We recently received this news and wanted to congratulate our Hilltop neighbor Monica Martinez, Executive Director of The Fax Partnership, for this success and her organization’s work on behalf of our East Colfax community neighbors.
The Fax Partnership Receives New Funding, Grows Staff
Nonprofit adds five team members, raises over $3 million in grants
Denver, CO — The Fax Partnership (The Fax) is a 501©3 organization dedicated to the East Colfax corridor in Metro Denver, celebrating and supporting its unique and diverse communities through residential and small business support services. The Fax promotes equity and advocates for development, without displacement, through responsible growth that prioritizes affordable and attainable housing, community-serving redevelopment and local employment opportunities.
At the beginning of 2020, The Fax Partnership was a one-person organization with a dedicated board. Through a series of growth initiatives, The Fax has entered 2021 with a team of six staff members (all women) and is positioned to be a major player involved with equitable development, a growing voice for community stabilization and a key leader in bringing increased resources to the East Colfax Community.
Last year, The Fax conducted a comprehensive community survey and entered into a collaborative partnership with Mi Casa Resource Center, Enterprise Community Partners, Colorado Enterprise Fund and Community Enterprise Development Services. These efforts resulted in the creation of a collaborative known as ACT 303, that will deliver coordinated support services to both residents and businesses along the East Colfax corridor.
The City of Denver awarded $450,000 to this collaborative spearheaded by Mi Casa Resource Center, in partnership with The Fax and partners. “We were impressed by the collaborative, proactive concept Mi Casa, The Fax and the rest of the team brought to the issue of mitigating involuntary displacement along East Colfax,” noted Eric Hiraga, the Director of Denver Economic Development and Opportunity.
Additionally in 2020, The Fax partnered with the Urban Land Conservancy to secure $2 million from The Colorado Health Foundation and $750,0000 from the Gates Family Foundation to acquire parcels along East Colfax and advance The Fax’s vision of equitable development that meets the community’s affordable housing and commercial space needs.
Karen McNeil-Miller, president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation said, “We’re investing in the Urban Land Conservancy and The Fax Partnership because they’re increasing the availability of affordable housing while creating a new model of community development that strengthens the community and ensures East Colfax will remain home to the diverse populations that call this place home.”
To lead this important work, The Fax intentionally grew its staff to six team members. Executive Director Monica Martinez stated, “We have built an in-house ‘dream team’ of six amazing women, representing three ethnicities, and fluent in six languages to serve the East Colfax community and advance the important mission of The Fax.” The first community event of this new team is an East Colfax business town hall planned for March 9th, with many, additional community events to follow – 2021 will be an exciting year.
About The Fax
Founded in 2004, the Fax Partnership, also known as The Fax, envisions East Colfax as a transit-rich, thriving main street with a diversity of housing and neighborhood-serving businesses. Through community partnerships and collaboration with local government and nonprofits, we’re working to create a healthy mix of affordable and engaging places for people to live, work, and enjoy life. To learn more, visit www.thefaxdenver.com.