Denver-area nonprofits face headwinds in 2025

About a third of nonprofits in the United States receive federal grants, including many essential service providers in the Denver area. Now, new federal funding cuts and clawbacks are affecting nonprofit programs – like food banks, housing, early childhood education, the arts, and more. 

Meanwhile, local families are relying on nonprofit services more than ever, as they experience their own economic challenges like layoffs, a continued shortage of affordable housing, and potential changes to Medicaid and food stamps, to name a few. 

These cuts “threaten nonprofits’ ability to serve their missions by terminating contracts and eliminating critical federal funding,” according to the Colorado Nonprofit Association, and some are struggling just to keep their doors open.

As a nonprofit itself, ULC’s role includes offering long-term stability and support to about 50 nonprofits by managing low-cost, collaborative office spaces where they can operate. ULC continues to offer about 30% below-market lease rates at offices, warehouses, commercial kitchens and schools. Lessees also benefit from ULC’s supportive terms that allow a nonprofit to terminate its lease without penalty if critical grant funding disappears.

“The nonprofits we work with are forces for good throughout the metro area. They provide fresh food, counseling, health care, after-school programming, and so much more,” ULC Chief Operating Officer Aaron Martinez said. “ULC is dedicated to supporting these mission-minded organizations through affordable real estate, so they can continue to be there for our communities.”

Do you know a nonprofit looking to relocate, consolidate or downsize? View leasing options at urbanlandc.org/office-leasing or contact us at leasing@urbanlandc.org.

Photo: A student and her daughter in a classroom at New Legacy Charter School in Aurora, a ULC community land trust property.

Early childhood education nationwide has seen reductions in federal funding tied to Head Start and other programs.