125 Colorado nonprofits receive $300,000 in YES Grants to strengthen youth services statewide

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Ent Credit Union, which is transitioning to the Wings Credit Union name, announced 125 nonprofit organizations selected to receive 2026 Youth Endowment Series (YES) Grants. The support totals $300,000 for programs that help Colorado children and teens grow, learn and thrive.

Grant recipients were chosen from more than 280 applications and were recognized during a celebration ceremony Wednesday, May 13, at Empower Field at Mile High. The event’s special guest speaker was Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, a Wings financial education ambassador.

“YES Grants are about turning momentum into opportunity for young people,” said Annie Snead, Ent’s vice president of community impact and Wings Foundation executive director. “These organizations meet kids where they are to create safe spaces, trusted relationships and pathways to confidence. With more than 280 applications representing more than $3 million in need, selecting recipients gets more difficult each year. We’re proud to stand with nonprofits across Colorado who share our people-helping-people values.”

Now in its 27th year, the YES Grants program supports Colorado nonprofits serving children and youth through efforts such as mentoring, mental health services, after-school programs, food security initiatives and outdoor experiences. Since the program began in 2000, YES Grants has awarded more than $2.8 million in funding and supported more than 350 nonprofit organizations statewide. Recipients were selected by a committee of 56 Wings employees, ranging from frontline staff to back-office.

A complete list of 2026 YES Grant recipients organized by nonprofit location is below. To spread the impact, all recipients received between $1,000-$5,000 with 15 receiving the maximum award and two nonprofits* each receiving two grants in support of separate programs.

For more information about YES Grants, visit Ent.com/About-Us/Why-We-Serve/YES-Grants.

Alamosa (6)
Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley
CASA del Valle
Center for Restorative Programs<
Kids Place of the San Luis Valley
La Puente Home, Inc
SLV Local Foods Coalition Rio Grande Farm Park

Arvada (1)
Ralston House

Aurora (3)
Brent Eley Foundation
Three Birds Alliance
Wholly Kicks

Boulder (4)
Camp Kesem at CU Boulder
Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence
There with Care
Voices for Children, CASA of Boulder County

Broomfield (1)
A Precious Child, Inc

Cañon City (2)
Kindred Kids Child Advocacy Center
The Pantry of Fremont Canon City

Centennial (2)
Special Olympics Colorado
Yanamom

Colorado Springs (39)
Angels of America's Fallen
AOK 4-H Club
Atlas Preparatory School*
Careers in Construction Colorado
CASA of the Pikes Peak Region, Inc.
Catamount Institute
Centro de La Familia
Challenger Learning Center of Colorado
Chamber Orchestra of the Springs
Children's Advocacy Center for the Pikes Peak Region Inc. dba Safe Passage
Colorado Springs Conservatory
Colorado Springs Sports Corporation
Community Partnership for Child Development
Courageous Love
The Dale House Project
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Colorado Springs
Diakonia
Dream Centers of Colorado Springs
Early Connections Learning Centers
Educating Children of Color, Inc
Food to Power
Forge Evolution
Fostering Hope Foundation
Hillside Connection
Homeward Pikes Peak
Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region
Kidpower of Colorado Inc.
Kids on Bikes
Mayfield Counseling Centers
Parents Challenge
The Place
PlayDate Behavioral Interventions*
Project Ember Initiative
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Special Kids Special Families
TESSA
Women's Community Leadership Initiative
Words Without Limits

Denver (20)
Anchor Center for Blind Children
The Blue Bench
Child Advocates - Denver CASA
Clothes To Kids of Denver, Inc.
Denver Children's Home
Fully Liberated Youth
The Gathering Place
GLBT Community Center of Colorado, dba The Center on Colfax
HopeKids
Invest in Kids
Jewish Community Center Denver
Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
Project PAVE
SafeHouse Denver Inc
Second Wind Fund
Urban Peak Denver
Warren Village
We Don't Waste
The Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists
Transformative Justice Project of Colorado

Fort Collins (8)
3Hopeful Hearts
CASA of Larimer County
The Crawford Child Advocacy Center
Crossroads Safehouse
The Jacob Center
The Matthews House
Neighbor to Neighbor
Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center (SAVA)

Greenwood Village (1)
Girls on the Run of the Rockies

Lafayette (2)
Coal Creek Meals on Wheels
Young Men's Christian Association of Boulder Valley

Lakewood (3)
Easterseals Colorado
Harvest Mountain Ministries - JeffCo Eats
Jeffco Action Center (The Action Center)

Littleton (2)
Dakota Ridge Career Explore Program/Jefferson County Schools
Havern Center Inc.

Longmont (3)
St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation
Teaching Peace dba BRITE Collaborative
The Tiny Tim Center, Inc.

Loveland (6)
Be the Gift Incorporated
Birthline of Loveland
Food Bank for Larimer County
Hearts & Horses, Inc.
Loveland Youth Gardeners
Project Self-Sufficiency of Northern Colorado

Manitou Springs (1)
Flying Pig Farm

Monument (2)
Nourish Our Moms Inc.
Tri-Lakes Cares monument

Northbrook (1)
Gift of Adoption Fund
Northglenn (1)
Canine Partners of the Rockies, Inc.

Parker (2)
Levi's Legacy
SECOR dba SECORCares

Pueblo (8)
Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County
CASA of Pueblo
GOAL Academy High School
Mariposa Center for Safety
Posada
Pueblo Cooperative Care Center
Soaring Eagles Center for Autism
United Way of Pueblo County

Sedalia (1)
The Mane Mission

Thornton (1)
School District 12 Education Foundation

Walsenburg (1)
Spanish Peaks Community Foundation

Westminster (1)
CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties

Wheat Ridge (1)
STRIDE Community Health Center

Woodland Park (1)
Teller Park Early Childhood Council

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Media note: A photo from Wednesday’s ceremony is attached for your editorial use (photo credit: Ent Credit Union).

About Ent Credit Union, becoming Wings Credit Union
Wings Credit Union and Ent Credit Union united in a merger of equals Jan. 1, 2026, creating a stronger, member-focused financial cooperative serving nearly 1 million members with approximately $20 billion in assets. The combined credit union, recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Best Credit Unions of 2026, is transitioning to the Wings Credit Union name, with Ent-branded service centers continuing to serve members in Colorado during a phased brand transition.

Founded in 1938, Wings is headquartered in Apple Valley, Minnesota, and Ent, established in 1957, is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The combined organization is maintaining dual headquarters. Together, they bring complementary strengths, shared values and a longstanding commitment to exceptional member service. Wings operates more than 90 service centers across Colorado and Minnesota and offers a full suite of financial solutions supported by robust digital banking tools.

Wings is an Equal Housing Lender and Equal Opportunity Lender, federally insured by NCUA. Learn more at WingsCU.com and Ent.com.