Otter Cares Foundation
OtterCares Foundation (Fort Collins, CO) is a private foundation that funds K-12 entrepreneurship and philanthropy education and operates the Project Heart program. The site lists multiple grant funds (Impact, NoCO, Innovation Station) and provides application guidance and deadlines. Contact details and staff bios are published on the site.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
K–12 schools, classroom teachers, and local Northern Colorado nonprofits running entrepreneurship, STEM, youth leadership, or Project Heart–aligned programs seeking small to medium program grants.
Good Fit
- • Located in Northern Colorado or serving Larimer/Weld counties
- • Programs focused on youth entrepreneurship, philanthropy education, or STEM enrichment
- • Requests for modest, program-specific funding (many past grants <$5K)
- • Partnership with OtterCares programs such as Project Heart or Innovation Station
- • Clear demonstration of local impact or student engagement
Geography
Giving is heavily concentrated in Colorado—about 87% of dollars in the latest year—although smaller grants do reach organizations in many other states; the observed footprint is therefore locally focused.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows a very broad recipient set (364 distinct recipients, nearly 500 grants) spanning schools, nonprofits and government entities, with substantial turnover and many independent small grants.
New Applicants
Direct evidence of openness includes a public grants page with application guidance and rolling deadlines plus 204 first-time grantees in 2024; filings note some preselection language, so some program funds may be invitation-based, but overall many new entrants have been funded.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
