Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day Returns Sept. 1-15, 2026, for Third Year

Statewide campaign led by the Daniels Fund and Aspen Institute's Project Play Colorado features more than $2 million in matching and incentive funds

DENVER, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Daniels Fund and Aspen Institute's Project Play Colorado today announced the return of Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, the third annual statewide fundraising campaign supporting nonprofits that help all Colorado kids access sports. Running Sept. 1 – 15, 2026, the campaign will bring together donors, sponsors and community partners to help ensure more young people can experience the joy, health and benefits that come from playing sports.

After raising nearly $9 million in its first two years and engaging more than 240 nonprofit organizations serving over 500,000 youth, Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day has become a powerful statewide effort to strengthen youth sports. Funds raised through the campaign have helped nonprofits purchase equipment and uniforms, expand programming and support new opportunities and facilities for kids in communities across Colorado.

"Every child deserves the chance to discover what sports can teach beyond the scoreboard," said Hanna Skandera Grady, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. "Youth sports help young people build confidence, resilience, teamwork and so much more. Through Youth Sports Giving Day, we're inviting all Coloradans to help ensure that cost is never the reason a child has to sit on the sidelines."

The 2026 campaign launches with a special kickoff event at the Colorado Rockies game on Sept. 1 at 6:00 p.m. MT at Coors Field. Supporters can purchase tickets to the game, and $5 from every ticket sold through this link will be added to the campaign's incentive fund.

More Than $2 Million to Boost Giving

This year's campaign will feature more than $2 million in matching and incentive funds to amplify donations made to participating nonprofits. The first $1 million raised online on Sept. 1 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, making gifts at the start of the campaign especially impactful. All other online donations made through Sept. 15 will receive an additional boost through the campaign's incentive fund.

New in 2026, the campaign includes the America250 Fund, a dedicated $250,000 dollar-for-dollar match for gifts made through a donor-advised fund (DAF), IRA rollover or wire transfer. Donors interested in giving through these methods are encouraged to plan ahead and can learn more here.

Why It Matters

For the first time, the nation has a public health goal for youth participating in sports: 63% by the end of the decade, a target set through the Healthy People 2030 program administered by the federal government.

While Colorado's youth sports participation rate has reached 64.5%, major disparities remain for underserved young people across the state. According to the 2023–24 National Survey of Children's Health, girls participate at a rate of 61.2%, compared with 67.5% for boys. Youth of color participate at 55%, compared with 72% for white youth, while children from the lowest-income households participate at 46.5%, compared with 76.8% for those in the highest-income households. Youth with disabilities also participate at rates approximately 10 percentage points lower than youth without disabilities.

"Colorado has made important gains in youth sports participation, but the biggest challenge is making sure those opportunities reach every child," said Tom Farrey, executive director of Aspen Institute's Project Play. "The gaps for girls, youth of color, lower-income families and youth with disabilities make clear that there is still work to do. We need to keep building a state of play where every young person feels included, supported and able to participate."

Access to sports matters because positive sports experiences can help young people build confidence, resilience, social connection and skills that support success in school and beyond. As concerns about youth mental health, physical inactivity and childhood obesity continue, increasing access to sports can be a meaningful part of the solution.

Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day was created to rally Coloradans around that opportunity — and around the nonprofits working to expand access to sports for kids and families statewide. Colorado's progress is also helping inspire similar efforts elsewhere, including Utah's inaugural Youth Sports Giving Day campaign, which will run Sept. 12–26.

How to Support Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day

Coloradans can support participating youth sports nonprofits in a variety of ways including:

• Donate online between Sept. 1–15, 2026 at YouthSportsGivingDay.org. Search for organizations to support, or through a participating nonprofit's custom Coloradogives.org page. 
• Spread the word by sharing campaign messages and stories using the hashtag #YouthSportsGivingDay. 
• Attend the Colorado Rockies game on Sept. 1 to help kick off the campaign and contribute to the incentive fund through ticket purchases using this link.

All nonprofit organizations wanting to participate in Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day must complete the Youth Sports Giving Day Interest Form. Nonprofits must have an active, public profile on ColoradoGives.org or a fiscal sponsor with an active profile on coloradogives.org. Organizations should note during online registration if they need to be connected to a fiscal sponsor. The registration deadline is Aug. 28, 2026.

Sponsors of the 2026 Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day include Daniels Fund, Aspen Institute's Project Play Colorado, Alpine Bank, The Anschutz Foundation, Bank of Colorado, Boettcher Foundation, Colorado Rockies, El Pomar Foundation, Gary Community Ventures, Suncor, UC Health, The Weld Trust, Rose Community Foundation, among others.

About Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day

Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day is an annual statewide online fundraising campaign led by the Daniels Fund and Aspen Institute's Project Play Colorado. Now in its third year, the campaign unites hundreds of youth sports nonprofits across Colorado around a singular mission: ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience the joy, health and lifelong benefits of playing sports. The 2026 campaign runs Sept. 1–15 at www.youthsportsgivingday.org.

Media Contact
Caitlin Jenney, GroundFloor Media
[email protected]
www.youthsportsgivingday.org

#youthsportsgivingday

Photos and other visual assets are available upon request.

SOURCE Daniels Fund