Onward! A Legacy foundation has awarded 12 grants to regional nonprofits in 2017.

In its 16th year, Onward! said it has created a foundation where investors can easily and safely make philanthropic donations to investment funds that grow and provide income for nonprofit efforts, according to a news release.

A Cortez-based foundation, Onward! was founded in 2002 and has disbursed more than $1.1 million in the form of grants, scholarships and institutional support.

The grant cycle runs from Sept. 1 to Oct. 15.

“This year, we had two new grant funders approach us to help with our grant cycle,” director Chuck Forth said in a news release. “With their help, we were able to put nearly $60,000 into our community nonprofits. This has been the most generous grant cycle yet. … Onward! is always ready to discuss other ways to utilize our unique position in the region to further philanthropic investment and support for our five-county region.”

Five different grant funders supported these nonprofits: Onward! Endowment Fund, Golden Dreams Fund, Searle Community Endowment Fund, Heartwood Fund and the Yellow Jacket Charitable Fund.

According to a news release, at Onward!’s Celebration Luncheon on Nov. 9, the following 12 nonprofits were honored as recipients of grant money.

City of Dove Creek Recreation: Funds used to purchase cheer mats for youth programDolores River Boating Advocates: Funds used to cover costs for youth rafting tripDurango Cowboy Gathering: Funds used to involve more youth and teens in the Cowboy GatheringFour Corners Community Band: Funds used for director honorariumHospice of Montezuma: Funds used to alleviate costs of community bereavement servicesMancos FoodShare: Funds used to purchase food for the Mancos pantryMancos Public Library: Funds used for general operationsMontezuma County Public Health Department: Funds used to purchase gift cards to reward children/adolescents for receiving vaccines and families graduating from the Young Parents Plus classSan Juan Mountains Association: Funds used to provide two-day teacher workshop about the importance and interconnection of healthy watersheds to area water suppliesSchool Community Youth Collaborative: Funds used to run Teen Maze health fairUnited Search & Rescue of Montezuma County: Funds used to purchase GPS units and VHF radios for six trained search and rescue volunteersWillowtail Nature Preserve & Education Center: Funds used to scholarship an artist to work for one week at the preserveCommunity Radio Project: Funds used for news desk at KSJDSunflower Theatre: Funds used for general operations of the theatreRenew: Funds used for general operations of the domestic violence shelterBridge Emergency Shelter: Funds used for general operations of the shelter and the Day Labor programCortez Public Library: Funds used for the library’s children’s programs