2023-24 Annual Impact Report

Our
Mission

Advance racial equity and ensure all Denver students succeed academically and professionally.

Our vision

Equitable, accountable, responsive Denver schools where students of all races and incomes succeed.

Our guiding principles

Prioritizing Racial Equity

Success must be measured by what is achieved for all students, especially Black, Latino and Indigenous students who have been historically underserved in public education.

Strength in Lived Experience

Students, families and communities bring lived experiences, cultural perspectives, and knowledge that improve public education.

Community Partnership

We must listen to often-unheard voices of students, families, and educators to guide decision-making.

Mutual Relationships

Relationships should offer meaningful value in both directions, whether it's between communities and schools or between funders and grantees.

Collaboration Across DIfference

To create lasting change, leaders in public education must work together with people who have different perspectives.

Continuous Innovation

We must develop, evaluate, and adapt brave new ideas to significantly expand access to high quality education and advance racial equity.

Welcome from RootED Denver

Each year, RootED Denver shares its annual impact report to inform you about and engage you in the work we’re doing to support great schools, community-based organizations and special initiatives in the metro area.

Since 2018, RootED has provided 333 grants totaling more than $27,892,847 million that have impacted more than 157,955 students in the Denver metro area.

In 2023-24, we identified priorities we believe will have the greatest impact toward achieving our mission, vision and values.

Amplifying the voices of educators, families and students

Engaging more deeply with Denver Public Schools

Leading in our community

Providing support for charter and innovation zone schools

Building a strong base of advocacy across community and nonprofit groups

62 Total number of schools served in Fiscal Year 2024
24,252 Total number of students served in Fiscal Year 2024
In the 2023-24 school year: 82.12% of students served by RootED identify as a person of color*
* Data from 60 of 62 schools
In the 2023-24 school year: 72.18% of students served by RootED receive free or reduced-price school meals**
** Data from 60 of 62 schools

In The News

Through our partnerships with community-based organizations and public charter and innovation zone schools, RootED provides funding and strategic support for storytelling, communications and marketing.

We share positive stories about what’s happening in classrooms and communities throughout Denver, and we amplify the voices of families, students and educators.

In 2023-24, 118 television, print, digital and radio stories (including repeats and reprints) about RootED’s partners reached more than 24,000,000 people and households.

This year, our partners were featured on these news outlets.
Watch or read some of our favorite stories below.

9news logo El Semanario logo Fox 31 logo Colorado Public Radio Logo CBS Colorado Logo

In Case You Missed It

9News Cool Schools

9News (KUSA-TV) features approximately nine schools as Cool Schools each school year. The Cool Schools segments celebrate unique and diverse schools that are making a difference for Colorado’s students. The honor includes a school celebration that provides a fun opportunity for educators, families and students to gather and share what makes their school special.

RootED is proud to support public charter and innovation zone schools with grants to enhance their Cool Schools celebrations and shine a light on their school communities.

Our Team

RootED’s team and volunteer board of directors share an unwavering commitment to improving education in Denver, particularly for students of color, students from diverse economic backgrounds, students with disabilities and English language learners.

We provide funding and strategic support to our partners, facilitate connections and collaboration, and share information and resources. Beyond our day-to-day work, our team is deeply engaged in Denver’s communities through board service, nonprofit leadership, committee representation, and coalition participation and leadership.

Meet the RootED Denver Team
Carol Bowar Director of School Quality
Lesley Del Rio Project & Program Coordinator
Pat Donovan Managing Partner
Latia Henderson Partner, Communications & Strategic Initiatives
Erin Kobler Communications Manager
Ashley Martinez-Doublin Director of Operations
Victoria Scott-Haynes Partner, Community Relations & Administration
Meet the RootED Denver Board
Brenda J. Allen, Ph.D. RootED Board Chair
Professor Emerita
Luis de la Fuente, Ph.D. RootED Board Member
Thomas Gougeon RootED Board Member
President, Gates Family Foundation
Ethan Gray RootED Board Member
Partner, The City Fund
Dwight Jones RootED Board Member
Angie Paccione, Ph.D. RootED Board Member
Executive Director, Colorado Department of Higher Education
Sean VanBerschot RootED Board Member
Associate Executive Director, Denver Health Foundation

Our Impact

This year, RootED Denver has supported schools, community-based organizations and special initiatives that align with our guiding principles and advance our mission and vision.

