Serve Colorado
Serve Colorado is a state government commission, housed in the Lt. Governor's office, that administers AmeriCorps State programs across Colorado, fielding ~2,169 members annually through 17+ partner organizations across climate, healthcare, and workforce verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Serve Colorado does
Serve Colorado is the state government commission (Governor's Commission on Community Service) responsible for administering AmeriCorps State programs across Colorado, housed within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Denver with a 12-person staff, the agency channels federal AmeriCorps funding into a portfolio of statewide service programs operated through 17+ partner organizations, fielding roughly 2,169 AmeriCorps members annually and distributing more than $87M in cumulative Segal Education Awards over its 30-year operating history.
The agency's programmatic surface has expanded materially since 2021 across new verticals including climate resilience (Colorado Climate Corps, 2021), healthcare workforce (Colorado Healthcare Corps, 2022), wildfire mitigation (CONG/AmeriCorps Wildfire Mitigation Crew pilot, May 2025), youth mental health, digital equity (Digital Navigators), and registered apprenticeships. Leadership comprises Executive Director John Kelly, Deputy Director Rosa Moreno, and Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera as the commission's chair. The agency has received multiple awards including the 2024 State Service Leadership Award and 2024 Outstanding Service Program Staff Award.
The business model is government appropriations-based, not commercial. Serve Colorado receives federal AmeriCorps funding passed through from the Corporation for National and Community Service, supplemented by state appropriations. Operational grant funding was $10,026,259 in 2021, up from $5.8M in 2019. There is no commercial pricing model, no revenue per customer, and no go-to-market motion in the traditional sense. The agency is currently engaged in litigation against federal AmeriCorps funding cuts, which represents the principal risk to its operating model and programmatic expansion trajectory.
Serve Colorado firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Serve Colorado
- Legal name
- Serve Colorado (Governor's Commission on Community Service)
- Website
- https://servecolorado.colorado.gov
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Serve Colorado is a state government commission, housed in the Lt. Governor's office, that administers AmeriCorps State programs across Colorado, fielding ~2,169 members annually through 17+ partner organizations across climate, healthcare, and workforce verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Serve Colorado industry classification
Industry- Product category
- State Service Commission / National Service Administration
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved) (EDAAAOAG), Intergovernmental Affairs & Federal Grants Administration (BPAIAAAC)
Keywords
Where Serve Colorado is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Serve Colorado business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- AmeriCorps Federal Grant Funding: Serve Colorado receives federal AmeriCorps funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to administer AmeriCorps State programs in Colorado. This funding supports AmeriCorps member positions and operational costs for approved programs.
- Planning Grants: Cost reimbursement grants up to $150,000 provided to organizations to develop new AmeriCorps programs. These are awarded on a rolling basis with funding decisions approximately every three months.
- Operational Grants: Grants provided to organizations ready to implement full AmeriCorps programs, awarded in annual/fall and spring competitions. Recipients include nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal entities that host AmeriCorps members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Planning Grants |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Operational Grants |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Serve Colorado product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Serve Colorado administers AmeriCorps State programs across Colorado, competitively awarding federal AmeriCorps grant funding to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and educational institutions that sponsor AmeriCorps member placements. The commission also recruits individual members to serve in targeted statewide initiatives—such as Colorado Climate Corps, Healthcare Corps, and Tutoring Corps—and provides training, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources to grantees. In total, it has channeled over $44 million to more than 100 organizations and supports 1,700+ active AmeriCorps members serving in communities across the state.
