If you’re searching for grants for felons in Colorado, the majority of the financial assistance you will qualify for is targeted at low-income individuals and families. That means it’s your income, not your felony, that is the deciding factor.
Specific, felon-focused grants may also be available through reentry programs, but for help with basic living expenses, you should apply for government-funded benefit programs.
Here’s a rundown of the financial support programs Colorado felons can benefit from.
Related: Reentry Grants For Felons in Connecticut
Reentry Grants For Felons in Colorado
Reentry grants for felons fund the programs that provide support services after incarceration.
Some reentry providers offer small stipends and grants to felons who reach their program goals, but reentry programs typically focus on:
- Temporary housing or accommodation
- Clothing and basic necessities
- Daily meals
- Transportation assistance
- Job training and placement support
- Employment opportunities with local partners
- Mentorship programs
- Substance abuse treatment
- Medical care
- Help obtaining identification and important documents
While this isn’t direct cash assistance, these valuable services serve as the foundation for rebuilding lives and achieving financial independence.
The free 2-1-1 helpline can provide details about the reentry programs in your local area. Alternatively, visit Colorado’s reentry hub at https://www.remerg.com/.
Colorado Felons Can Qualify For Monthly Grocery Grants
Learn about the free money you can get to spend on food.
1. Colorado SNAP Grants
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the main benefit program helping low-income households increase their food budget.
If you qualify, you’ll get a debit card (called an EBT card), which holds funds you can spend on groceries at supermarkets and farmer’s markets. Benefits are reloaded each month you qualify.
How much you get depends on your income and household size.
SNAP has also introduced a new work requirement. If you’re aged 18 to 64 and considered able-bodied, you will need to be in work or in an approved job training program for at least 80 hours per month.
Colorado SNAP Income Limits And Benefit Amounts (2026)
| Household Size | Gross Income Limit / Month | Maximum Monthly Payment |
| 1 person | $2,610 | $298 |
| 2 people | $3,526 | $546 |
| 3 people | $4,442 | $785 |
| 4 people | $5,360 | $994 |
| 5 people | $6,276 | $1,183 |
Apply for SNAP: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/snap
2. Everyday Eats
Older, low-income felons in Colorado may qualify for the Everyday Eats program.
This program provides a free box of nutritious USDA food staples each month. Packages contain items like canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, rice, milk, peanut butter, and other basics.
To qualify, you must:
- Be 60 years of age or older
- Live in Colorado
- Meet the income limits set for your household size
Once you’re in the program, you’ll be authorized to collect your monthly food package at your local food pantry (some food pantries deliver to your door for free).
To apply, visit your nearest participating food bank (take ID and proof of income) or fill out the short form available here: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/CSFP
3. Colorado WIC Grants
WIC is the Women, Infants, and Children program. The food benefits it provides are available to:
- Pregnant women
- Postpartum mothers (up to 6 months post birth)
- Breastfeeding women (up to 12 months post-delivery)
- Infants under 1 year old and children under 5 who are at nutritional risk
Mom or Dad can apply for WIC benefits for their children.
WIC issues a payment to your eWIC card each month to spend on approved healthy food items. The benefit has an average value of about $50 – $55 per eligible person per month.
If you receive SNAP or TANF (see next section), you can automatically qualify for WIC. Otherwise, eligibility is based on verified income below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines.
For pregnant women, an unborn child counts as a household member. The 2026 gross monthly income limits for WIC are:
- 1 person – $2,413
- 2 people – $3,260
- 3 people – $4,109
- 4 people – $4,957
- 5 people – $5,805
More about WIC: https://www.coloradowic.gov/about
Cash Grants For Living Expenses
Very-low-income families and pregnant women in Colorado can get basic cash assistance to help cover basic living expenses through the Colorado Works program, the state’s version of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
Families must have a child below the age of 18 living at home.
Eligibility for Colorado Works is based on countable income. This is the amount you have after deductions for allowable expenses like rent, utilities, and childcare.
Countable Income Limits and Maximum Grant Amounts Colorado Works 2026
| Household Size | Countable Income Limit/Month | Maximum Monthly Payment |
| 1 person | $253 | $357 |
| 2 people | $331 | $446 |
| 3 people | $421 | $592 |
| 4 people | $510 | $719 |
| 5 people | $605 | $853 |
Benefits are paid via an EBT card or by direct deposit to a bank account.
Apply for the Colorado Works cash grant: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/colorado-works
Home Heating Grants
Colorado’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) offers home heating grants worth up to $1,000 each winter. The amount you qualify for depends on your household size and income.
LEAP also issues crisis grants to households with broken heating systems or those facing a utility shutoff. The maximum crisis grant is $4,800.
All payments are made directly to utility suppliers and equipment vendors.
Colorado LIEAP Income Limits 2026
| Household Size | Gross Monthly Income Limit |
| 1 person | $3,607 |
| 2 people | $4,717 |
| 3 people | $5,827 |
| 4 people | $6,938 |
| 5 people | $8,048 |
Apply for LEAP grants: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/leap
Can Felons Get Rent Assistance?