We’ve provided funding and strategic support to promote unique, diverse learning communities, empower students and public school alumni, and make school and district data more transparent and accessible for families.

74% Percentage of grants given to organizations led by women
$1,519,024 $1,5M Total dollar amount of grants given to organizations led by women
36% Percentage of grants given to organizations led by people of color
$741,323 $741K Total dollar amount of grants given to organizations led by people of color

Omar D. Blair Charter School

Our Partners

Omar D. Blair, a free, public charter school that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grades, and aims to provide all students with opportunities and support to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.

RootED Guiding Principle

Community Partnership

We must listen to often-unheard voices of students, families, and educators to guide decision-making.

Our Funding Supported

Omar D. Blair used funding to support student enrollment and retention efforts for the 2024-25 school year. The school hosted a series of focus groups with students, educators and families to identify and prioritize areas of improvement for community engagement and outreach. As a result of the school's focus on enhancing and improving strategies, it enrolled 113 new students through SchoolChoice rounds 1 and 2.

Our Impact

“RootED has done a really good job of helping me see there are different ways to connect with our families. We rebranded ourselves through RootED and we shared it with families at our back-to-school night and there were such great cheers. Someone said, 'It's like a fresh start.' So, that visual representation of the work RootED is doing with us allows families to have something to commit to that's a visual representation of Omar D. Blair.”
Lani Harrell Principal, Omar D. Blair

Collaborative Healing Initiative Within Communities (CHIC)

Our Partners

Collaborative Healing Initiative within Communities (CHIC), an organization that strengthens families and communities by strengthening women and girls to break intergenerational cycles of poverty and violence.

RootED Guiding Principle

Prioritizing Racial Equity

Success must be measured by what is achieved for all students, especially Black, Latino, Indigenous students that have been historically underserved in public education.

Our Funding Supported

CHIC used funding to provide a summer camp for 46 students, most from central, near northeast and far northeast Denver, and most of whom identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color. CHIC’s summer camp provided students with culturally relevant learning, field trips, and meaningful interactions with community partners.

Additionally, CHIC has increased the number of students it works with year-round, from 205 to 220. Students who experienced challenges with behavior in school said CHIC was a safe space for them, and school staff reported fewer behavior incidents with those students.

Our Impact

“We would just like to truly thank RootED for your continued support for this summer camp and for CHIC as an organization more broadly. Your commitment allows us to do what we do, to show up in the ways we show up, and to continue being a vital partner alongside women, girls and their families.”
Katherine Casey Chief Strategy Officer, CHIC

Denver Education Explorer

Our Partners

Families, educators and advocacy leaders who initially collaborated on the Denver Public Schools Reimagine School Performance Framework (SPF) community design group.

RootED Guiding Principle

Continuous Innovation

We must develop, evaluate, and adapt brave new ideas to significantly expand access to high quality education and advance racial equity.

Our Funding Supported

The Denver Education Explorer platform, funded and maintained by RootED Denver, provides easily accessible information about public schools in Denver, including:

Our Impact

“The fact that you can look at the data and have the opportunity to compare schools is a very useful tool when making your decisions on what school will best fit you and your child's needs. This tool takes a lot of stress off parents.”
MORIAH RODRIGUEZ A parent who participated in a community feedback session about the Mile High School Guide

Our Turn

Our Partners

Our Turn Colorado, a youth-led movement that amplifies and elevates the voices of students in the fight for education equity.

