Spring 2026 Newsletter

Spring 2026 Issue

A quarter of the way through 2026, we have many exciting updates to share at the Kenneth King Foundation.

In 2025, we awarded $2,907,400 in grants and PRIs to organizations throughout Colorado, please read on to learn more about the distribution of our awards.

The Foundation Staff and Board has embarked on developing a new strategic plan this year and we look forward to connecting with peer foundations and grantees to learn more about pressing issues across the state as we renew our strategy and funding priorities.

We are thrilled to share that our team is growing! In February, we welcomed a new, full-time Grants Manager, Samantha Przybylski. Learn more about Samantha below.

Our 2024 grant impact results are in, please review our Impact Report below to learn more about the great work our grantees have achieved.

Our Spring application deadline closed on March 1 and proposal review is underway. We extended invitations to 75 organizations and received 67 applications from current and prospective grantees. Proposals go through a Staff, Peer and Board review. Funding decisions will be announced in late May after our May 19th Board meeting.

We continue hosting monthly Grantmaking and Program Related Investment (PRI) webinars to connect with the community and share about our funding priorities. If you are interested in learning if your organization’s work aligns with our funding priorities, registering for a webinar is a great first step to gather more information. Our next application deadline is September 1, 2026; our next webinar is April 1, register below.

We are grateful to partner with you, and we hope that your year is off to a great start!

2025 Grant Summary

In 2025 The Kenneth King Foundation awarded $2,907,400 in grant and PRI funding, including $75,000 in Emergency Food Grants. The chart below illustrates the distribution of awards across our focus areas.

Welcome
Samantha Przybylski,
Grants Manager

In February 2026, Samantha Przybylski (shuh-bill-skee) joined the Kenneth King Foundation as our Grants Manager, playing a crucial role in ensuring the grant proposal process aligns with the Foundation’s funding priorities and helping the Foundation optimize our grants management system.

Samantha earned her Masters in Public Administration (MPA) and B.A. in Liberal Studies from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also holds a nationally recognized Grants Management Certification through Management Concepts. Samantha is dedicated to responsible grant making and community impact.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Samantha spent five years managing federal grants at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Her portfolio of grants funded over $100M in hazard mitigation activities across Wyoming and Colorado. Please join us in welcoming Samantha!

2024 Impact Report

Our grant impact reports provide outcomes of grants made more than one year ago, this data is aggregated from our grant partners’ self-reported grant follow up reports. Click on the image below to review our 2024 Impact Report.

Grantmaking & PRI Webinar

Save the date for our upcoming Grantmaking & PRI Webinar

Wednesday, April 1, 2026
10:00-11:00 am MT

Join us online as we discuss current funding priorities, and opportunities to partner with the Kenneth King Foundation. The presentation will include time for questions and engagement.

Please note: there will be no significant new information, if you have attended a recent webinar.

Our next application deadline is September 1, 2026

Register for the Webinar

Complete your 2025 Grant Follow Up Report

If you received a grant in May/June 2025, your grant report is due by June 30, 2026. You can find more information in our grant portal. Once your report is submitted, please schedule a grant report meeting with a Foundation staff member, information on how to schedule your follow up call will be provided to you once you complete and submit your follow up report in the grant portal.

Please email grants@kennethkingfoundation.org if you have any questions.

Visit our Grant Portal

Organizational Spotlight: Holyoke Community Childcare

The Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative (HCCI) was launched in 2017 when local business owners came together to address a critical workforce challenge driven by the lack of reliable childcare in the community. What began as a response to a documented “childcare desert”—confirmed through a feasibility study showing overwhelming local support—evolved into the creation of a board‑driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Through extensive local fundraising, grant writing, and public–private partnerships, the vision became reality as the organization transitioned to Holyoke Community Childcare and progressed from planning and land acquisition to construction of an 11,500‑square‑foot facility designed to serve more than 110 children from infancy through school age. This coming fall, the center will create approximately 15 full‑time equivalent jobs while supporting workforce participation and retention by providing reliable childcare for working families.

The Kenneth King Foundation is proud to partner with Holyoke Community Childcare, recipient of a $50,000 grant from the Foundation in Fall 2025.

Learn More about Holyoke Community Childcare

Refer A Friend!

We value the strength of collaboration and realize our collective potential. Your unique ties to different organizations might reveal unexplored partnerships for us. If you know of any organization matching our Program Areas, please refer them!