Awards

Citizens Project received several honors over the last year including: the Gay & Lesbian Fund Advancing Equality Award, “Ally of the Year” from the Colorado Springs Pride Center, and the “Steady and Strong for Diversity and Inclusion” award from the Colorado Springs Diversity Forum.

Events

Citizens Project events are more than fundraisers or friend-raisers; they’re community in action, bringing together people from across the region and across political and religious lines who share a few key values: equality, separation of church and state, diversity and civic engagement.

– More than 100 community members came out in sub-zero temperatures to honor local activist Mary Ellen McNally at Citizens Project’s 7th annual Divine Award Celebration.

- Four hundred attendees at our annual Creating  Community Breakfast joined together to raise $60,000 to increase Citizens Project’s impact in the community.

- Dozens of volunteers attended our twice-annual volunteer open house and staffed the Citizens Project booth at community events such as Everybody Welcome!, Juneteenth, Cinco de Mayo, and Pride Fest.

Collaboration

CP, in close collaboration with the Women’s Resource Agency, Inside/Out Youth Services and many more, worked to re-invigorate the Pikes Peak Equality Coalition, a group of local nonprofits dedicated to opportunity and access for all community members. Through our collective efforts, we made more than 3,000 contacts with voters in the general election cycle, reminding them to cast their ballots. In addition, CP was represented on the Public Affairs and Government Relations Committee of the Colorado Springs Diversity Forum, the Colorado Civic Engagement Roundtable, and the Safe Schools Coalition.  Citizens Project staff members Kristy Milligan and RoMa Johnson also  presented at events and classes statewide, including: Center for Nonprofit Excellence, UCCS, El Pomar, NAACP, and the Denver Mayor’s LGBT Commission. Citizens Project also donated 18 cubic feet of physical archive files to the Pikes Peak Library District’s Special Collections. The archives will be available to the the public and will be preserved for future generations.

Voter Education

2011 was an exciting year in local elections: from the April municipal election and subsequent mayoral runoff election, to the November general election, there were many candidates vying for the votes of Pikes Peak residents.  And Citizens Project continued our 19-year tradition of providing nonpartisan election education information for all local elections through well-attended Mayoral and City Council forums, and a School Board Candidate and ballot measure forum. In addition, we published two comprehensive candidate survey Voter Guides, one for the municipal election and one for the general election, which were distributed to more than 100,000 people in the Pikes Peak region through our website, a mailing to our supporters, and inclusion in the Colorado Springs Independent.

Promoting Dialogue & Awareness

Citizens Project distributed our electronic monthly Freedom Watch Online to more than 2,000 subscribers, providing them with in-depth analyses of local and national issues, opportunities to get involved, and more. Through our electronic Action Network, we sent 1,500 activists up-to-the-minute updates about pending legislation and electoral initiatives with information about how to make a positive impact on public policy.

Again this year, Citizens Project deployed an awareness campaign to stimulate conversation and tackle some of the most difficult issues facing our community. The campaign appeared in print, online, and on billboards, and it continues to create robust discussion on our blog.

CP also worked with a coalition of twenty five diverse faith and civic groups to present a special film screening to commemorate 9/11.

Creating Inclusive Learning Communities

Our second annual Citizens’ Religious Freedom Institute, a one-day seminar for teachers, administrators, students and community members on how the courts have interpreted church/state separation in public schools and how to promote religious freedom in the classroom, was well-attended and highly rated by participants. Many attendees received graduate credit or contact hours, and, as one participant said, it was a “very enjoyable, informative day.”

Again in 2011, Citizens Project mailed the Anti-Defamation League’s December Dilemma publication to 200 local schools, which contains information about inclusive holiday practices. This year we also worked with Inside/Out and the Safe @School Coalition to provide a primer on recently-passed HB1254, which expands protection from bullying to LGBT students. Additionally, we followed up with several high schools that held their graduation ceremonies at churches to help ensure future commencement celebrations that honor the unique faith traditions of all students, and comply with legal precedent regarding separation of church and state.

All of this was work to advance religious freedom, diversity, equality and civic engagement in the Pikes Peak region was possible because of the hundreds of active supporters, just like you, who gave time, money, energy and vision to help Citizens Project put our mission into motion. Thank you – and we’ll see you in 2012!

Citizens Project Board Retreat, 2011

Citizens Project is proud to announce six new members for its board of directors in 2012: William Brown, Frances Gomeztagle, Pete Lee, Barbara Reichert, Brinah Vincent, and Heather Zambrano.

The 2012 Citizens Project officers will be: Erin Hannan, Board Chair; Steve Mack, Treasurer; and Kelley Parker, Secretary. Citizens Project also thanks our 2011 officers: Lynn Young, Board Chair; Karole Campbell, Treasurer, and Kelley Parker, Secretary.

