Legacy Gift Fund

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Breaking News:

The CHAA Legacy Gift Fund, Inc.

Over the course of the last two years, the CH2M HILL Alumni Association’s Future Focus Task Force investigated many ways to extend the legacy of CH2M HILL far into the future. With full Board approval, the CHAA Legacy Gift Fund has been created, and will be administered by a new non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity company – CH2M HILL Alumni Association Legacy Gift Fund, Inc. (LGFI) – with a mission is to support the education and actions of future generations of engineers and other professional and technical practitioners.

Introducing The CHAA Legacy Gift Fund, Inc.

Through a strategic partnership with the CH2M HILL Alumni Association, Inc. (CHAA) based on their shared mission to sustain the legacy of CH2M HILL, the LGFI was created as a means for enhancing the awareness and understanding of CHAA, expanding and sustaining the membership of CHAA, and extending and sustaining the legacy of CH2M HILL and its people. CHAA has granted permission for LGFI to use the CHAA website for aligned purposes, publish material in the CHAA Newsletter, and have access to CHAA members and CH2M HILL alumni using means maintained by CHAA.

The Mission

Encourage post high school education and support projects that provide environmental and community benefits in keeping with CH2M HILL’s desire to ”Build a Better World”. Our goal is to provide 1-2 scholarships per year and to support one service project championed by a CHAA member, as funds allow.

Joining Forces For Success

The success of the Legacy Gift Fund, and its associated scholarships and grants, relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations who share LGFI’s passion for extending CH2M HILL’s legacy through the next generation of professional practitioners and local service projects. Donations received through 2024, including commitments from members of the CHAA Board of Directors, solicitation at reunion events, and the generosity of a few major donors were held by CHAA. The 2024 goal of $15,000 was reached and then exceeded by a generous donation late in the year – total 2024 donations exceeded $25,000!

Plans For 2025 and Giving Results to Date

The initial donations to CHAA have been transferred to the new Legacy Gift Fund, Inc, organization. LGFI will administer these funds and new donations, including reporting and fundraising, and award scholarships and project grants going forward.

In 2025, LGFI has processes underway to award two $5,000 educational scholarships and to provide grants totaling $5,000 in support of several “Pay-it-Forward” projects. Fundraising activities in 2025 will be focused on achieving a base donation goal of $15,000. 

Matching Donation Opportunity: A CH2M colleague has offered to match all 2025 base donations to LGFI, up to a generous cap. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to double your donation and help sustain the LGF program in future years – if possible, make donations prior to 10 December so the match can be applied. If you would like to set up a matching donation (annual or set time period donation challenge-i.e. match the first $xxx of donations made in July 2025), please contact the LGFI Treasurer – Email Link.

Project Grant Applications Are Now Available!

Applications for “Pay-it-Forward” (PIF) Project Grants are now being accepted until June 30 and will be awarded July 31. The total funding available for the first-round of 2025 grants will be up to $2,500. Applications for the second round of grants will be accepted from August through September and will be awarded October 31. The total funding for the second round will be $2,500 plus any funds not awarded in the first round. To be eligible to recommend a grant, the Applicant must be a member of (or join) the CH2M HILL Alumni Association. To learn more about these PIF Project Grants and to obtain an application, please click these links: Project Grant Announcement Info and Project Grant Application. If you have questions about the project grant program, please contact the grants program lead – Email Link.

Scholarship Applications Are Now Being Received!

Applications for two $5,000 scholarships are now being accepted for the 2025-26 academic year. One scholarship is available for any students sponsored by a CHAA member (applicant can be family member, mentee, acquaintance, etc. – just needs a CHAA member as sponsor). Please sponsor/encourage qualified students to apply – we need more applicants. The second scholarship is through our partner Bold.org and is available to all non-CH2M alumni family member students – over 500 applications have been received (Bold will screen to the top candidates and LGFI will make the final selection). Please note that non-US citizens are eligible to apply for the scholarships, but we can’t provide payment to institutions outside of the United States. Students must be attending a college/university in the US (we are exploring options for 2026). Details for the CHAA Scholarship were emailed in February to alumni listed on CHAA Roster and are now available here >>> CHAA Legacy Gift Fund Scholarship Application.

Applications are due by May 15, 2025. If you have questions regarding the CHAA Legacy Gift Fund Scholarship, please contact us via email – Email Link.

Moving Forward – Communications and Fundraising

LGFI is now a separate non-profit company with a Board of Directors, the majority of which are current CHAA Board members, who will administer programs based on its Operations Plan and Bylaws. LGFI will work with the new CHAA Communications Committee to consistently keep the Legacy Gift Fund program in front of potential donors and to solicit donations that keep the LGF program alive year-to-year, with the goal of building a principal fund balance that allows for awards well into the future.

How You Can Engage – Please Consider a Donation

All who share the Little Yellow Book values of our exceptional former firm are encouraged to support LGFI. With your donations, our CH2M HILL legacy of engineering excellence and community betterment will live far into the future. Please consider donating using one of the following:

1. Use this link to donate $10 or more, in an amount of your choosing.  You can use the link multiple times – whenever you wish to donate.
   
             LEGACY FUND SINGLE DONATION LINK
2. Use this link to set up a recurring MONTHLY donation.  The amount can be from $1 to $99 per month based on the “Quantity” selected. – the minimum recommendation is a Quantity of “5” which yields a donation of $5 per month.  If you want to increase (or decrease) the monthly amount, look for the in the lower left of the payment form that pops up when using the link and click the “v” down arrow and choose a “Quantity” from 1-99 to set the desired MONTHLY donation dollar amount. The transaction will be processed near the beginning of each month until cancelled. If you want a different amount later, you will need to cancel (contact the Treasurer) and then use the link to establish a new recurring monthly donation.
   
         LEGACY FUND RECURRING MONTHLY DONATION LINK
3. Mail a check made out to CH2M HILL Alumni Association Legacy Gift Fund, c/o Scott Trusler, 1003 Rangeview Dr., Black Hawk, CO 80422.
4. Donating via your individual charitable gift account (Such as Fidelity Charitable) and denoting our federal charity EIN number 33-2448017.
5. Making a tax-free qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA account and denoting our federal charity EIN 33-2448017.

Our LGFI treasurer will gladly help if you have questions – Email Link.