Bilding CH2M HILL’S Ssustainable Legacy For The Future

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 the associated scholarships and grants, relies on the generosity of individuals or organizations who share LGFI’s passion for encouraging education and supporting projects that provide environmental and community benefits. Donations were initially obtained and held by CHAA, came through commitments from members of the CHAA Board of Directors, solicitation at reunion events, and generosity of a few major donors.

2024 Test Drive Exceeded Expectations

The 2024 goal of $15,000 was reached by these means and then exceeded by a generous donation later in the year – total 2024 donations exceeded $25,000. These initial donations have now been transferred from CHAA to LGFI. In 2025, the LGF will be able to support two or three scholarships and perhaps a “Pay-it-Forward” project. Fundraising in 2025 will also be undertaken with a similar donation goal of $15,000.

Moving Forward

The CHAA Board and members of the Future Focus Task Force created a draft LGFI Operations Plan which has been taken up by LGFI. As LGFI is a separate company an LGFI Board of Directors has been established, the majority of which are current CHAA Board members. Operating effectively will be their charter. The CHAA Communications Committee will work with its LGFI counterpart to consistently keep the Legacy Gift Fund in front of potential donors to maintain sufficient revenues to keep the LGF program alive with the goal of building a principal fund balance allowing for awards well into the future.

Scholarships Now Available

Applications for two $5,000 scholarships are now being accepted for the 2025-26 academic year. One is available for any students sponsored by a CHAA member and the other is through our partner Bold.org and is available to all non-alumni family member students. 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 at: CHAA Legacy Gift Fund Email.

Project Grants Coming Soon!

Applications for the first round of quarterly CHAA member-sponsored “Pay-it-Forward” Project Grants will be accepted starting in mid-March. An annual amount of $5,000 in such grants are planned to be awarded in 2025. Information on the Project Grants program will be emailed to alumni listed on the CHAA Roster in March and will be available on the LGF webpage soon after.

How You Can Engage – Please Consider a Donation!

All who share the values of our exceptional former firm are encouraged to support LGFI so that our CH2M HILL legacy of engineering excellence and community betterment can continue. 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 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 ID number 33-2448017.
  5. Making a tax-free qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA account and denoting our federal charity ID 33-2448017.

Our LGFI treasurer, (ch2mhillaa.legacyfund@gmail.com) will gladly help if you have questions.