There are hundreds of worthy organizations that deserve support on Colorado Gives Day, the annual, statewide fundraising event that has raised more than $469 million for numerous nonprofits since its launch in 2010.

The Colorado Gives Foundation lists all the groups it gives money to on its website, and it’s an impressive collection of organizations that help their communities with everything from health care to animal adoption to education.

Also for culture, and that’s where this list comes into play. If your giving habits are focused on supporting art, museums, vibrant public spaces and good design, this lineup can help reach recipients who find themselves at a crossroads and where your patronage could provide a benefit that goes beyond the moment and has an impact on the entire region.

Financial support pays the bills and creates a future for nonprofits, but it also encourages leaders to think ambiguously and take risks. It can spur them on in a caring way right when they need it most.

Civic Center Conservancy

Denver’s Civic Center, the manicured green space next to the Colorado State Capitol, has struggled to stay relevant over the past decade. It remains a stunning piece of landscape architecture, but the public largely stays away; It lacks the amenities people want in a 21st century park.

For now, however, the Civic Center has a chance at rebirth. The surrounding area is changing rapidly: thousands of new apartments in the Golden Triangle, a renovated Denver Public Library and commercial developments like the aspen-inspired Populist Hotel. There are proposals to build pickleball courts across the street and build a pedestrian bridge over busy Lincoln Street.

This is a moment for the Civic Center Conservancy, the nonprofit tasked with revitalizing the space. But innovative programs that draw crowds require adequate funding, and the preserve deserves the chance — and money — to make the kind of changes that will make this historic site a center of downtown action again.

More information: civiccenterpark.org

Arts District in Santa Fe

Santa Fe Drive can be a little difficult to maneuver at the moment. The construction along the busy thoroughfare seems never-ending, making visiting all the galleries and museums along the Strip a challenge.

But all of this work is leading somewhere: to wider sidewalks, new trees and lighting, and, best of all, slower traffic. Will that mean a more robust place to roam, eat, shop, go to the theater and enjoy what’s already there?

Opportunities exist for the Art District on Santa Fe, the nonprofit that monitors public activity and promotes the health of small businesses, to rebrand the neighborhood and position the street as an exciting, inviting place to be. The current support gives him the support and encouragement to think big, take risks and bring a little fun to city life.

More information: denversartdistrict.org

Foothills Art Center

Unfortunately, there are too few reputable places to see art in the Front Range suburbs. Art galleries and museums tend to be concentrated in the city core, leaving a respite in the surrounding cul-de-sacs and shopping centers. Fortunately, there are a number of arts centers picking up some of the slack, with public-private partnerships supporting thriving cultural centers in places like Loveland. Arvada, Longmont and Littleton.

One of the key regional players is the Foothills Art Center in Golden, which has invested heavily in itself in recent years, most recently with the opening of an entirely new campus in downtown’s Astor Place, a historic building that has been renovated Culminating in two floors of elegant galleries ready to exhibit works by artists from near and far.

When a nonprofit puts in that much effort — it was a $4.1 million project — it deserves a pat on the back and an infusion of cash to get the most out of the effort. Boring art exhibitions are cheap, but quality efforts with top-notch artists and must-see installations require solid funding.

The beginning is good. The center took a step up this fall when it produced a show by Joel Swanson, a regional star with a nationwide following. But what comes next? It depends on the budget, and this is where donations make a difference.

More information: foothillsartcenter.org

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

Supporting the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art now offers the chance to be part of something monumental. The small museum will be significantly larger with the move across town to the North Boulder Creative Campus.

BMoCA’s plans are ambitious. Working with local developer Andrew Ghadini, the museum will be part of a major urban project bringing new residential, retail and cultural spaces to a long-overlooked part of the city.

BMoCA will be constructing a new building with a budget of around $40 million and has set its sights high: It is interviewing world-class architects (all working with regional firms) who, if all goes well, will add a new design icon to the local landscape become .

Money is what makes it possible. Large gifts, government grants and sales in gift shops could be part of the plan. But small donations that can ensure smooth operations will be crucial. They raise a lot of money and also document the widespread support for the role that art plays in both the local economy and the entertainment scene. The place is moving, and now might be a good time to get on with it.

Further information: bmoca.org

Union Hall and Leon Gallery

Union Hall and Leon Gallery couldn’t be more stylistically different. Union Hall is elegant and elegant, located in the (now) posh neighborhood that has emerged downtown since the redevelopment of Union Station.

Leon has a more bohemian and democratic vibe and is located in an uptown storefront with exposed brick walls and a sticky front door that’s difficult to open.

But they’re both having a moment, fulfilling their role as nonprofit patrons of the arts by giving new talent a place to show their work. None of the rooms simply hang art on the wall. They all do the hard work of identifying new talent, curating the exhibitions and providing the kind of professional advice that helps artists build their careers.

The current exhibitions are good examples of how these spaces are being promoted. Union Hall has a solo exhibition by Diego Florez-Arroyo and Leon exhibits Markus Puskar. These are self-made talents with deep Denver backgrounds and a lot of social consciousness who may not gain exposure without the support of a gallery that understands their missions and actions. You can support artists by purchasing their work or helping build the infrastructure that supports the entire city.

Further information: unionhalldenver.org, leongallery.org

Ray Mark Rinaldi is a Denver-based freelance writer specializing in visual art. For more information about Colorado Gives Day or to donate, visit: coloradogives.org.

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