Denver – September 19, 2026 -- The third annual Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day campaign raised $7.2 million during its Sept. 1-15 run, surpassing last year's total by 38 percent and pushing the initiative's three-year cumulative fundraising to $16.1 million.
Campaign draws 4,400 donations across 349 nonprofits
Led by the Daniels Fund and Aspen Institute's Project Play Colorado, the 2026 drive engaged 349 youth sports nonprofit organizations statewide, funding equipment, uniforms, programming expansion, financial assistance and new facilities for children and families.
More than $2 million in matching funds boosted donor giving
Matching and incentive support totaled over $2 million, including a dollar-for-dollar match on the first $1 million raised online Sept. 1. A new America250 Fund added a dedicated $250,000 dollar-for-dollar match for gifts made via donor-advised funds, IRA rollovers and wire transfers. Matching partners included Alpine Bank, The Anschutz Foundation, Bank of Colorado, Boettcher Foundation, Colorado Health Foundation, the Colorado Rockies, El Pomar Foundation, Gary Community Ventures, Liberty Gives, Rose Community Foundation, Suncor, UCHealth and The Weld Trust, with the online platform hosted by ColoradoGives.org.
Statewide participation rate hits 64.5%, topping federal target
Colorado's youth sports participation rate reached 64.5%, exceeding the national Healthy People 2030 goal of 63% ahead of schedule. Hanna Skandera Grady, CEO and President of the Daniels Fund, said Coloradans "showed up in a big way to get more kids off the sidelines and into the game."
National data show persistent gaps by income, race and disability
According to the 2023-24 National Survey of Children's Health, girls participate at 61.2% versus 67.5% for boys, and youth of color participate at 55% versus 72% for white youth. Participation among the lowest-income households stands at 46.5%, compared with 76.8% for the highest-income households, while youth with disabilities participate at rates roughly 10 percentage points lower than peers without disabilities.
Tom Farrey, executive director of Aspen Institute's Project Play, said the gaps for lower-income families, girls and youth with disabilities show "there is still work to do" to build a state where every young person can participate.
Model expands beyond Colorado as Utah launches its own campaign
The 2026 campaign opened with a Sept. 1 Colorado Rockies game at Coors Field and has spurred replication efforts, including Utah's inaugural Youth Sports Giving Day campaign running Sept. 12-26.