Supporting Creative Opportunities for Community Connection
CFGV is currently home to nearly 100 funds of varying types. As a community foundation, funds offer one of the most effective tools in our toolbox for long-term philanthropic investment in the Gunnison Valley. Gifts made to funds help with both today’s urgent needs and with setting aside dollars for the future. This month, we feature the Creative Community Fund.
About the Fund
When Maryo Gard Ewell retired from her role as CFGV’s Director of Community Impact in 2023, CFGV established the Creative Community Fund in her honor. For decades, Maryo has enriched every community she has called home through the arts. The Creative Community Fund at CFGV honors her dedication, creativity, and generosity of spirit. In honor of Maryo’s retirement (and her big birthday that year), community members made gifts to kick off the fund. Since 2024, the Creative Community Fund has offered grants to projects, programs, and events that creatively connect and enrich the community.
Every year, the fund will make small grants totaling up to $1,500 to organizations and community groups that are creatively building and strengthening the Gunnison Valley through special projects, programs, and events. Grant proposals must address at least three of the following questions:
- How does the project strengthen existing ties or build new connections among people or groups?
- How does the project create beauty and/or joy?
- How does the project include the arts?
- How does the project address a community issue or reality in a creative way?
Proposals are evaluated by CFGV staff with special attention paid to ideas that are compelling, imaginative, and aligned with the spirit of the Fund.
We celebrated Maryo’s birthday, and retirement, at a community party at Jorgensen Park in August of 2023 complete with music, food, drinks, and a flash mob.
Apply for a Grant from the Creative Community Fund
If you have a program, project, or event in mind that you think fits the requirements for the Creative Community Fund, you can find the application on our GRANTS page. You’ll also find a variety of other funding opportunities and a general Grant Funding Inquiry Form for organizations.
Recent Creative Community Fund Grant Awarded
In fall of 2025, a PE teacher from Gunnison Elementary School applied for funding to support a unique learning opportunity for students. He requested funds to put on workshops for students and staff taught by a professional breakdancer from Denver. The aim was to provide a hands-on learning experience that supported movement and teamwork while building confidence and community and developing skills and appreciation for performing arts. Thanks to the generous gifts made in honor of Maryo, a grant from the Creative Community Fund made this program possible! Anecdotal reports from both teachers and students suggest that the program was an overwhelming success.
Thank you to everyone who has made a gift in honor of Maryo’s commitment to creativity and community. If you’d like to make a gift to support programs and events that bring the community together through creativity and the arts, you can make a gift online or send a check to CFGV at 525 North Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230. Make sure to put “Creative Community Fund” in the memo line.
Simplified Summary
The Creative Community Fund awards grants to programs, projects, and events that bring the community together in creative ways.
The Creative Community Fund was established in honor of Maryo Gard Ewell. No matter what community she lives in, she always works to make it better it through the arts. When she retired from CFGV, the Fund was established in her honor. Every year, the fund gives up to $1,500 in grants to local organizations. Grant proposals have to answer at least three of these questions:
- How does the project strengthen existing ties or build new connections among people or groups?
- How does the project create beauty and/or joy?
- How does the project include the arts?
- How does the project address a community issue or reality in a creative way?
In 2025, a local PE teacher requested funding to host breakdancing workshops. It was a great opportunity for the students and staff to build connection and confidence. You can learn more about the Creative Community Fund and other grants at our grants page.
