Behavioral Health Services Sponsorship Policy

Purpose 

To provide clear guidelines for community organizations requesting sponsorship using behavioral health sales and use tax dollars.

At a Glance 

  • The organization applying must be based in Larimer County.
  • BHS will review applications for sponsorship requests of up to $2,000. 
  • Organizations may not apply for more than one sponsorship request per year.
  • Funding is considered a one-time approval and cannot be used as a recurring line item in any organization’s annual budget. 
  Expand All   Collapse All

All sponsorships must directly support the 2018 ballot intent to provide preventative, early identification, intervention, support, and treatment services for youth, adults, families, and senior citizens who are residents of Larimer County. This includes residents in Berthoud, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, Windsor, and all rural communities.

2018 Ballot Language

Shall Larimer County taxes be increased $19,000,000 dollars annually (estimated first fiscal year dollar increase in 2019) and by whatever additional amount as may be raised annually thereafter, for a period of 20 years by the imposition of a .25% (25 cents on $100 dollars) sales and use tax with all revenue from such tax to be used in accordance with the Board of County Commissioners Resolution # 07242018R013 for the following Mental/Behavioral Health care purposes:

  • Provide preventative, early identification, intervention, support, and treatment services for youth, adults, families and senior citizens, either directly or indirectly, who are residents of Larimer County including Berthoud, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, Windsor and rural communities of Larimer County through in-person and other delivery methods, which may include tele-services, community based services and other service options and;
  • Acquire, construct, improve, maintain, lease, remodel, staff, equip, and operate new and/or existing mental/behavioral health facilities;

Further provided that an annual report shall be published and provided to the Board of County Commissioners on the designation or use of the revenues from the tax increase in the preceding calendar year consistent with its approved purposes.

To be considered, both the organization and the proposed "opportunity" must meet these requirements:

  • Local Focus: The organization must be based in Larimer County.
  • Community Benefit: The request must show clear value to Larimer County residents, and align with the 2018 mental health ballot language, and Larimer County Behavioral Health Services’ Strategic Plan and priorities. 
  • Non-Discrimination: Services must be provided on a non-discriminatory basis.
  • Fiscal Stewardship: Funding is considered a one-time approval and cannot be used as a recurring line item in any organization’s annual budget. The department’s budget is approved annually by the Board of County Commissioners, and the sponsorship allocation may vary year to year. Organizations can request up to $2,000 in sponsorship funding. 
  • Submit Request: 
  • Review and Approval: The BHS Director or a designee will review requests for alignment with the above stated criteria. The BHS Director holds final decision-making authority. In addition to meeting criteria, sponsorships will be assessed on a first come first serve basis and will no longer be granted once allocated funding for sponsorships has been exhausted each fiscal year.
  • Agreement: Before funds are distributed, approved organizations must sign a 
    Behavioral Health Services Sponsorship Agreement (266.89 KB)

Keep these tips in mind as you complete your request:

  • Know the "Ballot Why"
    • Your request must honor the intent of the voters who passed the .25% behavioral health sales and use tax. To score high, clearly explain how your event provides:
    • Preventative or early identification services.
    • Intervention, support, or treatment for mental/behavioral health.
    • Targeted care for youth, adults, families, or senior citizens.
    • Behavioral health workforce development or system capacity building.
  • Check Your Location
    • Requirement: Your organization must be based in Larimer County.
    • Community Reach: We prioritize events that serve residents in Berthoud, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Loveland, Timnath, Wellington, Windsor, and our rural areas.
  • Demonstrate Stewardship
    • BHS defines stewardship as the responsible use of behavioral health tax dollars.
    • One-Time Nature: Do not include this sponsorship as a recurring line item in your annual budget.
    • Clear Justification: Provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds will be used specifically for the "opportunity" described.
    • Cross-Collaborative: BHS prioritizes sponsorships that foster these cross-sector collaborative workforce solutions.
    • Funding Limit: Organizations can request up to $2,000 in sponsorship funding. 
  • Prioritize Access
    • Ensure your event is held on a non-discriminatory basis.
  • Plan for Branding and Reporting
    • If approved, you are entering into a formal partnership.
    • Logo Approval: You must get pre-approval from the BHS Communications Coordinator before printing any materials with the County or BHS logos.
    • The 30-Day Rule: You are required to submit a Post-Event Report within 30 days of your event conclusion. This report must include attendance data and proof of how the BHS logo was used.
  • Logo Usage: BHS logos must appear on all promotional materials. You must get pre-approval from the BHS Communications Coordinator before using the logo or any County slogans.
  • Reporting: Organizations must submit a brief Post-Event Report to bhs@larimer.org within 30 days of the event detailing community impact.
Criteria0 - Does Not Meet3 - Partially Meets5 - Fully Meets
Ballot AlignmentNo connection to behavioral health services.General health focus but lacks clear behavioral health tie-in.Directly provides preventative, early intervention, or treatment support, OR advances strategic priorities such as strengthening behavioral health workforce pathways
ReachDoes not target Larimer County residents.Benefits a narrow or niche group within the County.Specifically serves youth, adults, families, or seniors across urban and rural Larimer County.
Fiscal StewardshipRequested as a recurring or annual budget line item.One-time request but lacks clear justification for tax dollar use.Clear one-time request that demonstrates responsible care of sales-use tax dollars.
Capacity and PlanLacks the expertise or experience to execute the event.Some experience, but the plan or vendor details are vague.Demonstrates high expertise and a clear, detailed plan for successful execution.

Mandatory Compliance Checklist

Before scoring, the reviewer must confirm "Yes" for all of the following:

  • [ ] Local Base: Is the organization based in Larimer County?
  • [ ] Public Access: Is the request non-discriminatory?
  • [ ] Branding: Does the applicant agree to BHS logo pre-approval?
  • [ ] Ethics: Does this sponsorship avoid any conflict of interest?

Final Decision: A total score of 20–25 is recommended for approval, subject to final BHS Director (or designee) authorization.

Larimer County reserves the right to refuse or revoke sponsorship at any time, based upon a determination by Larimer County that the recipient is not in compliance or their request would not comply with the required criteria. If Larimer County determines a sponsorship does not comply with the requirements of the ballot language, the requesting organization may be required to refund any funding provided by Larimer County.


Effective Date: April 2026

Questions?

Please email bhs@larimer.org if you have questions.