A Quick Overview of the Virginia W. Hill Foundation’s Colorado Giving

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Denver is a center for philanthropic activity in the Mountain States, and there are foundations of all types and sizes based there. One funder you may not have heard about is the Virginia W. Hill Foundation, a private foundation and the legacy of a philanthropist who gave locally during her lifetime.

Hill was known for her dedication to the American West and for being a major donor for the restoration efforts of Fort Laramie in the 1960s. The Virginia W. Hill Foundation does not have a website to guide grantseekers. But here are a few facts about this funder and how it approaches giving in Colorado.

Two main funding areas

There are two primary topics of interest at the Virginia W. Hill Foundation: education and health. During her lifetime, Hill was committed to improving the health of people living in Colorado. The foundation commonly funds basic needs-related efforts and scholarships.

Hospice organizations, programs to help homeless individuals and self-sufficiency are foundation priorities. Education funding has included support for job training and placement. The foundation has also shown an interest in access to arts and culture, as well as helping victims of natural disasters.

Typical foundation grantmaking

The average grant from the Virginia W. Hill Foundation is between $10,000 and $50,000. The foundation awards many of its grants in the Denver area. Recently, it awarded a $10,000 grant to Pathways Hospice, which serves the residents of Larimer and Weld counties in northern Colorado. It also recently supported Special Kids Special Families, which has programs for children and adults with disabilities in Colorado Springs, and the Pennock Center for Counseling in Brighton, Colorado.  

Applying for a grant

Wells Fargo Bank manages this foundation and handles its grantmaking activities. On recent tax forms, John Moran and Margaret L. Toal are listed as co-trustees. Interested grantseekers can submit a paper application in letter form to the Virginia W. Hill Foundation’s Denver office. There are no submission deadlines to mail a new application.

You can find a full profile of the Virginia W. Hill Foundation in our Colorado grants guide.