In 2025, trustees of the Ballantine Family Fund donated more than $455,000 to 156 nonprofits across Southwest Colorado through a quarterly grant application process and additional Core Value grants.
Total donations in 2025 increased by $114,500 compared with 2024.
Donations were made to nonprofits throughout Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan (Colorado) counties, according to a release from Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado, with average grant sizes for regular granting at $2,917.
La Plata County nonprofits received the most donations, followed by Montezuma County.
The highest percentage of donations, 33%, went to human services, followed by arts and culture, education, youth, environment and animal protection.
Unsolicited Core Value grants went to the Animas Museum in Durango, Montezuma Heritage Museum in Cortez, Dolores County, Rico Historical Society, San Juan County Historical Society in Silverton, and San Juan Historical Society and Museum in Pagosa Springs to support Colorado 250/150.
- Animal Protection: $16,000, representing 4% of giving totals
- Arts & Culture: $101,900, representing 22% of giving totals
- Education: $85,710, representing 19% of giving totals
- Environment: $24,500, representing 5% of giving totals
- Human Services: $149,000, representing 33% of giving totals
- Youth: $67,000, representing 15% of giving totals
- Other: $11,000, representing 2% of giving totals
- Archuleta: $63,150, representing 14% of giving totals
- Dolores: $16,000, representing 3% of giving totals
- La Plata: $225,460, representing 50% of giving totals
- Montezuma: $97,000, representing 21% of giving totals
- San Juan: $18,500, representing 4% of giving totals
- Other: $35,000, representing 8% of giving totals
For more info
A full listing of Ballantine Family Fund grant recipients can be found at BallantineFamilyFund.com.
Nonprofits in Southwest Colorado can apply for funding by submitting grant applications online.
Morley C. Ballantine and Arthur A. Ballantine Jr. – former owners of The Durango Herald – established the Ballantine Family Fund in 1957 to provide financial assistance to nonprofit causes that “benefit the human condition,” according to the release.
Richard G. Ballantine is on the board of trustees for the fund and is chairman of the board of Ballantine Communications Inc., the parent company of The Durango Herald.
“After nearly seven decades, our commitment to supporting the nonprofits of Southwest Colorado is unwavering,” he said in the release. “We appreciate our partnership with the Community Foundation which helps ensure our granting supports a healthy nonprofit sector for our whole region.”
The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado acts as grant managers for the Ballantine Family Fund and assists with nonprofit management and financial review.
epond@durangoherald.com
