$25,000 Accelerator Grants Update

The Accelerator Grant was founded on a trust-based philanthropy philosophy that reimagines the relationship between funders, nonprofits and communities to rebalance the power and decision-making in grant awards.

Impact100 Metro Denver is currently concluding the first three-year cycle of support for two small non-profits who reside in an historically underserved neighborhood in Southwest Denver. The Grant amount is $25,000 a year for three consecutive years, assuming there are adequate resources within Impact100 Metro Denver. Our inaugural grant recipients are In Lak’ech Denver Arts and Roots Family Center, and this is the final year of the three-year grant for each to receive $12,500. They are doing amazing work in helping their community with cultural and educational opportunities. Click here to read more about the work of our Accelerator Grantees.

In-Lak’ech Denver Arts Update
In Lak’ech Denver Arts continues its mission to expand access to high-quality, community-responsive arts education for 5th–12th grade BIPOC youth in Southwest Denver’s systemically underserved neighborhoods. The program empowers students to deepen their connection to community, give back through cultural art forms, and reclaim their stories and ancestral creative traditions. Current offerings include folklorico dance, mariachi music, and visual arts, all taught by local BIPOC artists and tailored specifically for late elementary, middle and high school students.

Recent Highlights & Achievements

Mayor’s Youth Award
In December 2024, In Lak’ech Denver Arts was honored with the Mayor’s Youth Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture. This award recognizes their significant impact on youth through arts education, particularly in underserved communities .(artsandvenuesdenver.com)

Community Engagement
In May 2025, their youth mariachi students performed at the 5th Annual Cinco de Mayo en Westwood celebration, showcasing their talents in folklorico, mariachi, and their art students created a mural inspired by important social issues that their communities are facing today. The 2-day event was a beautiful mix of culture, food, art, music, lowriders, dance, and community.

Here is a Rocky Mountain PBS article about Cinco de Mayo en Westwood, featuring photos of In Lak’ech students performing folklorico and showcasing the mural they created for the event.

In April 2025, In Lak’ech brought its mariachi students to the Viva Southwest Mariachi Conference at MSU—a two-day event where students participated in workshops led by professional mariachi musicians and showcased what they learned through community performances on campus.

In Lak’ech is currently fundraising $8,000 to take their Intermediate mariachi group to the Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque from July 9–12, where students will have the chance to attend workshops led by world-renowned Maestros.

In Lak’ech Denver Arts has opened registration for its free 5th annual Summer Arts Camp, “Puppets in Westwood” which will provide students with the opportunity to design and build custom puppets with local artist, Aalycia Rodriguez, to retell different cultural stories that reflect the communities in Southwest Denver.

Roots Family Center Update
Roots mission is to grow the next generation of confident and healthy children who are rooted in the culture and strengths of their families and communities. Roots currently does this through two programs: 

PAT – Parents and Teachers. This program promotes optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers, children’s first and most influential teachers. 

HIPPY – Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters is an evidence-based home visiting program that helps parents prepare their 2, 3, 4 and 5-year old children for success in school and throughout life. Using curriculum, story books and other materials, parents strengthen their children’s cognitive, literacy, social/emotional and physical development. 

Roots identified a community need to help guide and support women through pregnancy and childbirth. In 2023, they launched their Doula Program which includes training women to become doulas and supporting pregnant women. They have trained 32 Doulas and have served 55 families. 

Doula Program
Roots has created their own training program and are in the process of becoming Medicaid Certified so that the Doulas can be reimbursed by Medicaid. Each Doula will need to go through the Medicaid Certification process which requires reading, reflection, lessons, a 5-day training program and in-home practice which includes working with three families in each stage (prenatal, labor & birth, and postpartum). Many of their Doulas are well into the certification process and it is hoped that 25 of them will be certified by the end of the year and will start being reimbursed by Medicaid. 

Building Search
Roots received a $1M grant from CO Health Foundation’s Equity Project, specifically to purchase a building. They recently found a building for $600,000 on South Quitman Street in the Westwood/Kentucky Gardens area. Purchasing this building will avoid having a capital campaign and they can renovate it to meet their needs. They are scheduled to close on June 13, assuming there are no pending issues.