We Need Your Help Now More Than Ever

After more than 10 years of serving our community, we're facing an unprecedented funding gap that threatens our ability to keep our doors open and our dedicated staff paid.

Here's What's Happening

Cash flow is lower than ever due to the current drought of grant funding across the country.

Historically FoCo Cafe has relied heavily on grant and foundation funding to keep our doors open to the public. Unfortunately, grant and foundation funding for the first half of 2025 is down by nearly 70% compared to 2024. This has created a ~$77,000 gap in our operating budget right when our community needs us most. We're currently serving almost 1,000 meals each month just through our Meal Exchange program - that’s about 10x as many meals as we were serving just a few years ago.

Like many nonprofits across the country, we're experiencing the effects of policy changes that have made grant funding opportunities significantly more scarce this year. The timing couldn't be more challenging—we're at risk of being short on payroll just a week from now. Without immediate community support, we run the very real risk of having to close our doors - potentially forever…

Why This Matters

FoCo Cafe isn't just a restaurant. We're a vital community resource where neighbors experiencing food insecurity can access nutritious, locally-sourced meals while maintaining their dignity through our Meal Exchange program. We're a place where people from all walks of life share tables, exchange stories, and build meaningful connections across socioeconomic divides.

Over the past few years, we've worked incredibly hard to remove barriers in order to better serve those who need us most. We eliminated minimum donation requirements, reduced volunteer time commitments, and focused on creating a space where everyone feels valued and respected. These changes led to exponential growth in our impact - unfortunately, we’ve also seen paid meal revenue decline significantly as we've prioritized serving more people through our Meal Exchange program.

This shift made us more dependent on grant funding just as that funding landscape became increasingly competitive and unpredictable nationwide.

How You Can Help Save FoCo Cafe

Right now, cash and check donations are most helpful because they reach our account fastest. You can:

• Bring donations directly to FoCo Cafe at 225 Maple Street, Fort Collins, CO 80521

• Mail donations to PO Box 242, Fort Collins, CO 80522-0242

• Donate online at coloradogives.org/fococafe (though these donations won’t be disbursed to our account until next month)

Every dollar matters. Whether it's $5 or $500, your contribution helps ensure we can continue serving our community during this critical period.

Other Ways to Support Us

• Come for lunch and bring friends - every meal purchase helps

• Share this message with your networks, family, and friends

• Talk to local businesses about making a donation

• Connect us with potential donors who believe in our mission

• Spread the word on social media about our immediate need

What's Next

We're actively pursuing multiple strategies to address this funding gap, including reaching out to individual donors, exploring emergency funding options, and connecting with local media to raise awareness about our situation. We have multiple grant applications currently in the works, but decisions won't come until October or November - and there's no guarantee we'll receive those grants with more nonprofits competing over less money.

This isn't the first time FoCo Cafe has faced financial challenges, and we've always found a way through with our community’s support. But this gap is larger than any we've faced before, and we genuinely cannot do it without you.

Our Commitment to You

We promise to be transparent about how your donations are used. Our biggest expense is paying our small but dedicated team fairly - and that's exactly as it should be. These are the people who show up every day to serve our community with care, respect, and genuine commitment to our mission.

We're not asking for funding to expand or grow right now. We're asking for help to survive this funding gap so we can continue being here for the Fort Collins neighbors who count on us every single day.

FoCo Cafe has been feeding our community ourselves for over a decade. With your help, we can continue doing this vital work for many years to come.

For questions about donating or to discuss larger gifts, please contact Dexter Beasley at dexter@fococafe.org or (720) 507-3905.