The Colorado Project
The Colorado Project serves as a state platform for deliberation focused on challenging issues affecting Colorado. Each year, the Scrivner Institute and the Josef Korbel School of International Studies will convene a politically and geographically diverse group of civic, political, and private sector leaders to focus intensively on a core series of locally salient public policy challenges. Each group will put civil discourse into action, and work together to produce a set of comprehensive, collaborative policy recommendations to address the challenge. The goal is to establish common ground in order to move forward with practical solutions geared toward the public good.
If you are interested in learning more about the Colorado Project, contact Scrivner.Institute@du.edu.
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Evidence-based policy recommendations put to action
The recommendations will be backed by research and made available to policy-makers and the public to inform future action. The initiative will also provide opportunities for students to learn through direct engagement in the process and to participate by conducting research and producing reports. The Colorado Project will help define the conditions under which community leaders with different political perspectives can come together on a shared strategy for the future and will enable us to build a good practice framework for convenings of community leaders that reduce polarization and improve democratic governance.
2023 Theme - Inclusive & Sustainable Growth
This year, the Colorado Project has convened a group of 32 community and policy leaders from throughout Colorado to design a pragmatic strategy to catalyze sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the state. The group took a comprehensive and high-level approach, working together to show how different policy dimensions – from sustainable water and energy use to addressing our workforce and housing challenges – are connected and how we can use those connections to build a more sustainable and more prosperous future for all.
Convenors:
Scrivner Institute of Public Policy
University of Denver Josef Korbel School of International Studies
University of Denver
Co-Chairs:
Steve ErkenBrack, Grand Junction, President & CEO, Buell Foundation
Lisandra Gonzales, Thornton, CEO, Rocky Mountain Partnership
Gloria Schoch, Denver*, Executive Director, The VF Foundation
Project Team:
Fritz Mayer, Denver, Dean, Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Naazneen Barma, Denver, Director, Scrivner Institute of Public Policy
Becca Montgomery, Denver, Director of Democracy and Civil Discourse Initiatives, Josef Korbel School of International Studies and Scrivner Institute of Public Policy
Katie Aker, Denver, Assistant Director, Scrivner Institute of Public Policy
Jacob Topping, Denver, Research Assistant, Master of Public Policy Student, Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Collaborators:
Bruce Alexander, Denver, President and CEO, Vectra Bank
Kathy Boe, Colorado Springs, Founder, Boecore
Kimball Crangle, Steamboat, Colorado Market President, Gorman & Company, LLC
Susan Daggett, Denver, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute
Jim Ehrlich, San Luis Valley, Executive Director, Colorado Potato Administrative Committee
Molly Fales, Carbondale, Staff Attorney, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
Carlos Fernandez, Boulder, Colorado State Director, The Nature Conservancy
Tom Gougeon, Denver, President, Gates Family Foundation
Jill Hawley, Denver, Vice President of Philanthropy and Policy, Gary Community Ventures
Sarah Hughes, Edwards, Chair, Colorado Commission on Higher Education
Sue Hansen, Montrose, Montrose County Commissioner
Hollie Velasquez Horvath, Denver, Regional Vice President, Xcel Energy
JB Holston, Denver, Consultant on Sustainable and Inclusive Growth
Elise Jones, Boulder*, Executive Director, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP)
Zaneta Kelsey, Denver, CEO, Access Mode
Jim Lochhead, Denver, Former CEO, Denver Water
Jack Johnston, Montrose, CEO, Delta Montrose Electric Association
Hallie Mahowald, Salida, Chief Programs Officer, Western Landowners Alliance
Jerilynn Martinez Francis, Denver, Chief Communications and Community Partnerships Officer, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)
Landon Mascareñaz, Denver, Chair, State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education & Co-Founder of The Open System Institute
Jackie Millet, Lone Tree, Mayor, Lone Tree
Andy Mueller, Glenwood Springs, General Manager, Colorado River Water Conservation District
Rodney Milton, Denver, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute
Donald Moore, Pueblo, CEO, Pueblo Community Health Center
Amanda Sandoval, Denver, Member, Denver City Council
Jay Seaton, Grand Junction, Publisher, Grand Junction Sentinel
Sam Walker, Denver, Executive in Residence, Attorney General Phil Weiser
Mike Washington, Aurora, Consultant on DEI, HDR Engineering
Bonnie Watson, Telluride, CEO, Energize Colorado
Helen Young Hayes, Denver, Founder and CEO, Activate Work
Thank you also to Lisa Kauffman, Senior Strategic Advisor for Governor Polis, and Eve Lieberman, Executive Director, Office of Economic Development and International Trade, for their thoughtful engagement and contribution to this process.