Product overview
Serve Colorado is a state service commission housed in the Office of the Lt. Governor that administers AmeriCorps programs across Colorado. Rather than a unified software product, Serve Colorado offers a portfolio of service programs and grant funding mechanisms. The core offering consists of AmeriCorps State program administration, including Planning Grants (up to $150,000 for program development) and Operational Grants (for full program implementation). Major program initiatives include Colorado Climate Corps, Colorado COVID Containment Response Corps, Colorado Healthcare Corps, Colorado Tutoring Corps (with Reading Corps, Math Corps, Corps for a Change), Youth Mental Health Corps, Digital Navigators, and Economic Mobility Partnership. Additional programs include AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps Seniors, Days of Service, and One Book 4 Colorado early literacy initiative. The organization also facilitates Governor's Service Awards recognition and Quality Credentialing Framework for workforce development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Colorado Climate Corps: AmeriCorps program focused on climate action, environmental stewardship, wildfire mitigation, and conservation efforts across Colorado.
- Youth Mental Health Corps
- Colorado Healthcare Corps
- Colorado COVID-19 Containment Response Corps (CCRC)
- Colorado Tutoring Corps Initiative
Products and services
- AmeriCorps State Grants
- Colorado Climate Corps
- Colorado Healthcare Corps
- Colorado Tutoring Corps
- Volunteer Generation Programs
- Grantee Training and Technical Assistance
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 35,000 Coloradans have served through AmeriCorps since 1994, contributing 34+ million hours of service.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Serve Colorado
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Serve Colorado technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Serve Colorado partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Colorado National GuardflagshipHistoric first-in-the-nation partnership combining National Guard service with AmeriCorps service through the CONG/AmeriCorps Wildfire Mitigation Crew pilot. Guard members serve simultaneously as AmeriCorps members to build wildfire resilience and workforce skills.
- Colorado Department of Labor and EmploymentcorePartner in Colorado Healthcare Corps providing workforce development support and funding for the program addressing healthcare workforce shortages through AmeriCorps.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)minorPartnership enables AmeriCorps members to support Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites helping Coloradans claim tax credits including Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE)corePrimary state health agency partner for public health initiatives. CDPHE provided funding and coordinated training for AmeriCorps members serving in COVID-19 response programs including the Colorado COVID-19 Containment Response Corps.
- AmeriCorpscoreFederal agency that inspires Americans to serve their communities and country. AmeriCorps provides funding and oversight for national service programs administered through state commissions like Serve Colorado. This is the foundational partnership enabling all AmeriCorps State programming in Colorado.
- Community Resource CentercoreNonprofit that builds capacity and strengthens communities throughout Colorado. Manages Colorado Healthcare Corps and recruits/supports AmeriCorps members for various programs including contact tracing and resource coordination.
- Conservation LegacycoreConservation organization that recruits and helps onboard AmeriCorps members. Partnered with CDPHE and Serve Colorado for COVID-19 response and hosts VISTA Summer Associates.
- Rocky Mountain Youth CorpscoreHost organization for the first CONG/AmeriCorps Wildfire Mitigation Crew pilot program. Provides hands-on wildland fuels mitigation work and training environment for National Guard/AmeriCorps hybrid service members.
- Colorado Youth Corps AssociationcoreStatewide association representing youth corps organizations. Administered the first Colorado Climate Corps program placing 240 AmeriCorps members in 55 counties for climate action and conservation work.
- Colorado Department of Natural ResourcescoreExecutive Director Dan Gibbs serves as co-chair of wildfire task force. Department supports Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program workforce development grants and coordinates forest health initiatives with AmeriCorps programs.
- U.S. Forest ServicecoreFederal land management agency partnering on wildfire mitigation, conservation, and public lands stewardship through AmeriCorps programs. Collaborates on landscape-level forest health and mountain pine beetle response.
- CultivateminorPartner organization hosting Senior Corps RSVP volunteers as part of COVID-19 response efforts.
- Volunteers of America - ColoradominorHost organization for Senior Corps RSVP volunteers contributing to COVID-19 response efforts in Denver.
- AmeriCorps NCCCcoreNational Civilian Community Corps program providing teams of young adults (ages 18-24) for intensive service projects. 300 members from Southwest Region campus in Aurora deployed for COVID-19 response.
