Grants for Single Mothers in Colorado (2026 Guide)

Where to start in Colorado

Start with the problem that can harm your family soonest. Do not try to finish every application in one sitting. Colorado has a state-supervised, county-administered benefits system, so county offices handle many interviews, documents, renewals, and case decisions.

Use the official county office finder when PEAK does not show what is missing or you need a local decision explained.

Quick reference

Cash and income help

Colorado Works

Colorado Works is the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. It can provide a monthly cash payment to eligible families with children and can connect parents with schooling, training, jobs, case management, and family-stability services.

Apply through PEAK, the MyCOBenefits app, a paper application, or the county office. Cash can be issued through an EBT card or direct deposit after approval. The amount depends on the household and program budget; it is not designed to pay a full Colorado rent bill.

Ask the county whether it offers diversion, transportation, work clothing, training, or another one-time support. County options and funding differ. The ASMOM Colorado TANF guide explains application steps and work-program issues.

Child support services

Colorado Child Support Services can help establish parentage, set or change support orders, locate a parent, and collect payments. Services do not guarantee that money will be collected quickly.

If contact with the other parent could create a safety risk, tell the benefits or child support worker before sharing a new address, phone number, or other sensitive information. This guide is general information, not legal or safety advice.

Food help

SNAP grocery benefits

Colorado SNAP provides monthly grocery benefits on a Colorado Quest EBT card. The county reviews income, household members, expenses, and other rules. Apply even if your hours change or you are not sure how an expense will be counted.

Colorado says some households may qualify for expedited SNAP within seven days. This can include households with very little cash and earnings, very high housing costs compared with income, or certain migrant or seasonal farmworker situations. Ask the county to screen the application rather than assuming it will be expedited.

The ASMOM Colorado SNAP guide covers interviews, documents, and EBT issues.

Extra food programs

Colorado WIC helps eligible pregnant and postpartum people, infants, children under age five, and caregivers with food, nutrition support, breastfeeding help, and referrals. Families receiving Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, or FDPIR are automatically income eligible, but must still complete WIC enrollment.

The SNAP Produce Bonus gives Colorado SNAP shoppers a dollar-for-dollar amount back on the EBT card for eligible fruit and vegetable purchases at participating stores, up to the current monthly program limit. No separate enrollment is required.

The ASMOM Colorado WIC guide helps families prepare for an appointment.

Summer EBT in 2026

Colorado Summer EBT, also called SUN Bucks, provides a one-time $120 food benefit for each eligible child in summer 2026. Many children are enrolled automatically. A family that is not automatically enrolled may need to apply by August 25, 2026.

Use the official enrollment checker before applying. Keep school and benefit addresses current because new cards are mailed. Summer EBT is separate from free summer meal sites, so families may use both when eligible.

Housing, rent, and eviction help

Colorado does not have one rent grant that stays open for every family. Rental help is limited, may use short application windows or selection systems, and can vary by county or city.

The state Emergency Rental Assistance Program reports funding for some households that are behind on rent, meet program rules, and face eviction or displacement. Check the live page for the current application method instead of relying on an old deadline.

Colorado Housing Connects helps renters find housing navigation, eviction-prevention, landlord-tenant, and foreclosure resources. It can explain options, but it does not guarantee rent payment or housing placement.

If you receive a court summons, act before the hearing date. Save the lease, payment ledger, notices, texts, emails, and receipts. The ASMOM Colorado housing guide covers shelters, housing authorities, rent programs, and waitlists. Use the Colorado legal guide when court, lockout, unsafe housing, custody, or benefit rights are involved.

Health coverage and pregnancy help

Health First Colorado is Colorado’s Medicaid program. CHP+ covers some children and pregnant people whose income is too high for Medicaid. Applications are accepted year-round, and PEAK can screen the household for the correct program.

The official CHP+ program page says pregnancy coverage has no enrollment fee or copays and can continue for 12 months after the pregnancy ends when the pregnancy is reported. A newborn should be added to the case promptly.

Cover All Coloradans allows qualifying Colorado children age 18 and younger and pregnant or postpartum people to receive full health benefits regardless of immigration status. Income and residence rules still apply.

Keep the state updated with the household’s mailing address, phone, and email so renewal notices arrive. The ASMOM Colorado health guide covers enrollment help, clinics, dental care, pregnancy coverage, and appeals.

Child care and preschool

Colorado Child Care Assistance Program

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, called CCCAP, helps some families who are working, searching for work, attending school, or experiencing homelessness pay for child care. Counties manage applications and set local rules within state limits.

Access is uneven in 2026. Some counties have frozen new enrollment or use waitlists because funding is limited. Apply and ask the county whether it is accepting new families, which priority groups it serves, and whether an application preserves a place on a waitlist.

Do not start care assuming CCCAP will pay. The county must authorize the provider and schedule. Families may owe a parent fee, and not every licensed provider accepts CCCAP.

The ASMOM Colorado child care guide gives county questions and provider steps.

Universal Preschool Colorado

Universal Preschool Colorado applications are open for the 2026–2027 year. Children who are four on or before October 1, 2026, can apply for state-funded preschool in the year before kindergarten. Colorado says all children can apply for up to 15 hours per week, while some may qualify for more hours based on qualifying factors and available funding.

Preschool hours may not cover a full workday. Ask about before-school care, after-school care, transportation, meals, and any cost not covered by UPK.

Utility and heating help

Colorado LEAP helps eligible households pay part of their winter home-heating cost. The 2025–2026 regular season closed April 30, 2026. LEAP normally accepts applications from November through April, so regular applications are not open in July.

Do not wait for the next heating season if service is at risk. Call the utility about a payment plan and hardship programs, contact 211, and ask local agencies about current assistance. LEAP-approved households may also qualify for weatherization or emergency heating-system repair, subject to program rules.

The ASMOM Colorado utility guide covers off-season help, shutoff steps, weatherization, and utility-company funds.

School, job training, and paid leave

College and career training

Colorado Promise can help qualifying recent Colorado high school graduates with costs at public colleges and technical schools. There is no separate Colorado Promise application. Students must complete FAFSA or CASFA and meet income, enrollment, credit, and academic rules.

Colorado Promise is not an upfront check for every student. Ask the college financial aid office how its free-college aid and the state tax-credit reimbursement work before enrolling or borrowing. The ASMOM Colorado education guide covers FAFSA, CASFA, grants, and scholarships.

Colorado Workforce Centers offer job search, resume, career, unemployment, and training connections. Some customers may qualify for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act services, but local eligibility and approved-training rules apply.

Paid family and medical leave

Colorado FAMLI can provide partial wage replacement for eligible workers taking leave for bonding with a new child, a serious health condition, caregiving, certain safety needs, or qualifying neonatal care. A claim requires documentation and does not replace every workplace leave right.

Tax credits and other income supports

Colorado offers state versions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. The Colorado tax credit page also explains the Family Affordability Tax Credit. That credit is currently listed for tax years 2024 and 2025, so do not assume it will apply to tax year 2026 without checking later guidance.

Tax credits normally require filing a return. A free tax-preparation program may help with current or prior-year returns, but no preparer can promise a refund before reviewing the full tax situation. The ASMOM Colorado tax guide explains common family credits and free filing options.

Documents to gather

Do not delay an urgent application because one paper is missing. Submit the application and ask what alternative proof is accepted. Keep copies, upload confirmations, and call notes.

The ASMOM documents checklist gives a longer folder list for benefits and local assistance.