Every year, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce celebrates businesses shaping the future of Denver’s economy. Be part of the excitement at the 2025 Business Awards, sponsored by BOK Financial, on April 24, 2025, and witness the winner announced live! This year’s Small Nonprofit of the Year finalists are Breakthrough Alliance of Colorado, Covered Colorado, and Think 360 Arts for Learning. Get to know each of the organizations below.
Breakthrough Alliance of Colorado
Breakthrough Alliance of Colorado (Breakthrough) is a transformative nonprofit dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reintegrate into society. Their innovative approach begins inside correctional facilities with a 32-week program focused on character development, job readiness, reentry planning, and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.
This holistic model ensures participants are equipped with the skills and confidence needed to rebuild their lives. Once released, Breakthrough provides ongoing support through employment assistance, skill-building, and connections to trusted community partners for housing, healthcare, transportation, and more.
Their commitment to compassion, connection, and community has yielded remarkable results: less than 1% of all participants have returned to prison, and their efforts have saved taxpayers over $41 million. By challenging outdated perceptions of criminal justice and empowering individuals to move beyond their past, Breakthrough is creating lasting change—one life at a time.
Covered Colorado
Covered Colorado is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering survivors of sex trafficking to reclaim their lives and achieve self-sufficiency. Recognizing a critical gap in resources for survivors over the age of 18, Covered Colorado provides a comprehensive, trauma-informed program that addresses four core areas: housing, education, counseling, and community.
Through safe and stable housing, survivors find a foundation for healing and rebuilding their lives. Their education and job readiness programs equip survivors with the skills needed for a sustainable future, while trauma-informed counseling, including EMDR therapy, helps them process their experiences and reclaim their sense of self.
What sets Covered Colorado apart is their deep commitment to the therapeutic piece, offering intensive counseling to help survivors heal from trauma. Additionally, they foster a supportive community that provides connection and belonging, ensuring survivors never have to walk their journey alone.
This fall, you can join Covered Colorado in their mission by attending Light the Night, an inspiring fundraiser dedicated to empowering trafficking survivors and supporting the fight for their freedom. By addressing both immediate needs and long-term goals, Covered Colorado is transforming lives and breaking the cycle of exploitation.
Think 360 Arts for Learning
Think 360 Arts for Learning is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching education and inspiring creativity through the arts. Founded in 1963 and celebrating 62 years of impact, Think 360 Arts has partnered with schools, communities, and artists to provide innovative arts-integrated programs that enhance learning and foster imagination.
Their mission is to ensure that all students, especially those from lower-income backgrounds, have access to transformative arts experiences they might not otherwise encounter. Over the years, Think 360 Arts has expanded its reach statewide, growing from K-12 programs to include early childhood initiatives launched in 2020 and programs for older adults added in 2016.
Beyond delivering hands-on experiences with professional artists, Think 360 Arts conducts research and evaluation to measure the impact of their programs, sharing their findings nationwide to advocate for the arts in education. They also support schools and teachers through resources like their annual three-day conference, which focuses on integrating the arts into classrooms.
By cultivating critical thinking, collaboration, and cultural awareness, Think 360 Arts ensures that the arts remain a vital part of education, empowering students, educators, and communities across Colorado to think creatively and thrive.