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The Recovery Foundation at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Public charity

The Recovery Foundation

The organization's primary exempt purpose is to operate exclusively for the benefit of, to perform certain functions of, and to carry out the charitable purposes of the denver foundation and other charitable organizations

$1.1M
Granted FY2025still arriving
5
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$500k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Health$1.8MHousing & Shelter$1.0MHuman Services$675kEducation$426kPhilanthropy$36kCommunity Improvement$25k
02FY2025 · 5 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $10k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $368k
  • $250k+2 grants · $750k
$248,700
Median grant
1
States reached
$3.8M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CHDA$500,000
DIHFS-DENVER INDIAN HEALTH$250,000
SOBRIETY HOUSE INC$248,700
5280 HIGH SCHOOL$119,000
DONT LOOK BACK$10,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY23–25, $500k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%SAVIO HOUSE GRANT: $250k → 12%DIHFS-DENVER INDIAN HEALTH: $250k → 12%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 100% of The Recovery Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 91% of the giving stays in CO; by stated purpose, 0%.

The Recovery Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

34%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.7M · 6 repeat orgs$3.3M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +30% since the first grant, against +22% for those funded once.

6 repeat relationships: 3 still active in FY2025, 3 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

6
12

Total granted

$1.7M
$2.6M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+30%
+22%

Still filing today

100%
92%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 33% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $750k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’20’21’22’23’24’25
HealthHousing & ShelterHuman ServicesEducationCommunity ImprovementPhilanthropyOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • SD
    Step Denver
    2× · 2022–2024 · $500k · revenue +67%
  • VH
    Valley Hope Association
    3× · 2021–2023 · $325k · revenue +59%
  • DL
    Dont Look Back Center Inc
    2× · 2022–2025 · $60k · revenue +30%

Funded once

  • AH
    ARAPAHOE HOUSE INC
    one grant, 2017 · $850k
  • SH
    SAVIO HOUSE
    one grant, 2023 · $250k · revenue -11%
  • UP
    URBAN PEAK DENVER
    one grant, 2024 · $250k · revenue +15%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Mile High Council On Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

To bring a caring, seamless continuum of behavioral healthcare to the most vulnerable in our community - offering affordable care and housing services with focused programs to address life challenges.

Health
2
Advocates for Recovery Colorado

Recovery from addiction is a process of gaining sobriety and contributing to one's family and community as a healthy productive person. AFRC provides peer coach mentoring to individuals in recovery from substance use disorders.

Human Services
3
Homeward Pikes Peak

Homeward Pikes Peak empowers individuals and families to access stable housing, increase mental health, recovery, and economic stability.

Housing & Shelter
4
Mental Health Center of Boulder County Inc

Partnering to improve quality of life as a nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health and wellness. healing is our purpose, help is our promise, health is our passion.

—
5
North Range Behavioral Health

North range behavioral health is dedicated to providing professional, comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder services.

Health
6
Summitstone Health Partners

SummitStone provides comprehensive behavioral health services across all care levels: 24/7 crisis services, inpatient and outpatient treatment, housing, residential care, and peer support. We partner with law enforcement, schools, and…

Health
7
Colorado West Inc

We rebuild lives and inspire hope by providing exceptional mental health and addiction recovery care strengthening the health and vitality of our communities.

Health
8
Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center Inc

To make a meaningful difference through healthcare innovation and caring for the whole person.

Health
9
Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council

Cbhc's mission is to support community resilience, guide behavioral health innovation, and enhance individual well-being throughout colorado by supporting colorado's community behavioral health safety net providers.

