The Donor Alliance Foundation: 2026-2027 Request for Proposals & Grant Priorities

Grant Application Deadline:

5:00 p.m. MDT on Friday, August 7, 2026

The Donor Alliance Foundation (The Foundation) was created to extend the mission of organ and tissue donation and transplantation by building partnerships and breaking down barriers to influence change to positively affect the donation and transplant community. The Foundation believes that organ and tissue donation and transplantation are human gifts that save lives and that all those affected by donation deserve to be acknowledged, supported, and given access to resources that enable the gift of life.

2026-2027 Criteria Overview
The Foundation funds efforts in Colorado and Wyoming to expand access to resources and education for individuals affected by organ and tissue donation and transplantation. We also support living donors and their families. To achieve this, we provide funding in three key areas: Education, Family Assistance, and Research (both social and scientific).

The Donor Alliance Foundation celebrates eight years of grantmaking dedicated to community impact. By addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from receiving organ or tissue transplants, we provide equitable access to donation and transplantation resources through funding across three program areas: education, family assistance, and research. To date, we have awarded more than $1.5 million to organizations in Colorado and Wyoming.

The Foundation’s annual allocation for its ninth cycle is $225,000 in grants for 2026-2027, a $25,000 increase over previous years.

What does it take to apply? We want to understand how your project will meet the needs of vulnerable populations. Are you considering inclusive practices within your project’s scope? The Foundation’s goal is to ensure equal and equitable access to donation and transplantation resources for everyone in Colorado and Wyoming, enabling the gift of life.

To do this, we plan to:

-Provide access to donation and transplantation resources for underinsured, vulnerable, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, as well as for those living in rural areas of Colorado and -Wyoming who are eligible for transplant or already on the transplant list
-Further seeking projects that consider inclusive practices and can demonstrate them in their programming
-Look for applicants who are currently or plan to provide education or assistance to reach their audiences in new and innovative ways
-Remain nimble in response to changes or shifts needed to accomplish grantee goals or priorities
-Continued focus on organ research and projects to gather data to improve long-term outcomes for transplant patients

Qualifying organizations can apply to receive funding to:
• Provide family assistance to patients awaiting a transplant or who are post-transplant, as well as to their families and living donors
• Assist service providers with transportation, food, housing, gas, and other related expenses for families in need during, before, and after transplant
• Provide grief assistance and compassionate support for donor families
• Offer new and innovative approaches to education about donation and transplantation through hospitals, governmental agencies, foundations, and related nonprofit community health-serving organizations, given reduced social interaction
• Conduct social and scientific research to advance the donation and transplantation field

We will consider applications from partners in the following categories:
• Nonprofit hospitals (or their foundations) and/or transplant centers; or nonprofit foundations at for-profit hospitals
• Nonprofit community health-serving organizations
• Nonprofit organizations that provide services to support donation and transplantation (e.g., grief centers, Ronald McDonald Houses)
• Nonprofit academic institutions that provide clinical training through scholarships (e.g., for nursing, medical, or transplant technicians)
• Governmental agencies (emphasis on regional/rural public health departments)
• Foundations
• Nonprofit Associations (transplant or medical-related)
• Nonprofit regional chambers of commerce (funding transplant-related programs)

We will fund:
• Efforts to meet the needs of patients pre- and post-transplant who have financial needs and limited or no access to funds
• New and innovative educational approaches to donation and transplantation to reach audiences in populations who may not be aware of their options, given reduced social interaction
• Programs and services offering grief assistance and compassionate support in Colorado and Wyoming
• Efforts to increase living donation
• Medical and social research related to transplantation that offers an opportunity to conduct pilot studies or early exploration (e.g., seed grants)

We will not fund:
• For-profit companies or businesses
• Individuals
• Advocacy or lobbying work
• Sponsorships
• Scholarships
• Capital projects
• Other transplant-related causes (e.g., bone marrow, stem cell)
• Projects outside our service area

Grantmaking Criteria

Mission Alignment and Impact
Describe how this project directly advances our mission.
• Describe how your work builds partnerships, removes barriers, or strengthens the donation and transplant community.
• Identify the specific change your project aims to influence and who will be affected.
• Explain why this work is needed now and what problem it solves that would persist without funding.

Service in Colorado and/or Wyoming
Explain how this project impacts our DSA.
• Clearly define how your project benefits people or systems in Colorado and/or Wyoming.
• Explain how your work advances the donation and transplant field, not just your organization, and has further impact on donation and transplantation.
• Identify measurable indicators of success (outputs and outcomes) and explain how they demonstrate real impact.

Reaching Vulnerable Populations *Not criteria for Research
Show how this project prioritizes equity and access.
• Describe how your project serves underinsured individuals or fills an insurance or service gap.
• Explain how inclusive and equitable practices are intentionally integrated into project design and delivery.
• Detail how funds will directly support individuals facing financial hardship as they seek transplant listing or transplant-related care.

Feasibility and Sustainability
Confirm the project can be completed and sustained responsibly.
• Submit a clear plan outlining how all project activities will be completed within 12 months.
• If applicable, describe how the project’s impact will continue beyond 12 months, including lasting outcomes such as partnerships, systems improvement, or funding diversification.
• Submit documentation demonstrating that the project is achievable within the proposed budget, including staffing, resources, and timelines.

