Katz Amsterdam Foundation Launches Catalyst Grant Program With $4.5 Million for Colorado and Utah Mountain Communities

Seven organizations and programs in Eagle County, Summit County and Park City receive three-year grants in the program's inaugural year

BOULDER, CO, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust today launched the Catalyst Grant Program, an annual initiative supporting emerging organizations and programs serving marginalized communities in mountain towns. Catalyst's inaugural class of seven recipients in Summit County, Colorado, Eagle County, Colorado, and Park City, Utah, will share an initial $4.5 million investment, awarded as three-year grants. Since 2008, Katz Amsterdam has provided over $86 million in philanthropic contributions, including over $34 million to mountain resort communities.

Katz Amsterdam created Catalyst to invest in organizations and programs that have formed to respond to evolving community needs. Through flexible, multiyear funding, the program aims to catalyze growth at pivotal moments, when support can help an organization fill critical gaps, strengthen operations and reach more people. The program focuses on four areas where many mountain-town families struggle most: early childhood education, food security, immigrant services and K-12 out-of-school opportunities. Katz Amsterdam intends to make additional grants to different organizations in these focus areas each year in mountain communities.

"When a young organization gets steady support at the right moment, the whole community benefits," said Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts and co-founder of the Katz Amsterdam Foundation. "These programs are lifelines for families facing real barriers, and we want them to be here for years to come."

The grants largely provide general operating support, giving leaders the freedom to invest where it counts, whether that's hiring key staff, building infrastructure or expanding programming. Katz Amsterdam plans to expand the Catalyst Grant Program in the years ahead, extending the same long-term support to more organizations working to strengthen mountain communities.

"Who will raise Park City’s next generation if the families raising them can’t afford to live here?" said Mitzi Scheerer, development director of PC Tots, a Park City nonprofit early learning center. "This investment will help us strengthen opportunities for children and educators and build a brighter tomorrow for the families and community we serve."

2026 Catalyst Grant Recipients (three-year grant totals):

Park City, Utah
PC Tots ($900,000) — Rated High Quality by Utah's Child Care Quality System, the Park City nonprofit early learning center provides full-day, year-round care for 120 children ages 8 weeks to 5 years. Families at every income level share the same classrooms, and with 80% receiving scholarships, the grant will help keep that experience within reach for all. pctots.org

Wasatch Immigration Project ($600,000) — The only provider of pro bono immigration legal services in the Park City and Wasatch Back community, the nonprofit law firm serves low-income individuals and families navigating the immigration process. New funding will expand the legal team and strengthen operations to reach more people faster. wasatchimmigrationproject.org

Eagle County, Colorado
Eagle Valley Community Foundation ($900,000) — The Eagle County nonprofit runs The Community Market, a network of no-cost grocery markets and 22 outreach programs that help neighbors choose fresh food for their families, serving up to 6,000 people each week. The grant will build a coordinated food access system that brings fresh food to the schools, early childhood programs and youth sites where children already learn and play. eaglevalleycf.org

My Future Pathways ($750,000) — Founded in 2019, the Eagle County nonprofit supports youth in need, with a focus on first-generation Latino students, through mentoring, academic support and wellness programs. Enrollment has grown to roughly 2,250 students a year, about 37% of the school district, and flexible support will keep the focus on what students need most. myfuturepathways.org

Summit County, Colorado
Mountain Dreamers ($450,000) — A grassroots immigrant advocacy organization, the Frisco-based nonprofit supports immigrant and mixed-status families in Summit and Eagle counties through legal aid, advocacy and community integration programs, led by a team drawn almost entirely from the local immigrant community. This support will sustain that work while expanding services in Eagle County. mountaindreamers.org

CAFE Food Rescue ($450,000) — Short for Climate Action Food Equity, the nonprofit recovers high-quality surplus food from local businesses and redistributes it to neighbors in need, rescuing more than 585,000 pounds of food, the equivalent of 438,000 meals, since 2022. The multiyear grant will increase staff capacity to bring in food from more donors. cafefoodrescue.org

Smart Bellies ($450,000) — The nonprofit delivers nutritious weekend food and fresh produce directly to families' homes in Summit County and the neighboring communities of Leadville and Fairplay, removing barriers like transportation, cost and stigma for up to 1,350 children a week. This investment will strengthen operations, from space to staff to technology. smartbellies.org

About the Katz Amsterdam Foundation and Charitable Trust
The Katz Amsterdam Foundation strives to be a catalyst for eliminating barriers to health, increasing access to opportunity, and improving outcomes for all. The Foundation partners with communities to advance just and equitable approaches to mental, behavioral, and reproductive health care and to strengthen civic engagement. Its priority is supporting community-driven work that improves individual and collective well-being. Learn more at katzamsterdam.org.

Lauren Swanson
Katz Amsterdam Foundation
+1 203-258-9927
lauren@sociallyqueued.com