RootED Guiding Principle

STRENGTH IN LIVED EXPERIENCE

Students, families and communities bring lived experiences, cultural perspectives, and knowledge that improve public education.

Our Funding Supported

Our Turn used funding to conduct a six-month pilot program to hold Denver Public Schools more accountable to communities. The program allowed Our Turn's student leaders to develop authentic relationships with members of the board of education, and to learn more about the district's policies and operations. As a result of Our Turn's work, students identified ways to:

Our Turn's program has helped students grow their leadership abilities and make meaningful change in Denver Public Schools.

Our Impact

“We brought youth voices and stories to life by inviting youth leaders to the table in our coalition and partner spaces. When students are an ongoing part of the conversation about education, it enables them to confidently contribute, and adults see the value of co-creating and sharing decision-making power with youth.”
Molly O'Connor Senior Manager, Development, Our Turn

Downtown Denver Expeditionary School

Our Partners

Downtown Denver Expeditionary School (DDES), a free, public charter school that provides an expeditionary learning curriculum that makes subjects come alive for students by connecting learning to real-world issues and needs.

RootED Guiding Principle

Community Partnership

We must listen to often-unheard voices of students, families, and educators to guide decision-making.

Our Funding Supported

DDES used funding to support student enrollment and retention efforts for the 2024-25 school year. Most notably, during a period of declining enrollment throughout Denver Public Schools, DDES has stabilized its enrollment. Additionally:

Our Impact

“Thanks to the support we received from RootED, DDES was able to bring our students, staff and families together in celebration of our selection as a 9News Cool School, creatively amplify our marketing efforts – including our first ever billboard, new photo and video content and a refresh to both our website and our branding – and more deeply welcome new families into our community.”
Brent Westrop Executive Director, DDES

2023-24 ROOTED GRANTEES

Explore a full list of our grantees.
  • 5280 Freedom School
  • Academy 360
  • Bellwether
  • Boardhawk
  • Colorado Education Organizing Funders Collaborative
  • Downtown Denver Expeditionary School
  • DSST Public Schools
  • Ednium: The Alumni Collective
  • FaithBridge
  • French American School of Denver
  • Girls Athletic Leadership Schools of Denver
  • KIPP Colorado Public Schools
  • Luminary Learning Network
  • Lyra Colorado
  • META Academy
  • Montbello Organizing Committee
  • Moonshot EdVentures
  • Omar D. Blair Charter School
  • Our Turn Colorado
  • Public Education & Business Coalition
  • Radian
  • Rocky Mountain Prep
  • Rose Community Foundation
  • School Board Partners
  • Stand for Children Colorado
  • Teach for America Colorado
  • Teach Plus Inc.
  • Transform Education Now
  • Wyatt Academy
Grantee Map
This map is a visual representation of our funded schools. Explore an interactive version of our funded schools and community-based organizations.

BE INFORMED AND INVOLVED

Subscribe to RootED Denver’s monthly newsletter and follow us on social media.
In our newsletter and across our social media channels, RootED shares important news and updates about Denver Public Schools, and the schools, community-based organizations and programs we fund. Our channels also celebrate the measurable and profound impact our education partners are having on students, families, educators and communities in the Denver Metro Area.
RootED updates & news
Explore Denver’s Schools.
Use the Denver Education Explorer to learn more about Denver’s public schools. You can view school-specific information with the Mile High School Guide, or examine a citywide view of Denver’s education landscape with Denver School Insights.
Visit Denver Ed Explorer
Attend local school board meetings.
Each year, state and local school boards engage in discussions and vote on matters that affect our students, families, educators and communities. Learn more about the Denver Public Schools Board of Education and use BoardDocs to see agendas for the board meetings, to sign up for public comment, and to watch meetings live.
Learn about DPS BOE
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Explore Past Impact Reports

2022-23 Impact Report 2021-22 Impact Report 2020-21 Impact Report