Sterling Community Fund Tops $4 Million, Keys for Community Gala May 30

The Sterling Community Fund has raised more than $4 million, a milestone announced publicly during a Logan County Board of Commissioners meeting by John Chapdelaine, vice president of the NoCo Foundation’s eastern office who manages the Sterling Community Fund. Chapdelaine told commissioners the endowment has reached the fund’s target level and is positioned to begin substantive grantmaking for Logan County.

“We’re there, we’ve surpassed the $4 million mark, we have significant philanthropic dollars to improve the quality of life in so many ways for Logan County residents and we’re excited about it,” Chapdelaine said, summarizing the fund’s shift from capital-building to active community funding. Chapdelaine is the primary contact for the fund and can be reached at 970-580-1013 for information or donations.

The Sterling Community Fund is an endowment created by the Logan County community to provide funding to support projects that make Logan County "a more attractive place to live, raise a family, establish a business, and retire." That mission frames the fund’s next phase of work now that it has reached the threshold Chapdelaine described as necessary before “truly funding the projects.”

To marshal community support and continue growing the endowment, the NoCo Foundation/Sterling Community Fund is hosting the “Keys for Community” gala at the Logan County Fairgrounds Exhibit Center on Saturday, May 30. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner begins at 6 p.m. The event will include curated cocktails, a steak dinner, a live auction with world-famous auctioneer John Korrey, and live entertainment featuring the Colorado Keys Dueling Pianos.

At the same commissioners’ business meeting where Chapdelaine announced the fund milestone, the Logan County Board of Commissioners approved an application submitted by the NoCo Foundation/Sterling Community Fund for a special events liquor license for the May 30 gala, clearing an administrative hurdle for the evening’s planned food and beverage service.

Sponsorship and auction donation information for the gala is available at scfgala.org, and broader SCF information and donations are routed through NoCofoundation.org/sterling. Organizers list Chapdelaine as the primary contact at 970-580-1013 for questions about the fund, gala sponsorships, or donations.

The $4 million milestone follows a series of community developments and prior SCF coverage and milestones: "Fund hits major milestone: $2 million, Sterling Journal‑Advocate, January 3, 2022"; "Chapdelaine helps others leave a legacy, Sterling Journal‑Advocate, March 31, 2022"; "Enduring gifts to our community – Sterling Community Fund receives first Legacy Gift, Sterling Journal‑Advocate, Jun 10, 2025"; and earlier community items such as "Final Gala Brings In Over $380,000, Sterling Journal‑Advocate, September 16" and "Sterling Community Fund celebrates unveiling of Triune sculpture, dedication of Founders Wall, Sterling Journal‑Advocate, June 4."

County leaders and the NoCo Foundation say the surpassed $4 million mark positions Logan County to fund long-term community projects; the gala on May 30 will both celebrate that milestone and solicit additional philanthropic dollars to support those planned projects.