Measurable Outcomes and Accountability
Explain how progress and success will be tracked and reported.
• What metrics will you use to track progress and outcomes?
• Describe your process for monitoring, evaluating, and adjusting the project during implementation.
• Confirm your ability to submit mid grant and year end reports that clearly demonstrate progress toward stated goals and outcomes.

We will only consider applications from nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations. Individuals, including Donor Alliance employees, are not eligible to apply.

Research Grants
Applicants seeking funding for scientific or social research projects must comply with Donor Alliance policies and provide additional documentation as part of the application process.
All research grant applications must identify a lead investigator or primary point of contact. Applicants should also be prepared to submit a research protocol and any supporting materials necessary for project review and evaluation.

Projects that involve organ or tissue recovery, or that require support or resources from Donor Alliance, may be required to present their proposal to the Donor Alliance Scientific Committee for review. This requirement applies only to projects that involve direct participation or support by Donor Alliance and is intended to facilitate efficient review and funding decisions. This may include Institutional Review Board (IRB) documents, including approval if obtained, for review when they submit their application. For IRBs that are not yet approved, documentation and a submission date to the IRB will be requested.

All resulting publications, presentations, or other disseminated research outcomes must acknowledge The Donor Alliance Foundation as a funding partner.
Eligibility and Application Information

Timeline
The grant cycle runs annually on a calendar-year basis. The application window will be open for nine weeks, beginning at 8:00 a.m. MDT on Friday, June 5, 2026. The cycle will close at 5:00 p.m. MDT on Friday, August 7, 2026. The review period will run from August 10 through September 4. If a site visit is requested, it will be conducted virtually or in person in October. A vote on final grantees will take place on November 17, 2026, and applicants will be notified of their application status (regardless of funding) later that week. All funds will be made available by December 31, 2026, once the grant agreement has been signed and submitted to The Donor Alliance Foundation. The official grant period, as noted in the grant agreement, will run from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2027.

Deadline
All applications must be submitted through The Donor Alliance Foundation’s online grant portal by 5:00 p.m. MDT on Friday, August 7, 2026. Late or incomplete proposals will not be considered. Applicants will be notified of their application status in the days following the November 17 vote.

Funds Available and Grant Period
The Donor Alliance Foundation expects to award grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. We favor applications that consider inclusive practices and can demonstrate them in their programming

The Donor Alliance Foundation awards one-year grants; funds must be spent between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027. Due to limited funding, not all applicants are expected to receive funding.

Additionally, Family Assistance grants may be expected to provide a match from their institution, of some value (monetary or in-kind).

Eligibility Requirements
The Donor Alliance Foundation accepts proposals from community health-serving organizations, nonprofit hospitals, academic institutions, government agencies, foundations, and associations that support donation and transplantation.

Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service; tax-supported institutions such as hospitals, government entities, or nonprofit organizations; or organizations with a formal fiscal sponsorship arrangement with a tax-exempt organization. Organizations must be located in and serve Donor Alliance’s designated service area in Colorado and/or Wyoming.

Submission Limit! Organizations with grant requests from other foundations may apply for this grant opportunity. Organizations may submit only one application per program area, up to a maximum of three. The only exception is research submissions. Up to three departments may submit research grant requests, each led by a different project director. When two or more organizations partner on a program or project, one organization should submit a single proposal on behalf of the partnership.

We continue to offer a two-year funding opportunity for research projects. Organizations submitting research proposals must include a scope of work, timeline, and budget. Research grants can take time to complete, so allowing two years for projects will be an option this year, provided a well-outlined plan is in place. One-year research projects will also be accepted, provided the details are included.

For Education and Family Assistance projects, The Foundation will offer only a one-year grant opportunity. We do not currently fund multi-year grants in these two categories. If you have received funding for more than one year for a project, you will be asked to discuss how year-to-year funding has affected your project, specifically how you have moved the needle to meet or exceed goals year after year.

Indirect costs, including key and other essential personnel, equipment and supplies, publications and miscellaneous fees, contract services, and travel expenses, cannot exceed 10 percent of total funding (including Dean’s tax). These costs are classified as administrative costs.

Questions
If you have questions about The Donor Alliance Foundation’s funding priorities, the online grant application, or anything else at any time during the process, please contact Executive Director Jennifer Moe at jmoe@donoralliancefoundation.org or 303-503-8795 (mobile).

Completing Your Application

Applications must be submitted through The Donor Alliance Foundation’s online grant portal. You can access the portal starting at 8:00 a.m. MDT on Friday, June 5, 2026. New applicants must create a login and account to complete, view, and submit their grant applications. Returning applicants may use their login credentials from past cycles. Only applications submitted through The Donor Alliance Foundation’s online grant portal will be considered. The grant application window will close at 5:00 p.m. MDT on Friday, August 7, 2026.

After Submitting Your Application
Once you submit your grant application online, you will receive an email confirming acceptance. You may also receive updates as your application moves through the multi-step review process. If you wish to access your application at any time or apply for another grant during the open period, log in to your account. You may not edit your application after submission.