County hears several discretionary grant requests; awards $9,900 to Youth Entity

Garfield County commissioners heard presentations from six local nonprofits seeking discretionary grant funds and approved a $9,900 award to Youth Entity at Monday’s meeting.

Presenters included representatives of the Glenwood Springs Historical Society, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra, Bookcliffs Art Center, Colorado Mountain College Foundation, Glenwood Springs Chamber Foundation (Strawberry Days), and Youth Entity. Several presenters asked for funding amounts ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 for programs including museum repairs, music education, groundskeeping and family events, and a high-school state championship mountain-bike race that the college will host in October.

Youth Entity’s executive director, Chris Freeman, asked the board to approve $9,900 in nonprofit discretionary funding. Freeman described the organization’s countywide career-expo events, middle-school financial-literacy curriculum (“I Am Financial Knowledge”), career academies that award high-school and college credit and industry certifications, and a youth empowerment alliance aimed at elevating young people’s voices. Freeman said Youth Entity served just under 3,000 local students in 2023–24 and that its career expos draw dozens of local employers and organizations.

After discussion, the board approved the $9,900 grant to Youth Entity. Commissioners told other presenters they would make decisions on additional discretionary requests at the next meeting; presenters were told they would be notified by the following Monday.

County staff said the Youth Entity award is a budgeted item and that recipients will be notified in writing with any reporting expectations.