Daniels Fund awards $750,000 for scholarships to non-traditional students in Colorado

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April 13, 2020

Daniels Fund awards $750,000 for scholarships to non-traditional students in Colorado

The Daniels Fund has awarded a total of $750,000 in Boundless Opportunity Scholarship grant funds to 14 colleges and universities in Colorado. The partnering schools will use the funds to award Boundless Opportunity Scholarships to non-traditional students who are motivated to create a better life for themselves and their families, and who demonstrate the need for financial assistance.

The colleges and universities in Colorado include Adams State University, Colorado Christian University, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado School of Mines, Community College of Aurora, Fort Lewis College, Johnson & Wales University, Morgan Community College, Northeastern Junior College, Otero Junior College, University of Colorado Denver, University of Denver, University of Northern Colorado, and Western Colorado University.

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“Boundless Opportunity Scholarships provide a much-needed boost for non-traditional students interested in investing in themselves through education,” said Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund.

Qualifying “non-traditional” student populations include: adults entering or returning to college, GED recipients, veterans entering or returning to college, former foster care youth, and former juvenile justice youth. Each school selects specific populations for which they provide scholarships.

A full list of schools and the populations they award can be found at DanielsFund.org/Boundless. Each year, funding for Boundless Opportunity Scholarships is awarded to schools for two-year cycles, so scholarships are also available at the following schools that received funding in 2019: Aims Community College, Arapahoe Community College, Colorado Mountain College, Colorado State University, Colorado State University–Global Campus, Colorado State University–Pueblo, Community College of Denver, Front Range Community College, Lamar Community College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Regis University, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus–College of Nursing, and University of Colorado Boulder.

The name of the program comes from a quote by founder Bill Daniels who once stated, “America remains the greatest nation on earth, where boundless opportunities still exist for each and every one of us.”

Since 2003, Daniels Fund has granted a total of $19.4 million in Boundless Opportunity Scholarship funding which has been awarded to more than 6,800 non-traditional students through colleges in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund announces 2020 Class of Daniels Scholars

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March 30, 2020

Daniels Fund announces
2020 Class of Daniels Scholars

212 students selected for Daniels Scholarship Program

Complete list available at: DanielsFund.org/2020DanielsScholars

The Daniels Fund has announced the names of 212 high school seniors from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming who have earned a place in the Daniels Scholarship Program. Daniels Scholars are selected because they possess the exceptional character, leadership, commitment to the community, academic performance and promise, well-roundedness, and emotional maturity defined for the program by founder, Bill Daniels, and uphold the values that meant so much to him.

Approximately 2,265 students completed the application for the Daniels Scholarship Program. Of the 212 students selected as 2020 Daniels Scholars, 128 are from Colorado, 24 are from New Mexico, 28 are from Utah, and 32 are from Wyoming.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these impressive young people and can’t wait to see what they will do with this opportunity,” said Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund. “Our goal is to help each of these scholars succeed in college and ultimately become independent, successful in a rewarding career, and actively engaged in their community.”

With this year’s announcement, 4,373 students have received the Daniels Scholarship. At any given time, nearly 1,000 Daniels Scholars are attending more than 200 colleges and universities throughout the United States. Since 2000, more than $204 million in scholarships has been awarded through the Daniels Scholarship Program.

Daniels Scholars may attend any accredited nonprofit college or university in the United States. The program covers the educational expenses that remain after any other scholarships, financial aid, and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) have been applied. For students choosing to attend one of the Daniels Fund’s 25 partner schools, the EFC is also covered. A list of partner schools can be found here.

Motivated high school seniors graduating in 2021 are encouraged to visit DanielsFund.org this fall to apply online for the Daniels Scholarship Program.

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund Appoints Hank Brown Interim President & CEO

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March 25, 2020

Daniels Fund Appoints Hank Brown
Interim President & CEO

The Daniels Fund Board of Directors announced that Hank Brown will serve as interim president & CEO effective May 1 while the board conducts a search for a permanent leader. Brown will succeed Linda Childears, who recently announced that she will retire effective April 30.

Brown currently is a member of the board of directors at the Daniels Fund and led the Daniels Fund as its president and CEO from 2002 to 2005. He is recognized as a distinguished leader who served Colorado in both the U.S. Senate and for five consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Brown also previously served as the presidents of both the University of Colorado and the University of Northern Colorado.

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“It isn’t often that an organization has an individual on its board as experienced and as respected as Hank Brown, who is also so well-prepared to serve in an executive capacity,” said R. James “Jim” Nicholson, chairman of the board of directors of the Daniels Fund. “Hank will provide the stability and continuity necessary for the organization to seamlessly continue its work with grantees and scholars to implement the vision Bill Daniels created.”

Childears announced earlier this month that she would retire in late April after 15 years leading the organization. Following her retirement, she will be recognized as the Daniels Fund’s President Emeritus.

