Colorado’s annual youth sports giving campaign is leveraging innovative matching funds and expanded programmes to ensure more children can access sports and recreational activities, aiming to close the participation gap across the state.
Colorado’s annual youth sports giving campaign is once again trying to close the gap between children who can play and those who cannot, using charitable donations to help families cover the cost of participation.
Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, led by the Daniels Fund and Project Play Colorado, runs from 1 September to 15 September and supports non-profit programmes across the state. According to Colorado Gives and campaign announcements, the drive offers matching funds to stretch donations further, including a new America250 Fund that adds another $250,000 for eligible gifts made through donor-advised funds, IRAs or wire transfers. The campaign has already raised nearly $9 million in its first two years.
The effort is intended to help pay for the kinds of expenses that often keep children out of sport, including equipment, uniforms, coaching and expanded programme capacity. The Prnewswire announcement for the 2026 campaign said more than $2 million in matching and incentive funds are available this year, with support from partners including Alpine Bank, The Anschutz Foundation, Bank of Colorado, Boettcher Foundation, the Colorado Rockies and several other foundations and employers.
At Columbia Elementary School in Colorado Springs, the need is easy to see in Girls on the Run of the Rockies, an after-school programme that blends running with lessons about confidence and teamwork. Fifth grader Amelia Hanson said the programme was more than she expected, while teammate Kaiya Lewis described it as a place where girls who might not know each other can build friendships.
Lisa Johnson, executive director of Girls on the Run of the Rockies, said about 70% of participants receive scholarships or other help, and that a full scholarship costs $230. She said donations also help the organisation expand, including by adding 35 new schools for its fall season. Principal Stephanie Atencio said the programme brings together girls with different backgrounds and activity levels, while coach Pam Lewis said she watched hesitant runners grow into finishers over the course of a season. By the end, Lewis said, every girl in her group completed the 5K. For Amelia, the biggest change was simpler: she said she feels more confident now.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
