To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Thru: David L. Corliss
From: Trish Muller, CPA, Finance Director
Title
Discussion/Direction of Applications for the 2026 First Quarter Council Community Grant Program, Three Eligible Applicants
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The Council Community Grant Program (CCGP) has an annual budget of $20,000 funded by the Town Council Non-profit Grants account in the General Fund. The Town disburses funds for the grants quarterly in $5,000 increments to non-profit organizations within the Castle Rock community. Individual grants cap at $1,000 per request. The Town of Castle Rock Finance Department receives the applications, reviews them for eligibility, and presents the grant requests to Town Council.
The Town received three (3) qualified applications for the 1st Quarter CCGP (Attachment A).
|
Organization |
Amount Requested |
Purpose |
|
Sunday Salmon Inc |
$1000 |
Each Wednesday, Sunday Salmon will prepare and deliver 100 full, organic meals throughout Castle Rock. At $7 per meal, the Town’s $1,000 investment will fund approximately 140 meals, covering the majority of their first week of deliveries and allowing the program to launch with immediate impact. |
|
Horsepower Inc |
$1000 |
Horsepower Inc, also known as Colorado Horsepower, provides therapeutic horseback riding and training for veterans, first responders, and the developmentally disabled. The funds would be used for horsing expenses such as food and care. |
|
SECOR |
$1000 |
SECOR addresses suburban poverty through its various programs including food distribution that reduce food insecurity while maintaining dignity for community members. Funding will go for food purchases for their Food for Thought bags that are delivered to schools located in Castle Rock. |
This memo intends to present these applications to Council for consideration and approval.
Discussion
The General Fund acts as the source of monies for the Council Community Grant Program. Specific non-profit organizations for community-based projects receive CCGP funds. Organizations may apply on an as-needed basis, and staff reviews applications quarterly.
Eligible project areas for CCGP include projects that contribute to Castle Rock’s “quality of life” with special emphasis on programs and activities for:
• Youth
• Seniors
• Community based environment and sustainability
Attachment B lists the amounts awarded for the 2022-2025 Council Community Grant Program.
Brief Overview of Application:
Sunday Salmon Inc - Sunday Salmon is a Castle Rock based nonprofit providing no-cost, organic, gluten-free, and seed-oil-free meals to neighbors experiencing food insecurity and hardship. Operating exclusively in Douglas County with a 95% emphasis on Castle Rock, Sunday Salmon serves nearly 20,000 meals annually through in-restaurant dinners, mobile meal service, and community-based outreach. Their programs are volunteer-driven, dignity-centered, and designed to meet hidden hunger in the town. The Town of Castle Rock’s $1,000 grant will directly support the launch of Sunday Salmon’s first Wednesday Wheels program in April. The program is a new weekly meal delivery initiative serving Castle Rock Residents who cannot attend Sunday Salmon’s in-restaurant dinners due to transportation barriers.
Horsepower Inc - Horsepower Inc, also known as Colorado Horsepower, provides therapeutic horseback riding and training for veterans, first responders, and the developmentally disabled. The participants are taught all aspects of horse care and regularly ride. The charity is completely staffed by volunteers, and no money goes to salaries. The key expenses are all about the horses, keeping them fed and healthy. Participants learn how to recognize and regulate their emotional responses as they deal with 1,000-pound prey animals whose survival instincts compel them to flee when confused or threatened. In short, Colorado Horsepower helps people better control themselves as they learn to control their horse. This then benefits both the participants and all of their Castle Rock neighbors.
SECOR - SECOR addresses suburban poverty through a variety of programs that help ensure individuals and families have reliable access to nutritious food. Several of these programs provide food directly to schools, helping children thrive academically. In addition, SECOR’s Free Food Market and Mobile Market help families facing transportation, financial, or other barriers access quality food. Funding will support SECOR’s Food for Thought bags delivered to schools in Castle Rock, as well as food assistance for seniors accessing SECOR’s food market in Parker.
Budget Considerations
The 2026 budget includes $20,000, $5,000 available for each quarter, in the Town Council Non-profit Grants account in the General Fund for the 2026 Council Community Grant Program.
Staff Recommendation
Staff defers to council decisions on awards to applicants. Traditionally Council approves a $1,000 award to each of the non-profit organizations presented in this grant cycle, assuming consideration of a maximum of 5 applications per quarter.
Proposed Motion
“I move to award funding to the following organizations:
|
Organization |
Amount Awarded |
|
Salmon Sunday Inc |
|
|
Horsepower Inc |
|
|
SECOR |
|
Alternative Motions
“I move to award funding to the following organization(s) for a different amount:
Organization (New Amount)
“I move to continue this item to the Town Council meeting on _____ date to allow additional time to (list information needed).”
Attachments
Attachment A: Applications
Attachment B: Award History
Attachment C: CCGP Overview