The Daniels Fund was established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels. It is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Since its founding in 2000, the Daniels Fund has granted nearly $900 million to deserving scholars and organizations, while simultaneously growing the foundation’s endowment from $1 billion to nearly $1.5 billion.

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund gives $3.7 million in grants and scholarships in Utah in 2019

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March 10, 2020

Daniels Fund gives $3.7 million in grants and scholarships in Utah in 2019

— $40.5 million given in the state since 2000 —

In 2019, the Daniels Fund provided $3.7 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students in Utah. Since inception in 2000, the Daniels Fund has distributed $40.5 million in grants and scholarships in the state. Throughout its four-state region of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, the Daniels Fund provided more than $58.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2019.

Utah communities are benefiting from $2.3 million in grants to outstanding nonprofits throughout the state in 2019. The Daniels Fund’s Utah grantmaking strategy focuses primarily on collective impact programs that coordinate a shared strategic vision with numerous community partners. This model has proven successful by using resources wisely and eliminating duplication of services. In addition, the Daniels Fund provides a limited number of grants which focus on specific needs of the state and fit within the Daniels Fund’s grantmaking strategy.

Organizations that were awarded grants for programs in Utah in 2019 include Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Bill of Rights Institute, Community Foundation of Utah, Libertas Institute, National Council on Teacher Quality, Spectrum Academy, TURN Community Services, United Way of Northern Utah, University of Utah–Brain Health Learning Center and College of Health, and Utah Food Bank, in addition to continuing grant support for Columbus Community Center, United Way of Northern Utah, and United Way of Salt Lake.

In 2019, the Daniels Fund provided $1.4 million in scholarships to students in Utah through two distinct programs — the Daniels Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to deserving high school seniors, and the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides funding to participating colleges to offer scholarships to non-traditional students.

The Daniels Fund also provided grant funding to the University of Utah for ethics education through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program.

“Bill Daniels had a strong connection to Utah as the owner of the Utah Stars American Basketball Association team in the 1970s,” said Linda Childears, President & CEO of the Daniels Fund. “He established the Daniels Fund to give back to people in the communities that contributed so much to his success.”

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund gives $7 million in grants and scholarships in Wyoming in 2019

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March 10, 2020

Daniels Fund gives $7 million in grants and scholarships in Wyoming in 2019

— $82 million given in the state since 2000 —

In 2019, the Daniels Fund provided more than $7 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students in Wyoming. Since inception in 2000, the Daniels Fund has distributed more than $82.1 million in grants and scholarships in the state. Throughout its four-state region of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, the Daniels Fund provided more than $58.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2019.

Wyoming communities are benefiting from $4.8 million in grants to outstanding nonprofits throughout the state in 2019. Organizations that were awarded grants for programs in Wyoming in 2019 include 12-24 Club, Bill of Rights Institute, Boy Scouts of America — Longs Peak Council, Boy Scouts of America — Trapper Trails Council, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming, Casper Legion Baseball Club, Central Wyoming Rescue Mission, Child Development Center of Natrona County, Dental Lifeline Network, Evanston Child Development Center, Evanston Youth Club for Boys and Girls, Friends of Hogadon, Girls on the Run Wyoming, Guernsey-Sunrise Public School, H Diamond W Youth Camp, High Country Senior Citizens, Meals on Wheels of Cheyenne, Natrona County Meals on Wheels, Personal Frontiers, Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home, Special Olympics Wyoming, Thayne Senior Center, Unaccompanied Students Initiative, Volunteers of America Northern Rockies, William H. and Carrie Gottsche Foundation, Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom, Wyoming Dementia Care, Wyoming FFA Foundation, and Youth Emergency Services. The Daniels Fund also provided continuing grant support to the University of Wyoming Trustees Education Initiative.

The Daniels Fund makes grants in eight funding areas specified by its founder, Bill Daniels: Aging, Amateur Sports, Disabilities, Drug & Alcohol Addiction, Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education Reform, Homeless & Disadvantaged, and Youth Development.

In 2019, the Daniels Fund provided $2.3 million in scholarships to students in Wyoming through two distinct programs — the Daniels Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to deserving high school seniors, and the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides funding to participating colleges to offer scholarships to non-traditional students.

The Daniels Fund also provided grant funding to the University of Wyoming for ethics education through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program.

“Bill Daniels launched his successful cable television business in Wyoming,” said Linda Childears, President & CEO of the Daniels Fund. “He established the Daniels Fund to give back to people in the communities that contributed so much to his success.”

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund gives nearly $6 million in grants and scholarships in New Mexico in 2019

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March 10, 2020

Daniels Fund gives nearly $6 million in grants and scholarships in New Mexico in 2019

— $108 million given in the state since 2000 —

In 2019, the Daniels Fund provided more than $5.95 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students in New Mexico. Since inception in 2000, the Daniels Fund has distributed $108.6 million in grants and scholarships in the state. Throughout its four-state region of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, the Daniels Fund provided more than $58.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2019.

