The Weld Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $45 million (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 2-3 months per cycle
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $30+ million
• Geographic Focus: Weld County, Colorado (exclusively)

Contact Details

• Website: weldtrust.org
• Phone: 970-350-6052
• Address: 815 8th Avenue, Greeley, Colorado
• Grant Portal: bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/applications
• Director of Education Grants: Doug Elliott — doug.elliott@weldtrust.org
• Director of Health Grants: Kyle Holman — kyle.holman@weldtrust.org
• Director of Communications: Rhonda Morehead — rhonda.morehead@weldtrust.org / 970-400-7858

Overview

The Weld Trust is a health conversion foundation based in Greeley, Colorado, created following the 2019 sale of North Colorado Medical Center to Banner Health. The organization traces its roots to 1984 when it operated as NCMC, Inc. Following the hospital sale, proceeds were converted into a permanent philanthropic endowment, and the foundation was renamed The Weld Trust. With total assets of approximately $579 million (as of 2024 IRS filings), the Trust has become one of the most significant grant-making institutions in northern Colorado.

In 2021, the Trust developed a formal strategic plan establishing six Key Funding Initiatives in health and education. Since then, it has awarded more than $75 million in grants to Weld County nonprofits, schools, and government entities. In 2024 alone, the Trust contributed over $45 million in grant funding. The organization holds a 4-star rating (92%) from Charity Navigator and was named Outstanding Foundation of the Year at Colorado's National Philanthropy Day in 2023.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Key Funding Initiative (Cycle) Grants: $75,000 - $400,000+; awarded three times per year; open to nonprofits, schools, and government entities
• Flagship Grants: $750,000+; for significant community capital projects or transformational programs; requires additional funding sources
• Proactive Grants: Variable amounts; identified by The Weld Trust; collaborative stakeholder approach
• Rapid Response Grants: Up to $25,000; for emergent health or safety issues; rolling basis
• Capacity Building Grants: $5,000 - $15,000; for previous grantees only
• Operating Grants: Up to $15,000; for previous grantees only

Priority Areas

Education:

1. Childhood Literacy - Training, curriculum development, early education, tutoring, parent literacy
2. Access to Resources - K-12 STEM, career exploration, tutoring, mentoring, ESL, robotics, after-school programs
3. Workforce Development - Career training, apprenticeships, vocational programs, employer partnerships

Health: 4. Behavioral and Physical Health - Direct intervention, prevention, substance use treatment, mental health support 5. Food Security - Food distribution, weekend food programs, nutrition initiatives 6. Housing Stability - Homeless prevention, emergency shelter, case management, affordable housing

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside Weld County or not serving Weld County residents exclusively
• Capacity/Operating Grants to organizations without prior Weld Trust grants
• Flagship Grants where The Weld Trust would be sole funder
• Activities not aligned with health or education priorities
• Faith-based programming requiring religious participation for services

Governance and Leadership

Senior Staff:

• Jeff Carlson - Chief Executive Officer
• Ramon Serrano - Chief Financial Officer
• Mike Bond - Chief Operating Officer
• Kyle Holman - Director of Health Grants
• Doug Elliott - Director of Education Grants
• Rhonda Morehead - Director of Communications

Board Leadership:

• Tom Grant - Board Chair
• Brandon Houtchens - Board Vice Chair
• Mark Lawley - Board Secretary
• Bob Murphy - Board Treasurer

CEO Jeff Carlson on organizational mission: "Our grants are awarded within specific funding initiatives identified as the most urgent priorities for the community in health and education."

Board Chair Tom Grant on the $25 million UNC grant: "This grant is the single largest award to which The Weld Trust has ever committed."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Weld Trust operates a public, open application process through an online grant portal:

• Grant Portal: bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/applications
• Review Grant Types and Key Funding Initiatives on weldtrust.org/grants
• Review the Grant Application Scoring Rubric (PDF available on grants page)
• Identify geographic region(s) served using the Trust's regional map
• Create account and select an open application cycle

For Flagship Grants, relationship-building with staff prior to formal application is strongly advisable.

