Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day Exceeds $5 Million Raised to Boost Access to Youth Sports

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Second annual online giving campaign sets new record, supporting 244 nonprofits in Colorado

The Daniels Fund and Project Play Colorado, in collaboration with youth sports nonprofits across the state, today announced the results of the 2025 Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day campaign. The effort raised $5,231,147 through 3,610 donations and engaged 244 nonprofit organizations working to expand youth sports access statewide.

For two weeks in September, individuals, businesses and community groups across Colorado generously contributed funds to local youth sports nonprofits. Community donations were bolstered by matching support from 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. “Youth Sports Giving Day again sparked a groundswell of generosity across Colorado to lower barriers that are keeping too many kids on the sidelines,” said Hanna Skandera, president and chief executive officer, the Daniels Fund. “We are so grateful to the thousands of donors who stepped up. As a result, more young people in our state will gain the life skills, including resilience, grit, and determination, that come from playing sports.”

Research has long highlighted the importance of youth sports in improving academic outcomes, self‑esteem, mental and physical health and leadership skills. Active youth are also more likely to earn higher incomes later in life. In the face of rising childhood obesity, declining physical activity and growing youth mental health concerns, sports remain a vital part of healthy development. Despite these benefits, financial barriers often prevent children, especially those in income‑constrained communities and communities of color, from accessing athletic programs. The average cost to participate in organized sports has created affordability challenges for many families, and youth often drop out of sports by age 11, with financially vulnerable populations and girls disproportionately affected.

“The support we’ve received during Youth Sports Giving Day means we will be able to open the door to competition, growth and transformation for so many more kids this coming year who have earned a spot, but need financial assistance,” said Vickie Puchi, executive director, Chance Sports. “The impact of this funding isn’t just about more games played — it’s about more young people gaining confidence, building character and realizing what they’re capable of. That’s the true win.”

About Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day
Launched in 2024, Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day is a collaborative effort between Daniels Fund, Project Play Colorado 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 are asked to give generously to ensure all children in our state can enjoy the many benefits of athletics. To learn more, visit youthsportsgivingday.org.

About the Daniels Fund
The Daniels Fund, a private charitable foundation established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, provides grants to highly effective nonprofits and college scholarships to the next generation of America’s leaders. Through its Big Bets, it invests in solutions tackling some of the most complex challenges with innovations that have the power to scale. The Daniels Fund is making a Big Bet in youth sports, aiming to give one million youth the opportunity to compete in sports by 2030 and build the core life skills that increase achievement, leadership, teamwork, confidence and resilience. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

About Project Play Colorado
Project Play Colorado is a collective impact initiative comprised of state-level entities and community organizations aiming to increase opportunities for youth of all ages to participate in sports. It is the first statewide initiative of Project Play, an Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program-led effort that develops insights, ideas and opportunities to build healthy children and communities through sports. Since 2013, the award-winning initiative has convened leaders, identified gaps in access to quality sport activity and mobilized organizations for action. To learn more, visit www.projectplay.org.

Media Contacts:
Sean Duffy, 303.718.9049, [email protected]

Bruce Wilmsen, 720.941.4429, [email protected]

Students: Seize the Opportunity for Full Ride to College Through Daniels Scholarship

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Application Now Open for Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming Students

From now until Oct. 17, graduating high school seniors in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are encouraged to apply for the Daniels Scholarship which provides up to the full cost of attendance colleges and universities across the country.

The Daniels Scholarship Program, one of the most comprehensive and generous in the country, provides the opportunity for motivated students to attend any accredited nonprofit college or university in the United States as follows:

  • Scholars who choose one of 22 partners schools receive funding to cover tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and other educational expenses.
  • Students choosing to attend colleges other than the Daniels Scholarship’s partner schools are eligible to receive up to $100,000 over four years for schools outside the four-state region of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and up to $30,000 over four years at non-partner institutions within it.

Selection criteria for the Daniels Scholarship include strength of character, leadership potential, commitment to serving their community, academic performance or promise, well-rounded personality and emotional maturity and stability.

“Bill Daniels encouraged young people to take a chance on themselves, and applying for this scholarship is exactly that,” said Hanna Skandera, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “If a student meets the scholarship criteria but wonders whether they’re competitive, my advice is simple: apply. Many of our Daniels Scholars and alumni once doubted they had a chance but took the leap anyway and it changed their lives.”

In addition to funding, Daniels Scholars receive networking opportunities, unique and exclusive educational experiences, leadership development opportunities, and career development. With over 3,300 Daniels Scholar Alumni now graduated and in the workforce, the Daniels Scholarship has had a profound impact on thousands of aspiring college students and their families.

Applications for the scholarship close Oct. 17 at 4:00 pm MST, and finalists will be notified in January. The first step typically takes less than an hour to complete. Following a personal interview process, scholarship recipients are announced in late March.

The online application and additional information on the Daniels Scholarship are available at danielsfund.org/scholarships.