Proof It Works: Public Investments Reduce Colorado Child Poverty

Economic security is one of the strongest predictors of child well-being, yet too many Colorado families struggle to afford basic needs. The Colorado Poverty Measure (COPM), developed by Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy and funded by Gary Community Ventures, shows how public investments—including the Family Affordability Tax Credit, housing assistance, and SNAP—lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty each year. By accounting for Colorado’s cost of living and state-level policies, the measure provides a more complete picture of how public investments reduce child poverty. 

The COPM provides a new opportunity for policymakers and advocates to quantify the impact of public investments, design effective new policy, and ensure state funding drives real change for Colorado’s children. But the benefits of economic opportunity are not shared equally across Colorado and the progress Colorado has made is not guaranteed to continue. Federal cuts and state fiscal constraints could weaken the very programs that are helping families today, making it essential to protect and strengthen proven investments that reduce child poverty.

Read Research Brief with the Colorado Children's Campaign

Key Findings

  • The Colorado Poverty Measure found that state tax credits and public programs lift tens of thousands of Colorado kids out of poverty. In 2024:
     
    • The Colorado Family Affordability Tax Credit (FATC) lifted 22,500 children out of poverty.
    • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) lifted 11,600 children out of poverty and housing assistance lifted 15,800 children out of poverty.
    • On the other hand, out-of-pocket necessary medical expenses pushed 16,700 children into poverty.
       
  • The total child poverty rate is 9%, but rates vary substantially across race, ethnicity, and geography.
     
    • 25% of Black children experience poverty compared with 5% of white children.
    • 13% of children in the San Luis Valley experience poverty compared with 7% of children on the Western Slope.
       
  • In Colorado, out-of-pocket medical expenses – medical costs not covered by insurance – push 16,700 children into poverty.
     
    • Additionally, expenses related to going to work, like the costs of commuting and paying for child care, push 13,400 children into poverty
    • Federal tax liability pushes 11,600 children into poverty

Additional Resources:

Kids in Focus Webinar: Proof It Works.

See presentation slides.

The Colorado Poverty Measure is funded by Gary Community Ventures: a philanthropic and civic-action organization based in Denver, Colorado.

The Colorado Children’s Campaign is a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization working to create opportunity for Colorado’s children by catalyzing innovative policy, research, and advocacy solutions.

Suggested Citation:

Gould, Maya, Sarah Barnes, and Danielle Wilson. Proof It Works: Public investments reduce Colorado child poverty. Research Brief. Denver, Colorado: Colorado Children’s Campaign in collaboration with the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University and Gary Community Ventures.

Published on October 16, 2026