🔥 Every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to the first $25,000. Double your impact while helping Custer County recover from the Aspen Acres Fire.
Why Give Through WMVCF?
- Your gift stays in Custer County.
- 100% of designated donations go directly to wildfire relief.
- Every donation is currently being matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000.
The Wet Mountain Valley Community Foundation is proud to partner with United Way of Southern Colorado to support individuals, families, and communities affected by the recent wildfires across Southern Colorado.
As recovery efforts continue, the needs of impacted communities will continue to evolve. In addition to financial contributions, United Way of Southern Colorado is also accepting donations of requested relief supplies.
To learn more about how you can help, including the current list of requested donation items and drop-off locations, visit: https://www.unitedwaysoco.org/emergencyinfo.
Grant recommendations will be informed by a local advisory group made up of community members and others familiar with the needs of the affected areas, helping ensure assistance reaches where it can do the most good.
Together, we can make a meaningful difference for our neighbors during this challenging time.
Matching Challenge Progress
How You Can Help
1. Make a Donation through WMVCF
Your contribution helps WMVCF support local programs and partners working to meet essential needs in our valley.
2. Donate to the Southern Colorado Wildfire Relief Fund
100% of your donation through United Way Southern Colorado supports wildfire relief and recovery.
3. Community Recovery Funding Request
The Community Recovery Funding Request is an application for organizations providing direct recovery services following the Aspen Acres Fire. It collects information about the requesting organization, the unmet community need, the proposed use of funds, and project details to support funding decisions by the Wet Mountain Valley Community Foundation. All requested funding must support recovery efforts that directly benefit residents and communities within Custer County.
4. Stay Safe and Informed
Thank You for Standing with Our Community
The Wet Mountain Valley Community Foundation extends our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Wildfire Relief Fund.
Your generosity has demonstrated what makes this community so remarkable. Donations have come from local residents, former residents, businesses, visitors, and friends across the country—each one representing compassion, hope, and a desire to help those affected by the Aspen Acres Fire.
As the community foundation, we believe it is important to be transparent about how these funds will be managed.
Our Approach
Recovery is rarely a single event. While immediate emergency response is essential, many of the greatest challenges arise in the weeks and months that follow. For that reason, the Foundation is taking a balanced approach to distributing donated funds.
Our current goal is to allocate donations approximately as follows:
- 50% to support first responders and emergency response efforts.
- 40% to assist Custer County residents affected by the fires, particularly where significant unmet needs remain after insurance, FEMA, and other assistance programs have been exhausted.
- 10% reserved for longer-term and emerging community recovery needs that become evident over time.
These percentages may be adjusted as circumstances evolve, but they reflect our commitment to addressing both today’s urgent needs and tomorrow’s recovery.
Working Together
The Foundation is collaborating with local governments, emergency management officials, nonprofits, relief organizations, and community representatives to ensure donated dollars complement—not duplicate—other assistance.
Rather than creating a separate relief system, we are working alongside existing organizations to identify gaps where philanthropic dollars can make the greatest impact.
This collaborative approach allows us to respond thoughtfully, avoid duplication, and ensure that donations are directed where they are needed most.
Recovery Will Take Time
Even after the immediate emergency has passed, many individuals, families, and community organizations will continue to face challenges.
The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund was established not only to respond today, but to help our community recover in the weeks and months ahead.
If you have already donated, thank you for placing your trust in us.
If you are considering making a gift, we invite you to join us. Together, we can help ensure that our neighbors receive the support they need—today and throughout the recovery process.
Thank you for helping our community care for one another.