Decision Timeline

• Grants awarded three times per year through fixed cycles
• 2024 cycles: Q1, Q3 (late July), and Q4 (November/December)
• Decision time: Approximately 2-3 months per cycle
• Rapid Response Grants processed on rolling basis

Success Rates

Specific success rates not publicly disclosed. In 2023, Trust awarded 124 grants to 77 organizations.

Reapplication Policy

• Organizations limited to two approved grants per cycle, six per calendar year
• Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent cycles
• No specific waiting period published

Application Success Factors

1. Build long-term relationships for Flagship Grants: UNC communicated with the Trust for over two years before submitting their $25 million proposal, keeping staff informed of progress throughout.

2. Align tightly with Key Funding Initiatives: Use the Trust's language and review Initiative Logic Models at weldtrust.org/grant/key-funding-initiatives-logic-models/.

3. Emphasize Weld County impact: Applications must identify geographic regions served using the Trust's mapping. Only Weld County residents can benefit.

4. Highlight collaboration: The Trust values "organizations working together to deliver the greatest impact" and created Proactive Grants specifically to encourage multi-organization collaboration.

5. Show measurable, sustainable outcomes: Include clear metrics, measurement plans, and evidence of program sustainability beyond the grant period.

6. Use the published Scoring Rubric: Structure your narrative to explicitly address each rubric criterion from their downloadable PDF.

7. Study recent funded projects: Examples include $400,000 to Colorado Education Initiative, $300,000 to United Way for Housing Navigation, $200,000 to Weld Food Bank, $100,000 to North Range Behavioral Health for suicide education.

8. Leverage prior grants: Previous grantees gain access to Capacity Building and Operating Grants, creating ongoing funding relationships.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Exclusively geographic focus: Every application must serve Weld County residents only - no exceptions
• Three annual cycles provide regular opportunities with limits of 2 grants per cycle, 6 per year
• Flagship Grants require multi-year relationship building - do not submit cold applications
• Use the published Scoring Rubric to align your narrative explicitly to evaluation criteria
• Proactive Grants are trustee-initiated - maintain visibility with Trust staff to be considered
• Six Key Funding Initiatives are the organizing framework - applications outside these unlikely to succeed
• Rapid growth phase: Annual giving increased from $12 million (2022) to $45 million (2024), creating expanding opportunities

References

1. The Weld Trust Official Website — weldtrust.org — Accessed February 2026

   • Homepage: https://weldtrust.org/
   • Grants page: https://weldtrust.org/grants/
   • Grant Database: https://weldtrust.org/grant-database/
   • Key Funding Initiatives: https://weldtrust.org/grant/key-funding-initiatives/

2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — The Weld Trust (EIN: 74-2358522) — https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/742358522 — Accessed February 2026

3. Charity Navigator — Rating for The Weld Trust — https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/742358522 — Accessed February 2026

4. Greeley Tribune — "Weld Trust awards more than $3.6 million in final grant cycle of 2024" — December 11, 2024

5. Greeley Tribune — "'Growing and learning': The Weld Trust celebrates 4 years" — October 19, 2023

6. Greeley Tribune — "The Weld Trust gives $25 million to UNC for college of osteopathic medicine" — October 10, 2023

7. The Weld Trust 2025 Annual Report — Issuu — https://issuu.com/theweldtrust/docs/the_weld_trust_annual_report_2025 — Accessed February 2026

8. The Weld Trust Strategic Plan 2023 — Issuu — https://issuu.com/theweldtrust/docs/twt_final_strategic_plan-_2023 — Accessed February 2026

9. University of Northern Colorado — "$25 Million Gift, Largest in UNC History, Accelerates Plans for College of Osteopathic Medicine" — October 2023