Ballantine Family Fund Gives $16K to Dolores County, $455K Regionwide

The Ballantine Family Fund awarded $16,000 to Dolores County in 2025 as part of more than $455,000 distributed to 156 nonprofits across Southwest Colorado, a year-over-year increase of $114,500 from 2024. Trustees of the fund steered the grants through a quarterly application process and additional unsolicited Core Value grants, directing a mix of regular and targeted support to local organizations and county projects.

Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado reported that the average regular grant size in 2025 was $2,917. By sector, the largest share of Ballantine giving went to human services at $149,000, or 33% of the fund's total awards. Arts and culture received $101,900 (22%), education $85,710 (19%), youth $67,000 (15%), environment $24,500 (5%), animal protection $16,000 (4%), and other causes $11,000 (2%).

County-level allocations show La Plata County received the most funding with $225,460, or 50% of the total; Montezuma County followed with $97,000, or 21%. Archuleta County received $63,150 (14%), San Juan County $18,500 (4%), and other recipients accounted for $35,000 (8%). Dolores County's $16,000 represents 3% of the Ballantine Family Fund's regional giving.

Unsolicited Core Value grants targeted historical and cultural institutions and community initiatives, with recipients that include the Animas Museum in Durango, Montezuma Heritage Museum in Cortez, the Rico Historical Society, the San Juan County Historical Society in Silverton, the San Juan Historical Society and Museum in Pagosa Springs, and Dolores County itself to support Colorado 250/150 commemorations. The cluster of awards to museums and historical societies underscores a strategic tilt toward heritage programming as the region marks statewide anniversaries.

For Dolores County residents, the $16,000 grant can translate into direct support for events, preservation projects, and community outreach tied to Colorado 250/150 planning and programming. More broadly, the growth in Ballantine giving signals an expanded funding pool for nonprofits that provide human services, education, arts, and youth programs across the five-county footprint.

Nonprofits interested in future Ballantine Family Fund cycles can apply online through the fund's application process. The uptick in 2025 funding suggests local groups that develop clear project budgets and community-centered proposals will find stronger philanthropic support in the near term. As county leaders and nonprofit directors translate grants into programs, residents can expect increased activity around cultural celebrations and reinforced service capacity into 2026.