2020 Annual Report to Community
Thank You!
In 2018, Denver voters committed to making postsecondary education more attainable by passing the Prosperity Denver ballot initiative. We could not have known the challenges our community would face, nor the importance this initiative would hold in its inaugural year. We simply believed in the power of education.
Over the past year, Prosperity Denver Fund has found itself a lifeline for numerous nonprofit organizations and thousands of Denver students. Through social and economic uncertainty, Prosperity Denver Fund has remained a harbinger of stability and assurance for thousands of students served by our City’s nonprofit community.
We’re proud to have acted as stewards for Prosperity Denver Fund through the challenges of 2020. In this inaugural year, we’ve engaged in extensive community outreach, welcomed two full-time staff members, and grown our presence and impact with the guidance of a talented and experienced Board. Our work resulted in 21 nonprofits – our Supported Organizations – receiving funding worth $10 million in reimbursements for postsecondary scholarships and support services. This investment meaningfully increases the capacity of our Supported Organizations to serve even more Denver students.
We envision an equitable future in which all students have an opportunity to pursue postsecondary education. Though plenty of work remains, we’re confident that our success against the odds of our first year is a sure sign of what we can accomplish.
Stephen Kurtz, Chairman of the Board
Matt Jordan, CEO
Quick Facts
In Prosperity Denver Fund's inaugural year:
funded to local nonprofits
scholarships supported
From the Ballot Box to Today
In 2018, Denver voters passed a ballot initiative known as Prosperity Denver (also known as Denver College Affordability Fund). The ordinance called for a 0.08% sales tax (less than one cent on $10) which would be distributed in the form of reimbursements to nonprofits providing scholarships to Denver students. On January 1, 2019, the initiative went into effect. In order to manage and distribute the funding, Prosperity Denver Fund, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, was formed.
2020 marked the inaugural year for Prosperity Denver Fund (“the Fund”) as the new organization distributed millions to eligible organizations in Denver.
The Fund reimburses approved education nonprofits for up to 75% of their eligible scholarship and support services costs. With the opportunity for such significant financial support, nonprofits can support more Denver students as they pursue an education at postsecondary institutions, including two-year programs, technical schools, and traditional four-year colleges.
Originally known as the Denver College Success Corporation, Prosperity Denver Fund adopted its new name in June 2020 to more clearly reflect the mission, highlight the long-term goals of the organization, and remind voters of their commitment to affordable postsecondary education in Denver.
Highlighted Supported Organization
Puksta Foundation
The Puksta Foundation offers scholarships to students ready to get involved in causes on and beyond their campuses. In addition to receiving funding for tuition, each Puksta Scholar is pursuing a civic-engagement project created to benefit their community. During the 2019-2020 school year, Puksta supported 52 students with a diverse array of backgrounds and focuses of study. Their projects facilitated a range of causes from increasing access to art, connecting disadvantaged students with mentors, increasing awareness of mental health policies for incarcerated people, and many more. Because of reimbursements from PDF, Puksta was able to increase both the number of scholarships granted and their value.
“Overall, we have more Puksta Scholars receiving more scholarship funding because of our partnership with Prosperity Denver Fund.”
– John Mulstay, Puksta Foundation
For the Puksta Foundation, supporting more students and facilitating more civic projects is a dream come true. “As anyone involved in the non-profit sector can attest to, there is a constant struggle between the increasing need that we see in our community, our ability to address those needs with limited staffing and the funding that is required for us to do the work that we know needs to be done,” said John Mulstay, Executive Director at the Puksta Foundation. “Having a partnership with PDF has allowed us to really focus on doing what we do best – providing a pathway for a successful future through our scholarship program.”
Meet the Team
Prosperity Denver Fund is run by a seven-member Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for the implementation of the ordinance and reports annually to the Mayor, City Council, and Auditor. Board meetings are open to the public.
In addition to the Board, the Fund has hired two full-time staff to run operations.
The Board conducted a nationwide search to select a CEO who would lead the organization and represent the best interests of the voters, students, and Denver nonprofits. In summer 2020, Matt Jordan was welcomed as CEO of Prosperity Denver Fund, bringing with him more than 25 years of experience in public policy and nonprofit management.
With leadership in place, the Fund then sought a staff member dedicated to developing and implementing outreach services. They hired higher education expert Lauren Sisneros, who has experience in pre-collegiate advising and education policy analysis, as the first Director of Programs.
Staff
As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prosperity Denver Fund, Matt Jordan is responsible for overseeing the Fund’s daily operations, as well as outreach to Denver’s community and nonprofits sponsored by the Fund.
As Director of Programs for Prosperity Denver Fund, Lauren Sisneros is responsible for developing and implementing the Fund’s outreach program services.
Highlighted Student story: Delta Eta Boulé Scholarship Recipient
James Artis III
James Artis III started at the University of Denver in 2016. He immediately stood out as a model student, actively participating in campus activities and excelling in every internship he earned.
During his freshman year, illness in James’ family saddled them with insurmountable medical bills. The Delta Eta Boulé Scholarship Program was able to support James and his family with financial support from their emergency fund. They also connected the family with attorneys and doctors in their network who could provide further resources. James graduated in 2020 with a BA in Business.
About Prosperity Denver Fund
Our Vision
Accelerate the success of postsecondary education for Denver students to create an equitable, prosperous community.
Our Mission
Prosperity Denver Fund, a sales tax initiative funded by Denver voters, increases the number of historically underserved Denver students who access scholarships, complete a postsecondary degree and strengthen the local economy.
Our Values
Prosperity Denver Fund is committed to…
Impact
To bring about transformational opportunities, our policies and practices are developed first and foremost to serve Denver-area nonprofits and students.
