You Decide Denver is funding project ideas from people just like you to influence Denver’s approach to substance use support and recovery.
1,865 people died from an overdose in Colorado in 2023.
Substance misuse in the Denver community impacts all of us. We believe the people closest to the challenges are the people closest to the solutions. You Decide Denver (YDD) brings people together people who want to help find solutions to the overdose crisis happening in our city.
YDD invites Denver residents to decide how to spend $100,000 on innovative community-driven, non-clinical projects related to substance use support, recovery, and harm reduction.
Phase Four: Request for Proposal (RFP) Submissions
Funding Priorities as Voted on by the Denver Community
After receiving more than 40 project ideas from community members, we organized them into six non-clinical categories that reflect shared needs and emerging priorities. Those categories were placed on a public ballot, and the community voted to determine which project types to fund. The results are in.
Community members ranked six funding categories by priority (1 = highest, 6 = lowest). The following categories received the highest number of top rankings (1 or 2):
Harm Reduction
Efforts that provide supplies, education or outreach to keep people safe and reduce overdose risk.
Creative Expression
Projects that use art, music or storytelling to promote healing and recovery.
To learn more about community participation in the voting process, click here.
RFPs now open for non-clinical, community-led projects in Harm Reduction and Creative Expression
Goal: To fund non-clinical, community-driven projects in Harm Reduction and/or Creative Expression serving Denver-metro communities.
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored groups, and coalitions or partnerships with a 501(c)(3). Projects must focus on Harm Reduction and/or Creative Expression and serve Denver-metro communities. For-profits may be considered on a limited basis.
Total Funding Available: $100,000 (projects may request up to $100,000; 1–2 awards anticipated).
Key Dates & Deadlines
Deadline for Written Inquiries: Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at 5 p.m. MST
Have Questions? Submit your question here.
Virtual Community Info Sessions:
Submission Deadline:
RFPs must be submitted to YouDecideDenver@dhha.org by April 3, 2026, at 5 p.m. MST (Late applications will not be accepted.)
DOWNLOAD RFP
Phase Three: Voting (Closed)
Project Updates and Idea Collection
Thanks to the community, we collected more than 40 project ideas from people with lived experience, community members, organizations and partners.
From those 40 ideas, we created six ballot categories that best reflect the community's needs, priorities and recurring themes.
We invite everyone in our Denver community, organizations, service providers, and especially people with lived experience, to help shape the next phase of this project by voting for the categories you want implemented.
VOTE: Make your voice count!
We’re excited to launch the You Decide Denver (YDD) 2025 ballot! Now it’s your turn to help decide how $100,000 will be invested in community-driven, non-clinical projects supporting substance use recovery, harm reduction, and support services.
How voting works:
- Review each project category and description carefully
- Rank the projects in order of priority from 1 - 6, with 1 being the highest priority.
- Submit your ballot
The ballot categories you'll vote on:
Creative Expression
Projects that use art, music or storytelling to promote healing and recovery.
Wellness and Pro-social Connection
Activities that build life skills, support well-being, or connect people through nature or movement.
Harm Reduction
Efforts that provide supplies, education or outreach to keep people safe and reduce overdose risk.
Peer Support
Programs led by people with lived experience offering guidance, mentorship, connection and community.
Family and Community Support
Initiatives that strengthen family relationships or make recovery programs more accessible.
Education and Awareness
Campaigns and trainings that reduce stigma and expand knowledge about recovery and harm reduction.
Phases One and Two: Planning and Idea Collection (Completed)
How to get involved
You Decide Denver is funding non-clinical project ideas using the Participatory Budgeting process. Non-clinical projects meet people where they are with information, education, screening and support options to help them on their recovery journeys.
Share your non-clinical project ideas such as:
Peer Support or Activity Groups
Support or activity groups facilitated by individuals with lived experience, offering mutual support, shared knowledge, and empowerment through relatable guidance.
Public Awareness Campaigns
Efforts designed to inform and educate the public about specific issues, often using media, events, or storytelling to promote understanding and spark community action.
Trauma-Informed Educational Workshops
Educational or skill-building sessions that prioritize safety, trust, and empowerment, recognizing the widespread impact of trauma and integrating that knowledge into the content and approach.
Stigma Reduction Programs
Initiatives aimed at challenging stereotypes, misinformation, and discrimination associated with specific experiences or identities—often through education, storytelling, and humanizing narratives.
Harm Reduction Initiatives
Programs or projects that prioritize health and dignity by reducing the negative consequences of behaviors like drug use without requiring abstinence, offering practical tools like naloxone, clean supplies, and safe use education.
Community Outreach Projects
Localized efforts to engage, support, and uplift communities by meeting people where they are, often involving direct service delivery, relationship-building, and amplifying community voices.
Have a project idea? Here are the guidelines to keep in mind:
- Projects should be manageable given community resources and funding scope
- Projects must be focused on supporting people impacted by substance use disorders
- Projects must reflect You Decide Denver’s values of compassion, honesty, hope, trust, inclusion and equity
Stay informed and vote on project ideas
You don’t have to submit a project idea to get involved! Once project submissions close, You Decide Denver’s committee of Community Champions, comprised of people with lived experience, will review and organize the project submissions for voting. Voting will be open to everyone in the community. You’ll have the opportunity to vote on the projects you think You Decide Denver should fund.
Revisit this webpage for updates about the voting process once project submissions are closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. However, funded projects must serve Denver-metro communities.
Participatory budgeting (PB) is a process where community members help decide how public funds are spent. In YDD, people with lived and living expertise of substance use help shape funding priorities and inform project selection.
Yes. YDD funds non-clinical, community-based initiatives focused on supporting one or both of the project categories selected by the community during the community vote.
Community-Selected Project Categories
- Harm Reduction
Efforts that provide supplies, education or outreach to keep people safe and reduce overdose risk. - Creative Expression
Projects that use art, music or storytelling to promote healing and recovery.
No. YDD funding is intended to support new, innovative projects, not to sustain or expand existing programs as they currently operate. While proposals may build on prior work or partnerships, they must introduce a new idea, approach or creative solution that advances harm reduction and/or community well-being in a meaningful way
No. You do not need a finalized budget to submit a proposal. Budget details can be refined if your project moves forward.
Eligible proposals are reviewed and scored using the evaluation criteria in the RFP. The review panel includes community budget delegates, individuals with lived and living expertise, and Denver Health administrators.
Selected applicants will enter into an agreement outlining scope, timeline and payment terms. YDD is committed to transparency throughout the process.
Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation that your application has been received.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring all required sections of the application are fully completed. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review.
Applicants may edit their applications until Friday, April 3, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. MST. After this deadline, submissions will be considered final, and no additional changes will be accepted.
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their submission, regardless of selection status. Selected projects will be announced on the YDD website.
The process spans several months and includes proposal review, contracting, and implementation. A timeline is available on our website.
