Friends & Partners,

At Gary, we've always believed that business, policy and philanthropy can and should work together to improve outcomes for Colorado kids and families. Through our policy arm, Gary Advocacy, we work to advance transformative policies, invest in a thriving policy ecosystem and support ongoing improvement of public systems in order to create scalable, long-lasting impact at the state and local level.

With Colorado's 2024 legislative session just past the halfway mark, we wanted to provide an update about Gary Advocacy's work this session.

At the most basic level, our team is focused on making Colorado a more affordable and equitable place to raise children, where families have a better chance at being successful as a result of the policies our state enacts.

Why is this the approach we're currently championing? 

Cost of living is the No. 1 issue reported by Colorado families

We now know families need to make at least six figures to afford a median priced home in our state, the poverty rate is more than twice the national average in many Colorado communities, and as a result, more than 133,000 of our state's children are living in poverty.

As a community, we cannot accept this, and together this legislative session, we can provide hope and better outcomes to our kids and families.

Interested in joining us in the work outlined below? Let us know here.

-Reilly Pharo Carter
Director of Policy & Advocacy

Kids Experiencing Poverty

Would be cut in half by HB-1311

More than 133,000 Colorado children are experiencing poverty. HB-1311 would cut that number in half by harnessing a portion of our $1.8B TABOR surplus and returning it in the form of a refundable tax credit to 45% of Colorado families.

Families with kids 5 and under who get the Child Tax Credit and the maximum level of the Family Affordability Tax Credit would receive $4,400 per child. And for the first time, families with kids up to 16 would receive up to $2,400 per child. Families making up to $95K would also benefit on a sliding scale. Gary Advocacy is proud to be leading a broad and diverse coalition behind this bill — you can join us here.

Coloradans who call housing a "major concern"

Addressed through bill package

In 2022, we led an effort to pass Proposition 123 to address Colorado's affordable housing crisis, which 95% of our state has called a major concern. We spent 2023 working to deliver on the measure's implementation. A year later, municipalities representing over 90% of Colorado’s population have opted-in to growing their communities' affordable housing stock by 3% annually. We must continue to create an environment that incentivizes the creation of affordable housing to address this crisis.

We're supporting a package of bills that does just that, including: 

Increase in Graduation Rates

Made Possible by HB-1282 

The small town of Center, Colo. saw their high school graduation rates drop to the lowest in the state in 2019. After the installation of the 9th Grade Success grant program, Center High School saw its graduation rate skyrocket by 20%. Our team was proud to collaborate with Stand for Children Colorado and Center High School to produce a short film designed to show decision-makers at the state level what success could look like for even more students when this type of program is scaled.

Decades of 9th Grade Success program data shows students who are “on-track” (meaning they have no more than one F) at the end of their 9th grade year are three times more likely to graduate than their off-track peers. Through HB-1282, state lawmakers have the opportunity to help the 9th Grade Success program reach more of Colorado's 9th graders. 

Helps reduce barriers associated with the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)

Helps child care providers with facilities-related challenges through a toolkit and the creation of a capital grant program

A first step toward addressing the negative outcomes that significant use of social media can have on youth wellbeing 

Study to explore public funding for baby bonds, a strategy Gary believes could be a game changer for eligible children. 

Interested in joining the coalitions to support any of these bills? Let our Gary Advocacy team know.