Denver’s Blue Bench is staring down a financial cliff after federal grant withdrawals sliced away nearly half its operating budget, a shortfall the nonprofit says is already hitting survivors who rely on its counseling and crisis services. The organization, widely known as the metro area’s primary sexual assault prevention and survivor services provider, reports losing roughly $500,000, or about 45% of its funding. That drop has meant staff cuts, longer waits for therapy, and a stretched 24-hour crisis line that typically fields thousands of contacts a year.
As reported by Denver7, executive director Rebecca Tiell-Krekeler said the group "had to make staff cuts" because of the funding loss, and survivors are already seeing longer queues for services. Denver7 notes that the nonprofit responded by launching an urgent fundraising push to help plug the gap left by the federal grants.
Services by the numbers
The Blue Bench’s own campaign materials show how much work is on the line. According to its 2025 figures, 137 people received individual therapy, 150 received case management, 1,889 contacts were made to the crisis line by phone and chat, and 769 community members participated in prevention programming. Those numbers appear on the group’s “A Longer Bench” fundraising page, which explicitly ties the campaign to shrinking federal support. The Blue Bench says the drive is aimed at expanding capacity while leaders look for additional funding sources.
Federal cuts, local fallout
The squeeze did not start in Denver. Analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice shows the Department of Justice pulled or canceled a large set of planned awards in April 2025, disrupting hundreds of victim service projects across the country. That national belt-tightening has translated into a local crunch. Reporting by CBS Colorado documents layoffs and program reductions at other victim service providers around the state as agencies scramble to cover unexpected budget holes.
State awards do not close the gap
State funding has helped, but not enough. Grant records show The Blue Bench received a Colorado Division of Criminal Justice award of $642,365 listed in 2025 allocations for sexual assault victim services, yet that support did not fully offset the loss of federal dollars. The state award list, posted publicly by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, also underscores that The Blue Bench is one of several local providers relying on a patchwork of funding streams.
How The Blue Bench is responding
In response, The Blue Bench has rolled out its “A Longer Bench” fundraising campaign, asking for both monetary support and broader community engagement to keep services afloat while it explores other revenue options. Board Chair Savannah Merwin, a former client, told Denver7 that the recent wave of coverage has been "re-traumatizing" for many survivors and that demand for the hotline has increased, underscoring the urgency behind the appeal.
Advocates say The Blue Bench’s situation is part of a broader funding crisis for victim services that is putting timely access to counseling and advocacy at risk in Colorado and beyond. They are urging donors and local leaders to step in while long-term fixes are debated. Community members can learn more about the campaign and donate directly through The Blue Bench’s site.
