What we learned: Reflections from a visit to NorthEast Colorado

By Kathy Plomer, Community Impact Manager, Next50 and Rach Angard, Community Impact Manager, Next50

Next50 was lucky enough to attend the Northeast Colorado Rural Philanthropy Days. Our three days in Yuma, Colorado, were fast-paced, educational, and chockful of stories about the opportunities and challenges of living on the Eastern Plains. This event, brought to us by the Community Resource Center, welcomed over two hundred attendees from eleven counties, representing funders, nonprofits, and community service providers in the region.

Many attendees discussed the lack of resources for older adults in particular. According to the 2026 Northeast Colorado Intersection report, which was built in collaboration between Colorado State University and Northern Colorado Foundation, the fastest-growing age group is residents over 75. Unfortunately, for this growing population, the region is considered a “care desert” for eldercare, due to an astonishing lack of local eldercare facilities and workforce. Additionally, 24% of older adults have trouble finding transportation for trips they need or want to take. This is particularly impactful in a part of the state that is rapidly losing accessible healthcare and grocery stores.

This lack of widespread resources makes many residents feel like they are in a forgotten part of the state; forgotten by lawmakers and fellow Coloradans alike. However, this only builds pride in their resiliency and dedication to collaboration across the region. Local organizations know how to make a dollar stretch. And when they don’t have a dollar to stretch, they mobilize their land and their communities, empowering neighbors to help neighbors.

During an organized field trip, Next50 saw how Northeast Colorado was innovating to keep their community afloat. A small flower business and a winery, Sandhill Bloomers and Mummy Hill respectively, were taking advantage of their available resources to develop a local market where they sell artisanal, locally made products like soaps and body butters. We also saw how a small family farm is working to keep their multigenerational business running by connecting with neighboring farms and engaging with high schoolers to encourage younger people to stay in the area.

While the challenges facing Northeast Colorado are many – like severe drought, housing shortages, and dwindling economic development – the opportunities are just as great. Local leaders know that addressing these issues requires a thoughtful mix of local approaches and greater systemic solutions. Over the last ten years, Next50 has funded over $3 million in grants in the region to support the economic well-being of their older adults. One such grantee is Cooperating Ministry of Logan County. This organization hosts a food pantry, provides transportation vouchers, and assists with utility and water bills, all with the goal of helping older adults stay in the rural region they love to call home.

Rural Philanthropy Days was an exciting and hopeful look at the resilience of Northeast Colorado in the pursuit of supporting older adults. Next50 is excited to continue working with local leaders and organizations to address the area’s challenges and to make life easier, more meaningful, and more affordable for older adults in the region.