West End Pay It Forward Trust
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Telluride FoundationA permanent charitable fund to improve the West End now and for future generations.
$150
raised by 3 people
$10,000 goal
5 years left
1
match
Live
2024 Community Grants
WEPIFT concluded its sixth annual cycle of Community Grants in the fall of 2024, awarding $18,900 ($6,000 of which was donated by Citizens State Bank of Ouray) to local organizations. Here are the recipients of the 2024 Community Grants:
- The Pinhead Institute for their STEM programming in Naturita & Nucla.
- Paradox Cycle to support the growth of the Mustang Outdoor Rec mountain bike programing with the purchase of additional bikes.
- Tri-County Health Network for the Skippy Dental Program in the West End schools.
- San Miguel Resource Center to support their Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault victim advocate in the West End.
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to assist in mailing books to children in the community, which are provided free to the families.
- The West End Visitors Center to assist with general operating costs which serves as the main stopping point for regional travel information, historic & cultural information, and helps promote local businesses, frequently directing visitors to local product needs and services.
- Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic & Historic Byway Council to continue their work with marketing and maintaining the Byway.
- Montrose West Recreation to help fund their programming.
- West End Theatre Collaborative to bring the Missoula Children's Theatre to immerse area youth in a week of theatrics and two community plays.
- True North Youth Program to continue their offerings for Friday out-of-school programing.
- The Basin Clinic to support their medication program.
- San Miguel Resource Center to support their Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault victim advocate in the West End.
- The Domínguez-Escalante Expedition Education Project (DEEEP) to support the purchase of educational materials.
The West End Pay It Forward Trust is a simple and lasting way for you to make a difference in the West End. The trust is a permanent charitable fund to improve the West End now and for future generations. The trust was established in 2013, and after many years of fundraising was able to make its first grant in 2018. In 2019, the Trust held its first competitive community grants process, and is excited to continue grant making year after year. The trust serves Nucla, Naturita, Paradox, and Bedrock areas.
Funds donated to the Trust are put into a collective endowment, or “nest egg.” Interest gained from the endowment is reinvested in the West End community in the form of grants for community and economic development.
The Trust’s funds are pooled with other community funds within the Paradox Community Trust, a larger trust created by the Telluride Foundation to support smaller communities surrounding the Telluride area. Interest grows faster, administration fees are less, and the potential for matching funds to secure multi-jurisdictional state, local, and corporate donations is much greater.
The Trust’s Board of Directors give annual community grants to local West End organizations. For instance, this winter we will be awarding $22,500 worth of grants to various local nonprofits. Funds raised by the Trust will be used exclusively in the West End.