On the first Tuesday of December (Dec. 6, 2022), Coloradans come together on Colorado Gives Day to support the nonprofits that make a difference in our lives.

Since 2010, Colorado Gives Day has grown to be Colorado’s largest 24-hour giving event, raising more than $500 million for nonprofits across the state since it began.

Each year, over 70,000 Coloradoans support over 3,000 nonprofits throughout Colorado Gives Day.

Is Colorado Gives Day the same as Giving Tuesday?

Not quite. Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, while Colorado Gives Day is the first Tuesday in December.

Giving Tuesday started in 2012 as a contrast to Cyber Monday and Black Friday. The idea was that after we shop to our heart’s content on the Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving, we should donate and support nonprofits on Tuesday.

Since Colorado Gives Day was founded in 2010, it actually predates Giving Tuesday by two years.

Why should I donate on Colorado Gives Day?

The Community First Foundation, FirstBank, and other community partners from across the state help to make your support of Colorado nonprofits on Colorado Gives Day go even further.

Every donation made from November 1 through December 6 on ColoradoGives.org counts towards Colorado Gives Day and gets a boost from the $1.4 Million+ Incentive Fund!

The Incentive Fund is distributed across all the participating nonprofits based on how much each one raised. The more you give, the more they get!

Because all donations made between November 1 and December 6 count towards Colorado Gives Day, you can still give on Giving Tuesday and have it count towards the Incentive Fund.

Donations as small as $5 help support the organizations and causes that are important to you and your community.

How to Donate:

All donations made through ColoradoGives.org between November 1 and December 6th count towards Colorado Gives Day. There is no need to schedule or wait until December 6th to make your qualifying donation.

Simply head to ColoradoGives.org, select or search for your favorite nonprofits, and set up a one-time or recurring donation.

You can also choose to create a fundraising page for your nonprofit and ask others to help support them.

Why support your Fort Collins Symphony?

Your support helps us inspire, engage, serve, and enrich the Northern Colorado community through exceptional music performance and innovative outreach programs that resonate with audiences in meaningful, inclusive, and accessible ways.

The Fort Collins Symphony is one of those rare places you can visit and never be disappointed. Every aspect is given the attention and care required to deliver a stellar experience: the exceptional musicians, the well-thought-out productions and selections for the concerts, the creative partnerships and connections, the fun-loving spirit of the performers, the friendly staff – everything is designed to make each moment memorable.

Beyond the incredible live music that we perform, the FCS makes a difference in our community through programs like the Youth Education Series (YES), the B Sharp program for people living with dementia and their care partners, and the Open Notes program for at-risk youth and disabled veterans.

Support your FCS and our community programs at ColoradoGives.org/organization/FortCollinsSymphony

B Sharp Program:

I was blown away because my husband enjoyed it so much and didn’t need to use his walker for assistance on his way out of the building. He just walked right out! The music energized him. His voice carries more life in it… I absolutely think he remembers the concert longer than other events and things we do.

The B Sharp program is a research study in collaboration with Dementia Together and Colorado State University. Dementia patients and their caregivers attend FCS concerts and pre-concert events. This research shows the incredible impact that live music can have on both patients and their caregivers. Learn more about the B Sharp research and impact at FCSymphony.org/BSharp.

Youth Education Series (YES)

At the YES concerts, students get to experience live orchestral music for the first time in an engaging, safe, and accessible environment. These educational concerts reach over one thousand 4th and 5th graders each year. Through live music, we teach students about music, science, history, storytelling, and the power of the arts.

Open Notes Program:

The Open Notes program provides free tickets to at-risk youth and disabled veterans to attend concerts in our signature concert series. Just like the YES concerts, these provide engaging, safe, and accessible experiences for those that would otherwise be unable to attend.

Exciting and Innovative Programs:

Employing Coloradoans and contributing to the local economy:

The FCS creates jobs for local musicians, administrators, and venues.

We employ three full-time staff and six part-time staff, bring work to venues like the Lincoln Center, Gardens on Spring Creek, Holiday Twin Drive-Inn, and Timberline Church, and employ over 60 core members of our orchestra.

Our excellent professional musicians come from Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Cheyenne, and even Montana to perform with the FCS.

Our audiences also come from all over to patronize Fort Collins businesses, restaurants, and hotels before and after concerts.

Enriching our Community:

Why Mary Pat McCurdie supports the Fort Collins Symphony:

“Having a professional symphony in town raises the level of sophistication in Fort Collins. In addition to providing excellent classical programming, the presence of an Arts group that is exemplary in giving back to the community leads the way for other arts organizations. I see the Fort Collins Symphony as the arts group that all others look to for guidance.”