State & Regional Nonprofit Associations

Colorado Nonprofit Association (CNA)

• What it offers: Legislative advocacy updates, real-time alerts, public policy analysis, and sector-wide research.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: CNA closely tracks Colorado state legislation and educates nonprofits on how laws and executive actions will affect nonprofit operations, advocacy rights, and funding. They also provide policy training and host events like Nonprofit Day at the Capitol.
• Extra focus: Current legislation (HB25-1170) supported by CNA would allow nonprofit staff to advocate at the Capitol without needing to register as lobbyists—strengthening their voices in public policy.

Community Resource Center (CRC)

• What it offers: Trainings, nonprofit data insights, and grant resources.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: CRC hosts the annual State of the Sector event, where experts present up-to-date analysis on Colorado nonprofit trends, funding, and public policy changes. Their grant database also reflects current funder priorities, including those influenced by policy changes.

Philanthropy Colorado

• What it offers: Funder network insights, research, and policy engagement.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Philanthropy Colorado brings together foundations and nonprofits to track how policy shifts affect funding and grantmaking in Colorado. They also co-host legislative briefings and issue advocacy resources.

Government & Legislative Resources

Colorado Secretary of State – Charities & Fundraising Division

• What it offers: Compliance updates, fundraising registration guidance, and alerts on fraudulent giving practices.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Keeps organizations informed about regulatory changes, such as updates to charitable solicitation laws or filing requirements. Also shares scam alerts that help nonprofits educate donors and protect public trust.

Colorado General Assembly

• What it offers: Access to current legislation, bill tracking, and committee hearing schedules.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Enables direct tracking of bills that may affect nonprofit funding, tax status, or operations, including appropriations and policy proposals related to human services, education, environment, and more.

National Council of Nonprofits

• What it offers: Nonprofit policy newsletters, federal and state advocacy toolkits, and updates on national legislation.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Provides a national lens on laws and executive orders that trickle down to Colorado, such as changes to federal grant eligibility, tax-exempt status rules, or labor regulations. Their policy briefs often include Colorado-specific context or links to local partners like CNA.

Funding & Grant Resources

Colorado Grants Guide (by CRC)

• What it offers: Searchable database of grants available to Colorado nonprofits.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Reflects current funding priorities shaped by policy and economic trends, such as disaster recovery, mental health, or equity initiatives. New features include alerts and saved searches for more efficient funding tracking.

Colorado Gives Foundation

• What it offers: Fundraising insights, donor trends, and nonprofit digital tools.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Shares insights from Colorado Gives Day, donor behavior shifts, and sector-wide campaigns that often align with statewide funding initiatives or policy priorities. Their new Level Up cohort helps nonprofits build digital capacity—critical when funding priorities shift due to policy or economic changes.

Grants.gov

• What it offers: Federal grant announcements and updates.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Allows nonprofits to stay informed about federal funding shifts, such as changes due to Executive Orders, continuing resolutions, or budget freezes. Timely alerts help organizations adjust to eligibility changes or new compliance requirements. Important Note: Archived Article about the DOGE takeover of grants.gov

Sector News & Insights

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

• What it offers: National nonprofit news, fundraising data, and analysis of policy trends.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Provides context for nationwide trends—such as inflation, donation declines, or pandemic relief expiration—and how they’re playing out locally. They also cover how federal decisions impact state-level funding.

Nonprofit Quarterly

• What it offers: In-depth analysis on leadership, governance, and policy.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Offers insight into macro policy movements, executive orders, and funding shifts that often affect nonprofits’ long-term planning. Great for understanding national narratives and applying them to local strategy.

Colorado Sun – Nonprofit News

• What it offers: Local nonprofit reporting and government coverage.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: One of the few Colorado outlets with a dedicated focus on nonprofits, often covering how state policy decisions affect small and mid-sized organizations, including local funding delays or equity-focused initiatives.

Advocacy & Public Policy Research

Colorado Center on Law & Policy (CCLP)

• What it offers: State policy research, bill tracking, and social justice advocacy. 2025 CCLP Bill Tracker
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Helps organizations stay informed about legislation impacting social services, healthcare, housing, and income inequality—issues that many nonprofits serve directly. CCLP also provides tools for nonprofit advocacy.

Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI)

• What it offers: Economic policy analysis and public finance tracking.
• How it helps Colorado nonprofits: Monitors the state budget process, tax policies, and economic trends—critical for nonprofits that rely on government funding. Also tracks how federal policies like tax reform could affect Colorado’s nonprofit sector.

In Conclusion: Stay Informed, Stay Ahead

In an ever-changing policy landscape, staying informed isn’t just smart—it’s strategic. Whether you’re tracking legislation, adjusting to executive orders, or preparing for shifts in funding, these trusted sources can help you cut through the noise and focus on what matters most: your mission.

Make it a habit to follow 2–3 of these organizations or sign up for their newsletters. Knowledge is power—and in the nonprofit world, it’s also your best defense against uncertainty.