East Colfax Community Collective (EC3) is a community-driven, multicultural, socio-economically diverse advocacy organization comprised of residents, local businesses and nonprofits, and allies.

Recent Work & Updates

October 2024

Celebrating 1 year of Walking Group

The East Colfax Safety Walking Group’s one-year anniversary was a resounding success! Community members gathered to celebrate the $870,000 funding awarded to the neighborhood, which was awarded due to the Security Ambassador Pilot Project. The event also included a neighborhood-wide trash clean-up, showcasing the community’s commitment to enhancing local safety and beautification. It was a great opportunity for residents, small business owners, city partners, Denver Police Department, community organizations to connect, take pride in their surroundings, and discuss future initiatives.

September 2024

EC3 Celebrates Purchase of Denver Apartment Building

On Sept. 21 EC3 announced the launch of the East Colfax Mixed-Income Neighborhood Trust (EC-MINT). The EC-MINT is a powerful model to address the housing inequities in the East Colfax Corridor through the acquisition and preservation of rental properties that are at high risk of speculation and flipping and where residents face displacement. By acquiring these rental properties, the EC-MINT will: 1) Stabilize rents and establish long-term affordability 2) Invest resources to address habitability issues and improve living conditions for residents 3) Create and sustain community control by giving power to members to govern and hold the MINT accountable.

Events Calendar

Learn about creating a one-page marketing plan, designing ads and attracting more customers. Please register below, especially if you need interpretation!

Food and interpretation will be provided.

Join us for this quarterly meeting – we’re bringing in key leaders to discuss how we can better support your businesses during these challenging times. You’ll also have the opportunity to network with fellow Businesses.

Interpretation is provided and dinner will be served.

Our monthly members meeting will discuss policy updates and how you can support and be involved in EC3’s work.

Light dinner, childcare, interpretation (Spanish,Burmese, Karen, Pulaar) and food boxes provided!

East Colfax Community Collective and The Fax Partnership with Denver Water, Xcel Energy, & Colfax BRT invite businesses to join the conversation about future support for businesses during construction on East Colfax.

We will listen to businesses about their experiences with construction on East Colfax so far and we will build future practices that serve businesses on East Colfax in Denver & Aurora

Interpretation & Refreshments will be provided!

Join us to learn more about the Food Incubation program which supports people who want to start food businesses!

What We Do

IMMEDIATE RELIEF

We provide direct assistance to neighbors and businesses at risk of displacement through our Housing Assistance Campaign, our East Colfax Legal Clinic, and our East Colfax Small Business Relief Fund.

HOUSING SOLUTIONS

We advocate for permanent solutions to the housing crisis grounded in the vision of our community.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

We create programs and events to build leadership, community connection, and pride in East Colfax.

SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT

We advocate for small businesses through support with licensing, permitting and landlord issues, among others.

COALITION BUILDING

We build power at the local, regional, and citywide level to advance equitable housing policy and community centered decision making.

POLICY ADVOCACY

We ensure that our communities have a voice in all policy spaces that impact our neighborhood.

CORE values

Community Driven

We believes that outcomes are always better when those who are directly impacted make the decisions.

POWER-BUILDING

We believe that everything we do must be in the service of building power for our community.

EQUITY

We value policies and practices that recognize that we do not all start from the same place and are designed to address the unique lived experiences and needs of each community.

INNOVATION

We believe that the solutions to displacement are bold, new ideas that are rooted in our community.

LANGUAGE JUSTICE

We respect the voices of our community and believe that everyone has the right to speak for themselves and be heard in the language they choose.

SOLUTION-ORIENTED

We believe we must do more than state the problem, we must drive the solution.

Become a member!

Residential Membership

EC3 is deeply committed to being a membership-based and member-led nonprofit, power building organization. To strengthen this commitment, EC3 created a residential membership model. Learn more by clicking below.

Small Business Membership

Join a community of small business owners in the East Colfax Corridor and North Aurora. All Small Business Memberships go to the East Colfax Small Business Emergency Fund. Learn more by clicking below.

FROM OUR MEMBERS

EC3 helped me find a safe community in East Colfax. When I first came to EC3, it felt very family orientated and welcoming. That is why I keep coming back.

Elizabeth

EC3 saved our lives. If it had not been for EC3 knocking on our door, we would not have known it existed. It saved all of the residents in our complex from the hazardous living situation. EC3 came on board fast, and made sure we were well taken care of. If it had not been for EC3, we would not know what we would have been today, so thank you.

Dr. Ruth

Before becoming EC3 member, I was not as involved in the community. Now, I am very involved in the community, and not just the Burmese community. I also learned so much and have a strong understanding of how to impact my community.

Mansur

Join us

Support the East Colfax Community Collective’s mission to fight displacement and build collective power in our community to shape our own destiny by donating to our general operating fund today!