GATES FAMILY FOUNDATION RECORDS

The papers of the Gates Family Foundation range from 1956 to 2006. They mainly consist of requests from Colorado organizations to the Foundation for grants and the paperwork generated by the approval or denial of funds. All non-profit, the organizations vary from historical societies to groups helping addicts or troubled youth to Denver institutions such as the zoo and public television programs. Some out-of-state organizations made requests and were occasionally granted funds based upon philosophies that agreed with board members' beliefs or upon the benefits of the out-of-state organization for Colorado citizens. For example, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University received grant money to educate Colorado legislators.

Gates staff members save correspondence from applicants as well as copies of their own correspondence and notes about the organization. Reports generated by the applicants are included as well as reports created by the Foundation staff. Frequently, before-and-after photographs, correspondence and reports document the activities supported by the Gates Family Foundation.

The files include reports and correspondence from applicants as well as reports and notes created by the Foundation staff. Gates Family Foundation staff members actively investigated the organizations who applied for grants. Their reports contain details about the applicant organization, as well as insights into its finances and leadership. To qualify for a grant, the applicant needed to demonstrate stability, a clear need and the means to achieve its goals. The Foundation also often looked for proof of community support of projects with matching local, city, state and private funds.

The files include reports and correspondence from applicants as well as reports and notes created by the Foundation staff. Gates Family Foundation staff members actively investigated the organizations who applied for grants. Their reports contain details about the applicant organization, as well as insights into its finances and leadership. To qualify for a grant, the applicant needed to demonstrate stability, a clear need and the means to achieve its goals. The Foundation also often looked for proof of community support of projects with matching local, city, state and private funds. This series contains files donated in 2008 with some overlap with the dates and applicants included in series 1.

This series contains posters, drawings, diagrams, and site elevations for projects proposed to the Foundation.

This series contains three videotapes and one DVD. One videotape is about culture in Denver, another is about a fishing clinic held in Washington Park, and the third videotape and DVD is about Hayden, Colorado.

Before-and-after photographs of the projects funded by Gates Family Foundation comprise this series. The organizations represented in the images are located throughout Colorado. Most are philanthropic in nature.