Community
As a publicly funded nonprofit, we are committed to full transparency to ensure the intent and will of Denver voters is served with integrity.
Inclusivity
We value inclusion of every population we serve in recognition that educational opportunities contribute to a necessary cultural and political shift in Denver where underserved populations, including low-income populations and people of color, are provided an opportunity to receive postsecondary education and employment. It is our intention that this leads to a more equitable future for all.
innovation
We strive to forge and expand new partnerships between private and public funds to increase the capacity to fulfill our mission. We commit to being a data driven organization that acts in the best interest, not only of our supporting organizations and scholarship recipients, but also of future organizations who may adopt a similar model.
Sustainability
We work to ensure sustainability in the community by:
- increasing the capacity of nonprofits through scholarships and support services.
- acting in partnership with higher education organizations to create a pathway for Denver students.
- contributing to Denver’s economy by facilitating a lasting, transformational impact that furthers education and economic growth.
Highlighted Supported Organization
Delta Eta Boulé Foundation
The Delta Eta Boulé Scholarship Program is creating the next generation of African American Leaders. Run by the Denver chapter of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the oldest African American fraternity in the country, the Delta Eta Boulé Scholarship Program grants $2,500 over 4 years to underserved students with financial need. The funding enables Boulé Scholars to focus on their studies rather than the rising cost of tuition and expenses.
This year, funding from Prosperity Denver Fund was critical in keeping the vision of the Delta Eta Boulé Scholarship Program alive.
“The reimbursement funds from the Fund allowed us to increase the number of undergraduate scholarships and maintain our graduate scholarships at its present level. We were not able to hold our annual fundraiser gala due to the pandemic, so the PDF funds had even more importance this year.” – Albert Cooper, Delta Eta Boulé Foundation
Organizations like Delta Eta Boulé allow young African American men to successfully transition from high school to postsecondary education, then to professional careers where they can take on leadership positions. Their scholarship recipients are already equipped with the academic skills they need to succeed—they’re proud to bolster their success with financial resources, emotional support, social capital, and access to a network of African American professionals who support their growth and development.
Outreach and Community Relations
In order to distribute funds to a diverse array of nonprofits and Denver students, Prosperity Denver Fund’s team engaged in a wide range of mass outreach as well as hyper-targeted communication efforts. We relied on personal contacts, press coverage, and digital marketing efforts to connect with organizations who might be eligible for reimbursement and students. The Fund’s marketing team also connected directly with Supported Organizations (the nonprofits receiving reimbursement from PDF) and scholarship recipients to remain grounded in the human impact of our efforts. In fact, all the photos on the the Fund’s website are of Denver students whose scholarships have been reimbursed by Prosperity Denver Fund.
To ensure a smooth experience for Supported Organizations, the Fund sought feedback from nonprofits as the application and reimbursement processes were developed.
With a website, social media channels, and an email newsletter, the Fund is steadily growing its following. The website has accumulated over 200 views per month since its launch, and the Fund currently has over 200 newsletter subscribers on the email list. These subscribers receive information about upcoming distributions and application deadlines. Additionally, the Fund has over 460 followers on the official Facebook page, over 520 followers on Twitter, and a growing presence on LinkedIn.
Highlighted Student story: Puksta Foundation Scholarship Recipient
Margarita “Maggie” Soltero Gutierrez
Maggie Gutierrez is studying biology at the University of Denver. As a Puksta Scholar, she is spearheading a civic engagement project during her time as a college student, and Maggie’s project carries her passion for scientific education outside the classroom.
After reading the graphic novel “Waiting for Health Equity” by the Center for Health Progress, Maggie learned that teenagers of Black and Latin descent are twice as likely to get pregnant as white teens, largely due to a gap in access to resources and education. Maggie decided to focus her Puksta project on providing reproductive health resources and accurate sex education to Black and Latina teens. As part of her project, Maggie created a pamphlet distributed to 100 high school girls at her sorority’s Women of Tomorrow Conference and even presented in a high school sex education classroom.
It wasn’t until after she launched her project that Maggie learned the Center for Health Progress—the organization that created the graphic novel inspiring her entire project—was itself run by another past Puksta Scholar.
After graduation, Maggie plans to continue on to medical school and become a physician. She dreams of creating a program that brings health education and resources to underserved minority families, assuring that they have what they need to advocate for themselves when receiving medical care.
The Foundation is incredibly proud of Maggie for tackling an issue that can be taboo—which is precisely why it needs to be addressed.
Supported Students
In Prosperity Denver Fund's inaugural year, we supported students in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 school years. Explore the interactive map below to learn more about the students supported by the Fund.
Demographic map is best viewed on desktop.
Looking Forward to 2021
As we move into our second year and a new phase of Prosperity Denver Fund, we’re mapping out ambitious goals to continue serving our community. In 2020, we saw the first group of scholarship recipients graduate from postsecondary programs. It was a pleasure to congratulate them on their achievement and know we helped facilitate their success. Through the great work of our Supported Organizations, we look forward to building up the ranks of Fund-supported alumni and watching them move from students to professionals in the Denver area.
In 2020, our Supported Organizations:
- Served 4 out of 10 eligible students
- Congratulated 435 students graduating from postsecondary programs funded by PDF reimbursements
- Built a network of 40+ scholarship providers serving more than 1,800 students
Over the next year, we’ll work to recruit more Supported Organizations, increase the amount of funding allocated, and expand the number of students who receive support.
Partnership with City Officials
Thank you to the Mayor, City Council, and Office of Children’s Affairs for your ongoing support. In particular, thank you for approving ordinance changes that have allowed us to serve more students and make a greater impact. We look forward to your continued partnership in the years to come!