The organization thanks its departing members for their tremendous service to the organization: Sharon Berthrong, J.J. Courtright, Una Ng-Brasch, and Ron Walden.

We are delighted to invite you to a volunteer open house at our office. Meet other supporters, hear about opportunities to get involved, and see where much of our work takes place! Please save the date and plan to join us!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011
5:00 until 6:30 pm
Citizens Project office at 4360 Montebello Drive, Ste 800
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Map

If you’re interested in volunteering, but are unavailable to attend the open house, please email Kristy Milligan or call the office at (719) 520-9899.

We are busy getting ready for the 2nd Annual Colorado Gives Day – December 6, 2011! Our kickoff this week was an amazing success, thanks to the great agencies participating (and thanks to Glenn for photos)!

Coloradans made history last year by donating a stunning $8.4 million online for local charities – all in a 24 hour period. We are thrilled to be able to participate this year in making philanthropic history!

Save the date and plan to join this statewide effort to raise awareness and resources for your favorite charities. For more information about Colorado Gives Day, please visit www.givingfirst.org, or check out the flyer!

“This generous planned gift is an inspiration and testament to the importance of separation of church and state, diversity, equality and civic engagement in the Pikes Peak region,” said Kristy Milligan, Executive Director. “We are so honored to be the beneficiaries of this amazing gesture, and only wish we could have thanked the donor personally.”

Citizens Project is calling on current supporters who have planned a gift to the organization to notify staff or board members, allowing them to express their gratitude while the donor is still alive. Donors are encouraged to call the office at 719-520-9899 if they have designated a legacy gift to the nonprofit.

Citizens Project is funded primarily through individual contributions to support its mission and work to advance religious freedom, equality, diversity and civic engagement. Since its inception in 1992, the organization has received three significant memorial or legacy contributions totaling $150,000.

Election Education

For the 19th consecutive year, Citizens Project published a comprehensive local Freedom Watch Voter Guide that was inserted in the Colorado Springs Independent and reached more than 100,000 voters in the Pikes Peak region with unbiased information about candidates and ballot measure descriptions. Citizens Project also took a position against Colorado Ballot Measures 60, 61, 62 and 101, all of which were soundly defeated.

Together with the Colorado Springs Independent and many community co-sponsors, Citizens Project hosted a primary El Paso County Sheriff debate and produced two Election Education Forums in October for the general 2010 election.

Recently, we worked with a broad coalition to challenge the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s decision to hold 72% of physical polling locations in churches. We found that neighboring counties held 38% or less of polling places in churches and disseminated research that demonstrates a correlation between voting habits and polling place. Citizens Project also coordinated a mailing to over 400 local faith communities with educational materials about electioneering and how churches can comply with IRS guidelines to protect their tax-exempt status.

Separation of Church and State

Next week, Citizens Project will send all local schools The December Dilemma, a practical guide for educators to ensure inclusive holiday celebrations. We also began planning our second annual Citizens’ Religious Freedom Institute to educate teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members about upholding religious freedom in our classrooms. If you’re interested in helping with this important event, please let us know.

Citizens Project also collaborated with faith and business leaders to develop a proposal for a more inclusive municipal policy regarding banners on public property, which City Council will vote on in early 2011.

Diversity and Equality

Citizens Project played a key role in the re-establishment of a Colorado Springs Human Relations Commission, which will educate and protect all members of our community on the importance of diversity and mediate disputes on behalf of the city. Stay tuned for updates!

In early 2010, Citizens Project launched an awareness campaign designed to stimulate conversation and heighten awareness of our issues. More than 100 people signed up on our website, and many of our friends in the community reported having positive conversations as a result of the campaign.

Time, Talent & Money

Citizens Project has always been a grassroots organization that relies heavily on the support of dozens of volunteers and hundreds of supporters! Our accomplishments this year are a testament to the incredible power of our allies in the community.

We held our first-ever Volunteer Open House in July, and we’re planning a Holiday Open House for volunteers on December 13, 2010 at 5pm right here at the CP office. Please let us know  if you can join us to see our office space and hear about the incredible impact volunteers and donors have on our programs. We also developed a quarterly Volunteer Connection newsletter. If you’re interested in learning about our amazing volunteers or upcoming opportunities to make a difference, please feel free to contact us.

Again this year, Citizens Project has been invited to participate in the Colorado Springs Give! Initiative, a coordinated effort to elevate awareness of nonprofits in our community and increase philanthropy in the region. If you’re interested in donating time or money, and earning great rewards, please learn more by visiting IndyGive.com.  

All this work is possible because of you: thank you for all you do to create community! Please call on us any time with ideas, feedback, problems or questions. You are the citizens of Citizens Project.