News

The Daniels Fund, a Colorado-based private charitable foundation – now entering its 25th year – today announced that it has awarded more than $1.2 billion throughout its history in grants to nearly 6,000 nonprofit partners and higher education scholarships to more than 5,200 students.

“For 25 years, the Daniels Fund has been positively impacting American life – and improving millions of lives – one life at a time,” said Hanna Skandera, Daniels Fund President and CEO. “Whether it’s helping a child with developmental challenges, supporting people struggling with homelessness and addiction to seek independent, healthy lives, or making the dream of higher education come true for young people, it is an honor to steward the mission Bill Daniels gave the Daniels Fund a quarter century ago.”

In 2024 alone, the Daniels Fund gave a total of $70 million in grants and scholarships, including $48 million in Colorado.

The Fund focuses the majority of its giving in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming – four states pivotal in Bill Daniels’ life. The Fund also invests in select notable national projects that align with Bill Daniels’ values.

The Daniels Fund grants program focuses on eight funding areas originally designated by Bill Daniels at the Fund’s founding:

• Aging
• Amateur Sports
• Disabilities
• Drug & Alcohol Addiction
• Early Childhood Education
• Homeless and Disadvantaged
• K-12 Education Reform
• Youth Development

Among the Daniels Fund’s grants are several major signature programs, including the National Civics Bee, which emphasizes the importance of teaching young Americans about the basics of their government so that they become active and informed citizens. Students across Colorado – and the country – have just completed writing essays for entry into the 2025 National Civics Bee. Each state winner earns the chance to compete in the national finals for a $100,000 prize.

Building on over 15 years of ethics education funding, the Daniels Fund is launching a national business ethics case competition in 2025 with participating teams from universities across the country.

High-school graduates from the Daniels Fund’s four state region apply for the highly selective Daniels Scholarship Program, which makes college possible for motivated, ambitious students. In addition, the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship program provides funding for non-traditional students to obtain credentials that lead to upward mobility and meaningful employment.