to the Colorado state employee union Colorado Wins. The Democracy Alliance, AFL-CIO, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund also back Community Change Action.

Community Change reported spending an additional $12,000 through the 48-hour disclosure form, rather than the campaign finance website TRACER, on digital ads and text messages. 

There are no issue committees opposing the two measures registered with the Secretary of State.