Advance Colorado

Advance Colorado
Name	Advance Colorado
Formation	2013
Headquarters	Denver, Colorado
Type	Political advocacy group
Purpose	Civic engagement, ballot measure advocacy, public policy
Region served	Colorado
Leader title	Executive Director

Advance Colorado is a Colorado-based political advocacy organization involved in ballot measure campaigns, civic engagement efforts, and public policy advocacy. It has participated in high-profile ballot initiatives, collaborated with labor unions, business coalitions, and nonprofit networks, and engaged in litigation and media campaigns to influence statewide policy debates. The organization operates within Colorado’s electoral ecosystem alongside other advocacy groups, think tanks, and political committees.

History

Advance Colorado was founded in 2013 amid a wave of ballot initiative activity following the passage of Colorado Amendment 64 and other state-level measures. In its early years the group engaged with campaigns around Colorado Proposition 106 and contested legislative sessions in Denver, Colorado and Jefferson County, Colorado. The organization became more visible during the 2016 and 2018 electoral cycles, working in parallel with entities such as the Service Employees International Union, the Colorado AFL–CIO, and state political committees linked to the Democratic Party (United States). Advance Colorado’s campaign strategies intersected with litigation involving the Colorado Supreme Court and administrative actions at the Colorado Secretary of State’s office.

Organization and Structure

Advance Colorado is structured as a political advocacy entity registered to participate in Colorado political campaigns and ballot question financing. Its leadership has included figures with prior experience in campaign management, communications, and policy from organizations like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and state-level political staffs aligned with the Colorado General Assembly. The group coordinates with law firms, consulting firms, and media vendors that have provided services to clients such as the National Rifle Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, and corporate political action committees. Advance Colorado’s operational base in Denver enables collaboration with statewide organizations including the Western Governors' Association and municipal actors in Aurora, Colorado and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Programs and Initiatives

Advance Colorado has launched and supported ballot campaigns, voter outreach programs, and public education initiatives. These efforts often intersect with campaigns championed by advocacy networks like NextGen America, the League of Women Voters of Colorado, and the Colorado Ethics Watch. The group has promoted measures on taxation, healthcare, and electoral rules, aligning at times with coalitions that include labor unions such as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and advocacy organizations like the Colorado Fiscal Institute. Advance Colorado’s campaigns have used digital organizing platforms favored by groups including ActBlue and conservative counterparts using WinRed.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

Advance Colorado’s policy positions have focused on ballot-access reform, tax policy, and regulatory issues relevant to state ballot measures. The organization has advocated positions that intersect with the priorities of groups such as EMILY's List, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, and environmental organizations including Conservation Colorado and the Sierra Club. In public messaging the group has engaged with debates shaped by actors like the Colorado Restaurant Association, agricultural stakeholders linked to the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, and healthcare stakeholders such as Children's Hospital Colorado and the Colorado Hospital Association.

Funding and Governance

Advance Colorado’s funding has included contributions from individual donors, political action committees, and collaborations with labor and business groups. Financial interactions mirror those seen in Colorado politics involving donors who have also supported entities like the Koch network, the Carpenters Union, and philanthropic organizations related to the Gates Foundation and state-focused foundations. The organization complies with campaign finance disclosure requirements enforced by the Colorado Secretary of State and faces the same reporting timelines as committees registered under state election law and federal rules when applicable.

Controversies and Criticism

Advance Colorado has faced criticism related to transparency, alignment with out-of-state donors, and campaign tactics used in contentious ballot fights. Opponents have included conservative groups such as the Liberty Counsel, business coalitions like the National Federation of Independent Business, and local political figures who have engaged media outlets such as the Denver Post and broadcast partners at KCNC-TV. Legal challenges involving campaign finance and ballot title language have been brought before the Colorado Supreme Court and administrative panels convened by the Colorado Attorney General’s office.

Impact and Reception

Advance Colorado’s activities have influenced vote outcomes on contested measures, shaped coalition-building among labor, business, and advocacy organizations, and contributed to legal precedents concerning ballot measure processes in Colorado. Commentators in outlets such as The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio, and policy analysts at the University of Colorado Boulder have scrutinized the group’s role in state politics. Its campaigns have affected policy debates in municipalities including Fort Collins, Colorado and Pueblo, Colorado and remain part of the broader landscape of advocacy organizations active in the American states.

Category:Political advocacy groups in Colorado