- Colorado Interagency Climate TeamcoreMulti-agency collaboration guiding the Colorado Climate Corps initiative to address climate change and advance renewable energy and environmental protection goals.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Serve Colorado competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Volunteer Florida: Florida's Governor's Commission on Community Service, administering AmeriCorps State programs. Directly comparable as another state service commission with identical statutory function, federal grant pass-through role, and volunteer mobilization mandate.
- Minnesota Commission on National and Community Service: Minnesota's state service commission administering AmeriCorps programs. Directly comparable as a peer state commission with the same federal-state funding structure and program portfolio spanning education, environment, and economic opportunity.
- CaliforniaVolunteers: California's state service commission administering AmeriCorps programs. Directly comparable to Serve Colorado as the state-level counterpart for California, with the same statutory role, AmeriCorps grant administration, and volunteer mobilization mission.
- Massachusetts Service Alliance: Massachusetts' state service commission administering AmeriCorps and other service programs. A direct peer commission with analogous grant administration, member placement, and workforce development functions.
- Washington Commission on National and Community Service: Washington state's service commission operating AmeriCorps programs. Directly comparable as a state-level AmeriCorps administrator with similar grant competitions and partner network model.
Broad incumbents
- Points of Light: National service and civic engagement nonprofit with a similar mission of mobilizing volunteers and supporting community service. Comparable in advocating for service infrastructure and operating service programs across multiple states, but broader in scope than Serve Colorado's state-commission role.
- VolunteerMatch: National nonprofit volunteer engagement platform that connects volunteers with opportunities. Comparable to Serve Colorado in mobilizing volunteers and supporting nonprofit capacity, though operating as a technology-enabled matching service rather than a federal-grant-administering commission.
- AmeriCorps (Federal Agency): Federal agency that funds and oversees Serve Colorado's programs. Comparable as the parent funding body and brand steward, though operating at the national level rather than as a state-level administrator.
Emerging players
- City Year Denver: Education-focused AmeriCorps grantee organization operating in Denver Public Schools. Comparable as a downstream recipient of Serve Colorado's AmeriCorps operational grants, providing tutoring and school engagement services.
- Colorado Youth Corps Association: Statewide association administering the Colorado Climate Corps with 240 AmeriCorps members. Comparable as a Serve Colorado grantee partner delivering climate and conservation service programs across Colorado.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Serve Colorado social profiles
Digital presenceServe Colorado financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Serve Colorado leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Serve Colorado funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Serve Colorado M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Serve Colorado
What does Serve Colorado do?
Serve Colorado administers AmeriCorps State programs across Colorado, competitively awarding federal AmeriCorps grant funding to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and educational institutions that sponsor AmeriCorps member placements. The commission also recruits individual members to serve in targeted statewide initiatives—such as Colorado Climate Corps, Healthcare Corps, and Tutoring Corps—and provides training, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources to grantees. In total, it has channeled over $44 million to more than 100 organizations and supports 1,700+ active AmeriCorps members serving in communities across the state.
Is Serve Colorado a public or private company?
Serve Colorado is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Serve Colorado founded?
Serve Colorado was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Serve Colorado based?
Serve Colorado is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Serve Colorado make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. AmeriCorps Federal Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are planning Grants and operational Grants.
Who are Serve Colorado's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Volunteer Florida, Minnesota Commission on National and Community Service, CaliforniaVolunteers, Massachusetts Service Alliance and Washington Commission on National and Community Service. Broad incumbents are Points of Light, VolunteerMatch and AmeriCorps (Federal Agency). Emerging players are City Year Denver and Colorado Youth Corps Association.
Does Serve Colorado have an API?
No public API is recorded for Serve Colorado.
What industry is Serve Colorado in?
Serve Colorado's product category is State Service Commission / National Service Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAJ, Employment & Job Readiness Support Services, with a secondary code of EDAAAOAG, Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved). Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8300.