The Community Impact Council’s annual breakfast event that honors Mesa County nonprofits – and businesses and individuals who support them – will take place March 4 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Colorado Mesa University’s ballroom.

The Community Impact Council is a coalition of 80-plus local nonprofits and their supporters. Members of the public are invited to attend. Individual tickets are available for $30, and tables of eight can also be purchased for $200 online at www.communityimpactcouncil.org.

Outstanding local nonprofit leadership, community volunteers and exceptional philanthropic contributions will be recognized during the program, which has “Cultivating Young Leaders: Empowering the Next Generation” as its theme.

This year’s keynote speaker is Johanna van Waveren, executive director of the nonprofit Colorado National Monument Association. Van Waveren joined CNMA in 2016, after working as a seasonal park guide for the National Park Service at Colorado National Monument.

CIC’s top honor – the Living Legacy award – will be presented this year to Alpine Bank, in honor of its ongoing, widespread and impactful philanthropic efforts on the Western Slope, and across the state, over the past 52 years. In a 2023 ranking of philanthropy compiled by the Denver Business Journal, Alpine Bank ranked second for cash contributions to charities among Colorado-based businesses and ranked fifth among all companies.

CIC became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity in 2014 to provide a collective voice and forum for advocacy and education of nonprofits in Mesa County. Its membership represents a wide range of charitable organizations, including those in human services, animal welfare, the environment, and the arts.