Editor’s note: The Ouray County Plaindealer started publishing profiles of nonprofits between Thanksgiving and New Year’s in 2020 as a community service.

The purpose of these profiles is to highlight the meaningful work being performed by these organizations and let the community know how they can help them even more, as the holidays approach and we reach the end of 2024. Nonprofit organizations that are based in Ouray County and serve Ouray County are eligible for these profiles.

Year established as a nonprofit: 2021

What does your organization do for Ouray County?

The Ouray Teacher Fund has been established to support Ouray School faculty and staff in their continuing education. We are former teachers and other community members who understand that educators who are deeply engaged in their own learning enrich the experience of their students. We understand the financial challenges of teaching in rural Colorado. Our grants make it possible for teachers to pursue deep study – either in their content areas, their intellectual passions or their pedagogical tools, so they can bring renewed excitement to Ouray School classrooms.

What do you list as your greatest accomplishments in 2024?

Through our generous supporters we were able to help four teachers at the Ouray School attend continuing education courses/conferences to grow their skills, including sending two teachers to Oxford, England for a conference on trauma and learning.

What are some goals or projects you have planned for 2025?

To continue to and expand our ability to serve the educators of the Ouray School, growing their skills and careers in education.

Tell us how the community can help you do more here in Ouray County.

We need donations to help us continue to support the teachers of Ouray School.

We hold an online auction of Ouray-specifi c experiences from May to July and do a by-mail funding drive each winter.

More can be found at our site, www. ourayteacherfund.org.

Thank you to Craig Kaminsky for submitting this information.