I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends: A Guide to Colorado Queer Nonprofits

By Noah Hartman and Erin Mccormac  

Queer life in Colorado can be a mixed bag. Some days, it feels like we are thriving, building community, and creating art together. In recent days, it often feels scarier, especially with everything going on in this political climate. 

It is more important now than ever to show support to local nonprofits. They aren’t just organizations; they are lifelines. Whether you need help getting affirming care, paying your rent, or even just finding a community, these groups are made of people who know what it means to be queer in Colorado, and they put in the work to make sure no one feels alone in it. Here are some organizations in Colorado that deserve love, attention, and support, especially now.

The Alexander Foundation: If you have ever been stressed about money (and let’s be real, who hasn’t?), you know how heavy that weight can feel. The Alexander Foundation was created back in 1981 to help LGBTQ+ Coloradans carry less of that burden. 

At first, it started as a community effort during the AIDS crisis, but it has grown into one of the longest-running sources of financial assistance for queer people in the state! Today, they’re known for two main things—scholarships and emergency assistance grants. Their scholarships are a game-changer for queer students who want to pursue higher education but cannot afford it. The emergency grants help people cover essentials like rent, utilities, and medical bills when times get tough. 

Both programs send the same message: queer people deserve stability, dignity, and the opportunity to thrive. The Alexander Foundation is not just giving out cash; they are investing in the future.

Colorado Health Network: Colorado Health Network is all about keeping people alive and healthy, and they have been doing it for decades. Most people know them for their work around HIV prevention and care, but their impact is much wider than that. They run clinics, testing services, counseling, and harm reduction programs across the state! One of the most important parts of CHN’s work is fighting the HIV stigma. Even in 2025, there is still so much misunderstanding about HIV, and CHN creates safe, judgment-free spaces for people to get treatment. 

They are also leading in harm reduction, offering syringe access and other services that can meet people where they are instead of demanding perfection. Beyond healthcare, they help with things like housing and food support, recognizing that health is about way more than just doctor’s visits. For the queer community, CHN is a safety net, making sure people not only survive, but thrive!

Trans Continental Pipeline: With increasing numbers of anti-trans bills across the U.S., The Trans Continental Pipeline is a grassroots nonprofit, mutual aid organization in Denver that focuses on housing and community building for LGBTQ+ people seeking to leave their current state for safety in Colorado. They utilize state organizations, local businesses, LGBTQ+ organizations, and the local queer community to help these transplants. 

Their programs develop queer housing networks, helping LGBTQ+ folks find living arrangements and roommates. They also are developing a moving assistance grant program that helps move queer people safely to Colorado using donations—Every $1000 goes towards helping five people! Additionally, they coordinate a network of people providing temporary housing for LGBTQ+ people who need immediate housing to move to Colorado.

Purple Mountain Recovery: Recovery spaces can sometimes feel like they weren’t built for us. Queer and trans people often walk into traditional recovery programs and feel judged, misunderstood, or even invisible. Purple Mountain Recovery is working to change that by creating programs that are inclusive, affirming, and trauma-informed. 

They place a focus on healing, not punishment. PMR recognizes that addiction often grows out of pain, a product of rejection, trauma, or isolation that oftentimes queer people know all too well. Instead of shaming people, they provide community-based support that helps folks rebuild their lives in a way that feels authentic. PMR is proof that recovery can look different for different people, and that’s a good thing. By centering LGBTQ+ experiences in their work, they’re making recovery more accessible and hopeful for the people who need it most.

Their House: This resource is incredibly important, especially in terms of helping our housing-insecure and struggling trans individuals. Their House is an organization in Aurora that provides housing, gender-affirming services, and a supportive network to transgender, nonbinary, and LGBTQ+ people in Colorado. Motivated by recent federal and state grants being cut, Their House’s goal is to help meet the basic needs of people in our local Trans community. 

They provide clothing and personal hygiene products—through their Trans Closet Initiative—name change services, counseling, and even some medical services like HIV and STI testing. Combined with how they help provide housing to trans people facing housing insecurity, this resource is especially important right now. They also have frequent educational and community events and create community zines—working to foster a supportive network. 

Transgender Center of the Rockies: This one is urgent. The Transgender Center of the Rockies is a lifeline for trans people, especially youth in Colorado, but their funding has recently been cut heavily. This puts everything they do at risk, and what they do is absolutely critical: mental health counseling, hormone therapy access, case management, support groups, and even basics like clothes. 

For many trans people, TCR is the only affirming resource they have. Losing it would mean losing a safe place to get healthcare, to find community, and to simply exist without fear. It is not dramatic to say that without TCR, lives could be lost. The people who work and volunteer there have built a space that says, loudly and clearly, “You belong here.” Right now, they need donations, visibility, and community support more than ever. If you are wondering where your time, money, or energy could make the most difference, this could be it.

Mile High Behavioral Healthcare: Mile High Behavioral Healthcare is a cornerstone of support in Denver offering inclusive and affordable behavioral health services that empower individuals to thrive. Through specialized programs like Denver Element and the Transgender Center of the Rockies, they provide affirming care tailored to the LGBTQ+ community.

Their services include substance use counseling, where compassionate professionals work with individuals to build personalized plans focused on healing, resilience, and healthier living.  Mile High also offers PrEP navigation to connect individuals with stigma-free HIV prevention options, along with free HIV/STI testing. For those living with HIV, support groups provide a welcoming space for emotional connection and community.

