Safety grant program

Initial Letters of Intent for the 2021 funding cycle open May 12, 2021 and are due Friday, July 9, 2021. Please contact community_investments@pinnacol.com with any questions about the 2021 funding cycle.

Before you apply
Please take the time to read through the following information to fully understand the program intentions, deadlines and reporting requirements. If you have any questions or need assistance submitting the letter of intent or application, please email community_investments@pinnacol.com.

The Pinnacol Assurance Safety Grant Program provides financial assistance to nonprofit Pinnacol policyholders that would like to address a history of workers’ compensation claims by focusing on resolving a specific workplace safety risk. Grant funding can be used to purchase equipment or implement processes aimed at reducing employees’ exposure to health and safety hazards.

This is an 80/20 matching grant program, with Pinnacol providing 80 percent of the funding for the safety initiative and the remaining 20 percent provided by the grant recipient. The average grant award is between $7,500 to $10,000 per grantee.

Apply for a safety grant

See the list of our grant recipients.

Why should your organization apply for a safety grant?

Organizations that invest in safety are investing in their most valuable resource: their people. The Safety Grant Program supports Colorado nonprofits that have identified a safety initiative that will address a safety risk or hazard but may lack the immediate resources to proactively or creatively address the hazard. Funding will help nonprofit employers take care of their employees while reducing the expense of preventable workplace accidents.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants should be:

Current Pinnacol policyholders in good standing.
Colorado nonprofits.
Operating in the state of Colorado. Employees who will be impacted by the safety initiative must also be working in the state of Colorado.

Applicants must:

Agree to use grant funding to implement a safety initiative that seeks to end or reduce incidences of workplace accidents that have resulted in workers’ compensation claims over the prior two years.
Agree to fund 20 percent of the cost of the safety initiative. For example, if the safety grant total is $5,000, the organization must contribute $1,000 (20 percent of the total) to the safety initiative. Pinnacol’s safety grant would cover the remaining $4,000 (80 percent of the total).
Agree to implement the proposed safety initiative by June 30, 2022.
If awarded, agree to comply with all reporting requirements below.
Allow Pinnacol to share the results of the safety initiative with others so they can benefit from your success and key findings. This information may be shared with, but is not limited to, other policyholders, agents, Pinnacol employees, the general public and the media.
If needed, allow Pinnacol staff to access the work site to observe, photograph and videotape processes that would be affected by the proposed safety initiative.

Application requirements/timeline

Submit an initial letter of intent (LOI) by July 9, 2021. This will provide Pinnacol with a general understanding of the proposed safety initiative.
If the applicant is selected for further consideration (after the review of the LOI), the applicant will be invited to submit a full grant application by Sept. 10, 2021.

Use of grant funds

Any funds not spent for their intended purpose by June 30, 2022 must be returned to Pinnacol.
Safety grant funds may be used only for approved uses. See below for information about acceptable uses of funds.
Safety grant funds may not be used retroactively for past purchases. All expenditures should occur during the grant period.

Reporting requirements

Six-month implementation report: Submit a report detailing the steps taken to implement the safety initiative during the six-month period of time following the grant being awarded. This will include details on how the grant funds were spent.
One-year outcomes report: Submit a report detailing the impact of the safety intervention one year after the grant was awarded. This report will require a claims summary.
Two-year outcomes report: Submit a report detailing the impact of the safety intervention two years after the grant was awarded. This report will require a claims summary.

Grant submission and approval process

Phase one: Letter of Intent (LOI)

An LOI for the proposed safety initiative is due July 9, 2021.
The individual submitting the LOI will be notified via email when the LOI is received.
The LOI will be reviewed for completeness. Incomplete LOIs will be rejected.
Complete LOIs will be evaluated by the Safety Grant Selection Committee. This committee will determine which applicants will receive further consideration.
Applicants identified for further consideration will be informed by July 29, 2021, and invited to complete a full grant application by Sept. 10, 2021.
Applicants not identified for further review will also be informed by July 29, 2021.

Phase two: Application

Applications for the proposed safety initiative are due Sept. 10, 2021. The application will be pre-populated with information included in the LOI but will require additional, more detailed information about the proposed intervention.
The individual submitting the full grant application will be notified via email when the application is received.
The application will be reviewed for completeness. Incomplete applications will be rejected.
Complete applications will be evaluated by the Safety Grant Selection Committee. This committee will determine which applicants will be awarded Pinnacol Safety Grants. The Safety Grant Selection Committee will inform all applicants of their selection or non-selection by Nov. 22, 2021.

Determination

Decisions on whether to accept or deny an application using, but not limited to, the following:

How well the safety initiative addresses a hazard that has resulted in reoccurring workplace accidents resulting in workers’ compensation claims over the prior two years. If you would like more information about your organization's safety history you can pull a report, called a Loss Run Report, in our Policyholder Portal. Use the Policyholder Portal User Guide to learn how to pull your report.
How well the safety initiative addresses the hazard based upon the hierarchy of controls model of hazard prevention and control.
How significant the risk is to your employees’ health and safety. Additional consideration will be given to those organizations seeking to address the top three workplace injury causes either by frequency or cost.
How well the safety initiative addresses the root cause of the safety hazard.
How well the safety initiative will address the safety hazard over time.
How easily the safety initiative can be implemented. Safety initiatives focused on changing the employees’ environment with limited training will be rated more highly than safety initiatives that require ongoing training.
More innovative safety initiatives will be given additional consideration (e.g., integrating technology to address a hazard).
Completeness of the LOI and/or application.

Acceptable uses of grant funding

This pilot program is intended to support nonprofits in making environmental improvements to workplaces that address hazards that have resulted in reoccurring workplace accidents resulting in workers’ compensation claims.

Safety initiatives may include the purchase of approved ergonomic, safety and/or industrial hygiene equipment. While the intent is to support environmental improvements, improvements from other interventions may be considered if appropriate. Safety initiatives should address the root cause of the hazard and also seek to address the hazard by utilizing the hierarchy of controls model of hazard prevention and control.

Read more about pilot projects that we've funded.

Ineligible expenses

The following safety materials, supplies and equipment will not be considered for safety grant funding:

Any safety initiative that does not address the root cause of a safety hazard that has resulted in reoccurring workplace accidents resulting in workers’ compensation claims.
Any protective equipment, supplies, training, or materials required through existing regulation such as standard machine guarding or personal protective equipment.
Back belts
Exercise equipment
First aid kits
First aid and/or CPR training
Forklifts
Knee pads
Materials, supplies, or training specific to the prevention or spread of COVID-19
Rehabilitation equipment and treatment
Sit/stand office computer workstations
Skid steer loaders, front-end loaders, bobcats, all earth-moving equipment
Standard guard railing systems (unless purchased for sole use by the policyholder and is a permanent, manufactured device)
Vehicles, including cars and trucks
Weaponry, including tasers
Wrist splints

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. The Safety Grant Selection Committee may exclude additional materials, supplies, services and equipment during the review process.

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