Yes, felons can get help paying rent, but it may be difficult to qualify for the main low-income rent assistance program because of the background check.
Housing Choice Voucher Program
The HCV program is the main provider of long-term rent assistance. Also known as Section 8, the HCV program allows participants to rent publicly or privately owned housing. The HCV pays part of the rent, with the tenant required to contribute no more than 30% of their income.
While the program is federally funded, it’s managed locally by Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). Because individual PHAs are free to set their own criminal background policies, you’ll need to contact your PHA to find out if your felony is disqualifying.
PHAs don’t run a permanent ban on most felonies, and the time-limited disqualification will depend on the type of offense on your record.
Two offenses that are always permanently disqualifying are:
- Convictions for manufacturing methamphetamine on the premises of public housing
- Convictions with a lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender
PHAs must carry out individualized assessments when a criminal background is disqualifying. During that assessment, you’ll get a chance to provide evidence about your rehabilitation. That can be your steady employment record, proof you completed a drug rehab or anger management program, personal references from your parole officer, reentry supervisor, or community leader, and records showing employment or education certifications.
Keep in mind that most PHAs run waiting lists. These can be long; the background check doesn’t take place while you’re on the waitlist, and your offense may be outside the disqualifying window by the time it’s your turn.
Find your PHA: https://www.hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts
Rapid Rehousing For Homeless Felons
If you don’t have anywhere to live, the Rapid Rehousing Program can help. Rapid rehousing focuses on getting people off the streets and into stable, safe housing. Your felony will not be a barrier, nor will any substance addiction issues.
You’ll need a referral to the program and a needs assessment (can be done over the phone). If you qualify, your housing case manager will help you find somewhere to live and arrange for the payment of move-in costs. Rent assistance can be paid (up to 24 months in a 3-year period), and you’ll continue to receive case management support to help you maintain your housing.
Call the free 2-1-1 helpline and ask for your nearest Coordinated Entry System access point to begin the application process.
Learn more about Rapid Rehousing: https://doh.colorado.gov/rapid-re-housing
Emergency Grants And Support Felons Can Apply For
Grants from charities can help when you’re facing an emergency. Some charities will provide money to prevent an eviction for overdue rent, help with utility bills, or pay for a security deposit.
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: Works in the Denver metro area to help people and families find and keep stable housing, access healthcare, job resources, childcare, and supportive services – https://www.coloradocoalition.org
Metro Caring: This Denver-area nonprofit provides groceries and connects families to resources like housing support and utilities assistance – https://metrocaring.org
Catholic Charities of Denver: Offers emergency assistance, food programs, housing support, early childhood services, counseling, immigration help, and more across Colorado’s Front Range and Western Slope – https://ccdenver.org
Modest Needs: Provides small grants to low-income working people with a short-term financial need. Proof of income and expense is required – https://www.modestneeds.org/mn/for-applicants/grants/self-sufficiency-grants
Salvation Army: Issues grants to help pay rent, security deposits, utilities, and public transit costs. Also offers over-the-phone referral to Rapid Rehousing – https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usa-western-territory/intermountain/welcome-to-the-connection-center
Federal And Colorado State Grants For Education And Job Training
Having a felony is not a barrier to grant funding for a degree or certification program. Eligibility for grants is based on the information you supply on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The following grants are based on financial need, and as a low-income independent adult student, you could qualify for the maximum award amounts.
- Federal Pell Grant: Eligible students receive grants worth up to $7,395 per year (incarcerated felons also eligible if studying in approved Prison Education Program)
- FSEOG: Students with very low incomes are eligible for up to $4,000 per year.
- Colorado College Opportunity Fund: This grant cuts the per-credit cost at public in-state colleges. Worth $116 per credit hour, the grant reduces the cost of full-time study by $3,480 per year
Learn more: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants
Apply for COF: https://cof.college-assist.org/
Workforce Innovation And Opportunity Act Job Training
The WIOA supports vital programs for unemployed and underemployed workers.
To join a program, speak to an advisor at your Colorado Workforce Center. They’ll help you choose a career path that suits your abilities and goals and enroll you in the right training program.
Support through the WIOA includes:
- Job training programs, including paid on-the-job training
- Apprenticeships, and internships
- Trade school programs
- Short-term college courses
- Résumé writing, and interview skills
- Help to purchase tools and uniforms
- Testing and licensing fees
- Financial assistance with childcare and transportation
A WIOA grant can fund training for a wide range of careers. Here are a few examples.
- If you’re interested in a skilled trade, you could train for commercial truck driving (CDL), welding & fabrication, concrete finishing, solar panel installation, or forklift operator certification
- Office-based skills include coding bootcamps and QuickBooks certification.
- In healthcare, training is available to qualify as a phlebotomy technician or home health aide.
- The hospitality field offers careers in restaurant management, hotel and hospitality operations, food safety, and commercial cooking.
- For budding entrepreneurs, available courses include digital marketing, cosmetology, barbering, and commercial cleaning business certification.
Learn more about WIOA grant-funded opportunities for felons: https://cdle.colorado.gov/wioa-js