What does it look like when a state takes care of its own? 

It looks like neighbors opening their homes to families displaced by wildfire. Volunteers standing shoulder to shoulder, offering food, clothing, and hope to people they have never met. It looks quieter too – a mentor showing up week after week, a coach teaching resilience, a community choosing to lean in and lend a hand. 

As Colorado marks its 150th year of statehood, it is worth asking what truly defines us. Is it our landscapes, our independence, our growth? Or is it something deeper and more enduring like a shared commitment to care for one another, especially when it matters most?  

For a century and a half, generosity has been a defining feature of life in Colorado, shaping both our communities and our character.  In fact, a 2025 study ranked Colorado as the sixth most charitable state in America.   

In the hours after the 2021 Marshall Fire, the most destructive wildfire in our state’s history, Coloradans did not wait for instructions. They brought supplies, opened spare rooms, donated money, and stood in long lines to help people they had never met. It was a familiar scene, one that has repeated itself across generations, and a reminder that generosity is woven into the fabric of this state. 

That same spirit lives on every day through nearly 40,000 nonprofits serving communities across Colorado. From education and youth development to homelessness, workforce training, and mental health, these organizations respond to challenges in every corner of the state, often quietly, always persistently.  

Since statehood in 1876, Coloradans have been known for a deep sense of responsibility for one another. Early civic organizations laid the groundwork for what has become one of the most generous states in the nation, consistently ranking near the top for charitable giving and volunteerism, with one of the highest concentrations of nonprofits per capita. 

This milestone year offers more than a reason to celebrate, but a chance to ask an essential question: what comes next?  

To help kick off this yearlong reflection and invite action, our organizations partnered to produce Colorado at 150: A Legacy of Caring. A Future of Purpose. This two-film documentary project highlights Colorado’s heritage of generosity through real stories unfolding today.  

Viewers meet a veteran who found healing and hope during a time of crisis, youth sports coaches teaching grit and teamwork,  a workforce program helping young adults discover direction and purpose, and a young man whose life was transformed through a college scholarship.  These are not unusual examples. They are snapshots of what happens every day across Colorado when people step forward to help one another. 

The films are available to view, download, and share free of charge at www.CO150Film.com  

But this project is about more than watching a film. It’s an open invitation. Throughout the year, Coloradans are encouraged to share their own stories of generosity, including moments when kindness, service, or a helping hand made a lasting difference. Together, those stories will form a living record of how generosity continues to shape our state. 

This anniversary should not be treated as a look back alone, but as a call forward. Generosity is not a fixed trait or a historic achievement. It is a habit of the heart that must be renewed, protected, and passed on. 

The next chapter of generosity will not be written only through large institutions or headline-worthy gifts. It will be written in everyday choices: noticing a need, offering time or talent, supporting a neighbor, mentoring a young person, or stepping forward when it would be easier not to. 

Colorado began as a bold experiment, a chance to build something new amid uncertainty. One hundred fifty years later, that experiment continues. Generosity is the through line of Colorado’s past and the prerequisite for its future. 

Our shared history has earned us a reputation as a state that cares for its people. The question now is whether we will carry that legacy forward. If we choose to lead with it now, and teach it to the next generation, then Colorado’s next 150 years can be defined not just by progress, but by purpose. 

Kyle Hybl is president and CEO of the El Pomar Foundation. Katie Kramer is president and CEO of the Boettcher Foundation. Dave Ryan is executive director of The Anschutz Foundation. Hanna Skandera is president and CEO of the Daniels Fund. Carrie Tynan is CEO and secretary of the Adolph Coors Foundation.