Since our founding, DFER Colorado (DFER-CO) has grown into a powerful stakeholder within the Democratic Party, with a track record of recruiting and supporting excellent candidates, winning campaigns, and providing expert policy guidance to policymakers.

As one of the largest contributors to Colorado Democratic Infrastructure, DFER-CO, through our partner organization Education Reform Now Advocacy, has been a key ally to Colorado Democrats in defeating Republicans and building majorities. We support the efforts of the Colorado Democracy Alliance, the House Majority Project, the Democratic Senate Majority Fund and others by funding field, mail, television, and digital programs that highlight Democratic majority accomplishments. Our support ensures that Colorado Democrats are able to win outside of the progressive bubbles of Denver and Boulder and attract a diverse voter coalition that reaches beyond white college educated professionals.  DFER-CO has supported Democratic leaders like Alec Garnett, Brittany Pettersen, James Coleman, Rhonda Fields, Barbara McLachlan, Jeff Bridges and Governor Jared Polis who are at the frontlines of improving educational outcomes for kids regardless of their zip code.

DFER Colorado works to ensure that impressive electoral victories and majorities lead to substantial legislative action. Examples of policies driven by DFER supported candidates include the passage of the Great Teachers and Leaders Act, Breakfast after the Bell, equitable funding and access to mill levy overrides for all students, funding for full day kindergarten, automatic enrollment grant program, elimination of districts’ ability to withhold transcripts, grades, or diplomas due to unpaid fees or fines, increase FAFSA completion rates, 9^th Grade Success grant program, universal preschool and the department of Early Childhood Education, and increased funding for multilingual students. We were also leaders in the ongoing legislative attempts to systemically overhaul our antiquated K-12 school finance formula so students that need more resources get them.