CO SB080

Creates the Cradle to Career Grant Program within the Colorado Department of Human Services to provide grants promoting economic mobility from poverty through coordinated community-based supports for children, youth, and families

Eligible grant recipients include local governments, school districts, charter schools, state higher education institutions, Indian tribes/tribal organizations, and nonprofit community-based organizations serving areas where at least 30% of households with children have income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line

Establishes a five-member Cradle to Career Advisory Board appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Minority Leader to approve grant recipients and develop program guidelines, with initial appointments due by September 1, 2026

Grants are awarded for four-year periods with possible one- or two-year extensions; the state department must award at least two grants by July 1, 2027, with recipients reporting annually on performance indicators including family economic security, housing stability, academic performance, and workforce readiness

Funding comes from a dedicated cash fund supported by gifts, grants, and donations; no general fund appropriation is permitted in the first year, and subsequent general fund appropriations are capped at 50% of prior year donations; the program is scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2033