Thornton Assistance Funds (TAF) Grant Program

Since 1983, the city of Thornton has provided grant funds to assist nonprofit organizations that help Thornton residents meet their basic needs and enhance their ability to be self-sufficient. Basic needs are identified as food, housing, health and medical, or human services. Nonprofit organizations that help people move from relying on private or public assistance to providing for one's own needs is also eligible for funding. A committee of residents reviews the grant applications and makes a recommendation to City Council.

On December 16, 2025, staff from Community Connections recommended priorities to City Council intended to guide the TAF Committee’s review of grant applications and recommendations for funding in 2026.  Per the Council Update, a public meeting, the following were identified as Priorities for the 2026 TAF season and are expected to be made official via a Resolution coming before Council on 1/13/2026: 

1. Housing & Homelessness
2. Food
3. Health & Medical
4. Human Services

Within each category, prioritize nonprofits applications that consider:

• Accessibility: Nonprofits that offer programs and/or services that are most accessible to Thornton residents (i.e. In-home services, nonprofit provided transportation/delivery, location near a bus route/light rail, etc.) would be prioritized over those nonprofits that do not. 
• Percentage of Residents Served: Nonprofits would be ranked based on the percentage of Thornton residents served of the overall number of people served by the organization.
• Collaboration with Other Nonprofits: Priority would be given to organizations that actively partner with other nonprofits to address service gaps and enhance community impact.

Community Connections received a total of 41 applications for the 2026 Thornton Assistance Funds (TAF) program.  38 of the applications were found eligible and moved forward in the TAF process. Staff are preparing all applications, reports, and creating the interview schedule for the Kickoff Meeting that is scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Community Connections (9471 Dorothy Blvd.).  

After the initial Kickoff Meeting, the TAF Committee will be meeting for the following 10-11 weeks to review the 2026 TAF applications, interview the nonprofit organizations, and determine a Funding Recommendation for Council.  Of the 38 applications that were submitted, there is $679,559 worth of requests and $314,264 is available for funding.  The first week of interviews are scheduled to start on Thursday, February 12^th from 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Community Connections (9471 Dorothy Blvd.).

Congratulations to the 4 (bolded in the table below) new members Council appointed for the 2026 Thornton Assistance Funds Committee!  Starting in February, the TAF Committee will be reviewing applications, interviewing nonprofit organizations, and developing a funding recommendation for Council. 

In 2025 the city of Thornton funded 32 organizations that help Thornton residents to overcome various barriers.  By funding these organizations, this gives Thornton residents the opportunity to have access to basic needs, like food, housing, health and medical resources.  Some of the programs and services that were funded were for homelessness prevention assistance, independent living services for Thornton residents with disabilities, and to help supply food banks and food programs to deliver meals to seniors, weekend food bags and school snacks for students, trauma-informed therapy sessions, low vision clinic, and for people fighting a life-threatening illness. Based on the reports that were submitted on January 15, 2026, together these organizations served 34,172 Thornton residents.