DEL NORTE – There are only a few days left to donate to the local sports program at High Valley Community Center through the Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day and there is an even bigger incentive thanks to the Daniels Fund which has generously offered another $500,000 bringing the total matching fund to more than $2 million. 

Through Sept. 17, individuals, businesses and community groups are invited to rally behind youth sports nonprofits. Donations can be made through the ColoradoGives.org platform at youthsportsgivingday.org, ensuring simple, flexible and secure giving. 

“Our founder Bill Daniels had the beginning of this idea to support youth sporting programs back in the day and through that, showed the importance of youth sports in communities and schools. This initiative gives us the opportunity to support sporting programs and give these kids the chance to play sports,” said Daniels Fund Representative Sean Duffy. 

Responding to the strong groundswell of grassroots financial support for youth sports organizations statewide, the Daniels Fund today announced an additional $500,000 donation to the Youth Sports Giving Day incentive fund which will increase the impact of community contributions. This additional investment brings the total matching funds contributed by sponsors to more than $2 million. 

Since the two-week funding campaign was launched Sept. 3, nearly 2,600 grassroots donors have contributed more than $2.6 million to benefit youth sports groups across Colorado, with the goal of making sports more accessible and affordable.   

The incentive fund helps boost every donation. The campaign is structured with two powerful ways to increase the impact of every gift. The first $1 million contributed was matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling the impact of those donations. Nearly $1 million in matching funds from the Incentive Fund will be awarded on a percentage basis tied to the overall totals raised by participating organizations throughout the campaign. 

The Daniels Fund additional contribution will increase the total amount that individual groups will receive when the campaign concludes. 

“Youth Sports Giving Day has again encouraged thousands of Coloradans to generously support the goal of giving more kids the chance to play sports,” said Hanna Skandera, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “Our additional support for the incentive fund will help fuel even more opportunities for kids to grow into strong, resilient leaders on and off the field.”  

The strong success of this year’s campaign builds off the momentum of the inaugural Youth Sports Giving Day last year that raised $3.7 million for 134 nonprofits dedicated to empowering kids ages 18 and younger to experience the joy and benefits of sports. The 2024 participants used donations in a variety of ways to get more kids in the game, including purchasing equipment and uniforms, growing programming, expanding to new communities and even funding new sports facilities. 

Sponsors of this year’s Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day include the Daniels Fund, Alpine Bank, The Anschutz Foundation, Bank of Colorado, Boettcher Foundation, El Pomar Foundation, Gary Community Ventures, Colorado Rockies, Rose Community Foundation, Strohm Link Family Foundation, Telluray Foundation, UCHealth, The Weld Trust, Wold Foundation and Mike and Nancy Zoellner. 

About Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day 

Launched in 2024, Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day is a collaborative effort between Project Play Colorado, Daniels Fund and hundreds of local nonprofit organizations supporting youth sports across Colorado. Through this campaign, nonprofits offering organized sports for Colorado youth ages 18 and younger raise essential funds to get more kids playing sports. Each year, Coloradans will be asked to give generously to ensure all children in our state can enjoy the many benefits of athletics. To learn more, visit youthsportsgivingday.org.