Why Reisher anniversary grants came in different sizes across Colorado colleges
CCA received $225,000 while some Colorado colleges received much more. The Denver Foundation told FoxTalk the difference came down to how long each school had been a Reisher partner.
The Community College of Aurora received $225,000 from the Reisher Scholars Program this month. Community College of Denver received $325,000. CU Denver received $3.25 million.
So why are the numbers so different?
The Denver Foundation told FoxTalk that the size of each anniversary grant was based on how long the college or university had been part of the Reisher Scholars Program.
“Grant amounts were based on the length of time each college or university has been a partner in the Reisher Scholars Program,” Sharon Harper, senior director of scholarships at The Denver Foundation, said in written responses to my questions.
The foundation did not provide FoxTalk with the formula it used to turn the length of a partnership into a specific dollar amount. That means the answer explains what determined the grants, but not why one school landed at $225,000 while another received several million dollars.
The amounts are also grants to colleges, not the size of the scholarship an individual student will receive.
The Denver Foundation announced the grants Aug. 3 as part of a $25 million initiative celebrating the Reisher Scholars Program’s 25th anniversary. The money is being sent to the general scholarship funds of current and future partner colleges across Colorado.
CCA announced its $225,000 grant two days later. The college said the money will support scholarships for CCA students over the next two years.
Other announced awards show how wide the range is. The University of Colorado reported $3.25 million for CU Denver, $2.25 million for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and $1.25 million for CU Boulder. Pikes Peak State College announced a $325,000 grant.
Harper also gave FoxTalk more specific deadlines than the two-year timeline in the foundation’s public announcement.
Each school must spend its anniversary grant by June 30, 2028, Harper said. A summary report explaining the grant’s impact is due to Reisher by July 31, 2028.
Harper’s response did not specify what information schools will have to include in those reports.
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