Colorado Name Change Project: Legal systems are a maze, and for trans or nonbinary folks, navigating a name change can feel impossible without help. The Colorado Name Change Project exists to make the process easier, clearer, and more accessible. They provide detailed guides, legal resources, and even financial assistance for people who need help covering court costs or attorney fees. 

Their work may sound technical, but its impact is deeply personal. Having legal documents that reflect your name and identity can change everything, from job applications to doctor visits or even safety in your day-to-day life. This project has built a community around patience, persistence, and understanding paperwork. By helping people align their legal identity with who they truly are, CNCP is giving folks something priceless, the chance to move through the world with a little less fear, and much more authenticity

Parasol Patrol: With anti-LGBTQ+ protesters getting more aggressive, this nonprofit is doing incredibly important work. Parasol Patrol is a nonprofit organization that protects young people and kids from protesters and hate groups. Their volunteer Patrollers use umbrellas to walk in-between families with children and protesters and hate groups to keep them safe.  

They also have an education program where they speak at public events, as well as training businesses, schools, law enforcement, and community organizations about safety, youth trafficking, and hate groups. Their other main program involves curbing human trafficking. On their website, they write, “Most minors engaged in both labor and sex trafficking are kids who have run away or been kicked out of sometimes abusive homes, usually because they’re queer.” They offer resources to these at-risk queer youths.

Choose to L;VE; If part of your activism includes outward, fashionable support, L;VE is perfect for you! Choose to L;VE, LLC is a queer-owned small business in Castle Rock dedicated to fighting for systemic mental health reform, and overall, a shift in the way society treats mental illness. The founder, Alicia Nolan, tragically lost her wife to suicide and now dedicates her work to channeling personal grief into societal benefit. 

Every Choose to L;VE product sold donates a portion of proceeds to the Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership—As of 2025, they have raised over $5,500 for them. All their products (shirts, hats, sweatshirts, etc.) feature semicolons, a symbol that historically represents hope and continuing in the face of mental health struggles. Nolan also partners with Make Mental Health Matter, an organization that normalizes conversations about mental health through educational and community events.

The Delores Project The Delores Project is doing incredible work to support women, transgender, and nonbinary people experiencing homelessness in Denver. Their shelter and supportive housing programs focus on dignity first, because everyone deserves a safe place to land. What makes Delores stand out is that they go beyond short-term shelter. They help people transition into stability by providing case management, community meals, and connections to long-term housing. They strive for an inclusive and affirming environment, recognizing that homelessness affects queer and trans folk in unique ways. They don’t just hand out beds; they build belonging.

Over the Rainbow Project This project brings art, connection, and mental health together for queer youth and adults. Over The Rainbow Project delivers lasting impact by reducing recidivism and relapse while increasing job readiness for LGBTQIA2+,  justice-involved individuals. Through trauma-informed care, workforce development, and transitional housing, they help participants stabilize, heal, and thrive. Changed…For Good, offers on-the-job training and a supportive retail environment led by certified Peer Coaches and QBHAs while also serving the community with harm reduction supplies, wellness resources, and weekly connection events. Yellow Brick Home provides safe, affirming transitional housing paired with wraparound recovery services—creating a dignified path to independence and long-term success.

As an approved treatment provider for the Colorado Department of Corrections, they are deeply committed to giving back and breaking cycles of incarceration and isolation. Their team is passionate about building bridges—not just programs—by creating spaces where community members, donors, and participants come together. They believe that inviting the broader public into their stores and events reduces stigma, fosters understanding, and strengthens the very neighborhoods they serve. Collaboration is at the heart of everything they do, and they welcome opportunities to work alongside others who are committed to supporting vulnerable populations and creating lasting change.

Queer Asterisk Queer Asterisk is all about mental health, but they do it differently. Founded and staffed by queer and trans therapists, they provide counseling and community programs that center lived experience. They host workshops, support groups, and therapy sessions for individuals, couples, and families. Their approach is holistic and affirming, blending professional care with community connection. They are working to prove that healing is possible when you are understood from the start.

Inside Out Youth Services Inside Out Youth Services (IOYS) is the leading youth-serving nonprofit in the Tava- Kaavi (Pikes Peak) region for LGBTQIA2+ young people, ages 13-24. At the IOYS community center, young people have a safe and affirming space to make friends, access resources and trusted adults, and participate in evidence-based programming that covers everything from comprehensive sexual education to life skills, leadership to social opportunities.                       

Out in the community they engage in education and advocacy at both the local and state levels, amplifying youth voices to inform policymakers and promote inclusive practices. In 2024, their advocacy work impacted almost 25,000 young people.

These organizations are proof that our community knows how to show up for each other. They’re building safety nets, creating pathways to recovery, offering care, and making sure queer and trans people in Colorado aren’t left behind. Supporting does not have to mean a giant donation. It can be as simple as sharing their work on social media, volunteering your time, or telling a friend about the resources they offer. 

Every little bit matters. Because at the end of the day, being queer has always meant building the world we want to live in, even when the state of the world is as scary as it is right now. Engaging with our community is how we stay strong even when times are tough. There are plenty of nonprofits beyond this list to get involved with, so keep searching, and start giving!

Photo by Shelby Murphy Figueroa on Unsplash