New Mexico communities are benefiting from $3.8 million in grants to outstanding nonprofits throughout the state in 2019. The Daniels Fund’s New Mexico grantmaking strategy focuses primarily on education-related initiatives, maximizing impact by inviting grant requests from nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated ability to improve the education continuum, from cradle to career.

Organizations that were awarded grants for programs in New Mexico in 2019 include Central New Mexico Community College Foundation, CHI St. Joseph’s Children, Fort Lewis College Foundation, Gordon Bernell Charter School, Junior Achievement of New Mexico, National Council on Teacher Quality, NewMexicoKidsCAN, New Mexico State University Foundation–Arrowhead Center, Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, Roswell Independent School District, Santa Fe Community Foundation, United Way of Central New Mexico, and United Way of Santa Fe County. In addition, the Daniels Fund provided continuing grant support to Excellent Schools New Mexico, Teach for America–New Mexico, and the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

In 2019, the Daniels Fund provided $2.1 million in scholarships to students in New Mexico through two distinct programs — the Daniels Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to deserving high school seniors, and the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides funding to participating colleges to offer scholarships to non-traditional students.

The Daniels Fund also provided grant funding to the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University for ethics education through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program.

“Bill Daniels had a strong connection to New Mexico, having grown up in Hobbs and attended New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell,” said Linda Childears, President & CEO of the Daniels Fund. “It was his hope that grants and scholarships such as these would help make life better for people across the state.”

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund gives $58.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2019

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March 10, 2020

Daniels Fund gives $58.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2019

— $877 million given since 2000 —

The Daniels Fund announced that it distributed more than $58.8 million in grants and scholarships in 2019. This brings the total to over $877.6 million in grants and scholarships distributed since the Daniels Fund’s inception in 2000.

The 2019 total includes $41 million in grants to highly effective nonprofit organizations throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, as well as to select national organizations. Colorado communities are benefiting from $25.2 million in grants to outstanding nonprofits throughout the state. For a list of nonprofits that were awarded grants in 2019 for programs in Colorado, click here.

Also included in the 2019 total, is $17.8 million in scholarships across the four-state region through two distinct programs — the Daniels Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to deserving high school seniors, and the Boundless Opportunity Scholarship program, which provides funding to participating colleges to offer scholarships to non-traditional students. Colorado students received $12 million in scholarships.

The Daniels Fund makes grants in eight funding areas as specified by its founder, Bill Daniels: Aging, Amateur Sports, Disabilities, Drug & Alcohol Addiction, Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education Reform, Homeless & Disadvantaged, and Youth Development.

The Daniels Fund also provided grant funding for ethics education through the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program and other efforts.

“Our founder, Bill Daniels, created the Daniels Fund to give back to the communities that contributed to his success,” said Linda Childears, president & CEO of the Daniels Fund. “It was his hope that these grants and scholarships would help make life better for people across our four-state region.”

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]

Daniels Fund President & CEO Linda Childears Announces Retirement

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March 3, 2020

Daniels Fund President & CEO Linda Childears Announces Retirement

DENVER, March 3, 2020—Linda Childears announced today that she will retire as president and CEO of the Daniels Fund on April 30. Childears joined the Daniels Fund in 2005, during which time she has implemented the board of directors’ strategic direction while also being responsible for all of the organization’s programs and operations. Upon her retirement, Childears will be recognized as the Daniels Fund’s President Emeritus.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to guide the Daniels Fund,” Childears said. “Bill Daniels was one of the finest individuals this country has ever produced, and I know that he would be incredibly proud of the foundation that is his legacy. The Daniels Fund has never been stronger, and after considerable deliberation I have decided that now is the right time for me to retire.”

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The Daniels Fund was established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels. It is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Since its founding in 2000, the Daniels Fund has granted nearly $900 million to deserving scholars and organizations, while simultaneously growing the foundation’s endowment from $1 billion to more than $1.5 billion.

“I would like to thank Linda for her years of service and incredibly hard work on behalf of the Daniels Fund, as well as her commitment to honoring the legacy of Bill Daniels,” said R. James “Jim” Nicholson, chairman of the board of directors at the Daniels Fund. “Linda’s leadership over the past 15 years reflects her strong dedication to honoring Bill’s philanthropic intent.”

Childears added, “I would like to thank the members of the board and the staff at the Daniels Fund for their tireless support. I also would like to thank our community partners and our grant recipients, including our Daniels Scholars. The impact we have made to promote Bill’s ethics and values — compassion for others, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to excellence — would not have been possible without their support.”

The Daniels Fund will conduct a search for a new president and CEO.

About the Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Bruce Wilmsen
Direct: 720.941.4429
[email protected]