Health
10
Rocky Mountain Behavioral Health Inc

The Organization provides developed, evidence-based prevention and treatment mental health program services focused on alcohol, substance abuse, and domestic violence related issues. The Organization also provides affordable and accessible…

—
11
Tribe Recovery Homes Inc

We provide traditional housing programs and halfway houses serving the denver metro area, including denver, aurora, glendale, and utah park, co. we provide individuals in recovery from substance use disorder with structured, shame free,…

Health
12
Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver Inc

Seeking to put god's love into action, habitat for humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Mile High United Way Inc; the most unlike its peers is Urban Peak Denver. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

20 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
19/20
Grantees still filing
11/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ARAPAHOE HOUSE INC: $849,996 · OtherARAPAHOE HOUSE INCStep Denver: $500,000 · OtherStep DenverJEFFCO ACTION CENTER INC THE ACTION CENTER: $225,000 · OtherJEFFCO ACTION CENTER INC THE ACTION CENT…FRIENDS OF THE HAVEN: $200,000 · OtherFRIENDS OF THE HAVEN+1 more: $25,000 · OtherValley Hope Association: $325,000 · HealthValley Hope AssociationSOBRIETY HOUSE INC: $290,801 · HealthSOBRIETY HOUSE INCLA CLINICA TEPEYAC: $250,000 · HealthLA CLINICA TEPEYACRECOVERYWORKS: $250,000 · HealthRECOVERYWORKSHORNBUCKLE FOUNDATION: $225,000 · HealthHORNBUCKLE FOUNDATIONDont Look Back Center Inc: $60,000 · Health+1 more: $33,000 · HealthCOMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INC: $500,000 · Housing & ShelterCOMMUNITY HOUSIN…URBAN PEAK DENVER: $250,000 · Housing & ShelterURBAN PEAK DENVE…5280 HIGH SCHOOL: $369,000 · Education5280 HIGH SC…UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOUNDATION: $176,100 · EducationUNIVERSITY O…SAVIO HOUSE: $250,000 · Human ServicesSAVIO HOUSEDENVER INDIAN HEALTH AND FAMILY SER: $250,000 · Human ServicesDENVER INDI…MILE HIGH UNITED WAY INC: $36,100 · PhilanthropyTHE COLORADO NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT CENTER: $25,000 · Community Improvement
Other$1,799,996Health$1,433,801Housing & Shelter$750,000Education$545,100Human Services$500,000Philanthropy$36,100Community Improvement$25,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetARAPAHOE HOUSE INC: $849,996 over 1y, 4.2% of budgetStep Denver: $500,000 over 2y, 8.3% of budgetCOMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INC: $500,000 over 1y, 23% of budget5280 HIGH SCHOOL: $369,000 over 2y, 7.5% of budgetValley Hope Association: $325,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetSOBRIETY HOUSE INC: $290,801 over 2y, 4.7% of budgetSAVIO HOUSE: $250,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetURBAN PEAK DENVER: $250,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetDENVER INDIAN HEALTH AND FAMILY SER: $250,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetLA CLINICA TEPEYAC: $250,000 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetRECOVERYWORKS: $250,000 over 1y, 17% of budgetJEFFCO ACTION CENTER INC THE ACTION CENTER: $225,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetHORNBUCKLE FOUNDATION: $225,000 over 1y, 13% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE HAVEN: $200,000 over 2y, 79% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOUNDATION: $176,100 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetDont Look Back Center Inc: $60,000 over 2y, 6.3% of budgetMILE HIGH UNITED WAY INC: $36,100 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetFACE IT TOGETHER INC: $33,000 over 1y, 10% of budgetMENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF COLORADO: $25,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetTHE COLORADO NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT CENTER: $25,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Colorado Gives Founda…Caring for Denver Fou…Caring for Colorado F…The Colorado Health F…The Denver FoundationTemple Hoyne Buell Fo…Rose Community Founda…Mile High United Way …The Anschutz Foundati…Amg Charitable Gift F…Vanguard Charitable E…American Endowment Fo…
Colorado Gives FoundationCO32× affinity14 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Colorado Gives Foundation · Caring for Denver Foundation · Caring for Colorado Foundation · The Colorado Health Foundation · The Denver Foundation · Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation · Rose Community Foundation · Mile High United Way Inc · The Anschutz Foundation · Amg Charitable Gift Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Endowment Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Recovery Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Recovery Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%23%51%90%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to The Recovery Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Recovery Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 20 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Recovery’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home