🌱 Patch AM: How will Boulder’s new $5M in nonprofit grants be spent?

Hey there, Boulder! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How will Boulder’s new $5M in nonprofit grants be spent?
• What does the Dairy’s building purchase mean for Boulder’s arts future?
• How CU Boulder turns beer, coffee and chocolate into engineering careers

Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: What did the balloon say to the doctor? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 61 and low of 47 degrees.
• Monday: Sunshine; breezy in the p.m., temps: high: 67, low: 41.
• Tuesday: Warm with clouds and sun, with a high of 64 and low of 44 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Boulder awards $5M in grants to nonprofits (bizwest.com) — Boulder is directing more than $5 million in 2026 grants to local nonprofits through its Health Equity Fund and Human Services Fund, aiming to support residents facing economic and health challenges. Funded in part by the city’s sugary drink tax, the awards back programs that improve housing stability, food access, and physical and mental health for Boulder community members.
   

2. Dairy Arts Center completes purchase of building from city (bizwest.com) — The Dairy Arts Center has officially bought its Walnut Street building back from the City of Boulder, paying a net $1.5 million after credits for past and future capital improvements. The deal secures permanent arts space for more than 100 local organizations and cements the Dairy as a long-term cultural hub for Boulder’s creative community.
   

3. Beer, coffee and chocolate: CU Boulder students learn food engineering (coloradohometownweekly.com) — CU Boulder engineering students can now dive into beer, coffee and chocolate to earn a Food Engineering Graduate Certificate launched in 2024. The classes mix hands-on making with lessons on sustainability, equipment design and global food systems, while connecting students to Colorado industry experts and potential careers in the massive food sector.
   

4. Cold second half dooms Colorado against Stanford (denverpost.com) — CU men’s basketball will regroup in Boulder after a sloppy 77-68 loss to Stanford in Phoenix, marked by 18 turnovers and poor second-half shooting. The Buffs return to practice on Christmas in Boulder to prepare for their nonconference finale against Northern Colorado on Dec. 28.
   

5. Power outage in Boulder area affects atomic clock, "Time is not broken" NIST says (cbsnews.com) — A recent Xcel Energy safety shutoff left NIST’s Boulder timekeeping facility briefly without power, nudging its ultra-precise atomic clock off by just four microseconds. NIST says global time services stayed stable thanks to redundant clocks elsewhere, and high-precision users had advance warning and backup options. Power at the Boulder site is still off, but the clock will be recalibrated once electricity returns.
   

📸 Around Boulder

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Boulder

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Saturday December 20

• Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA
  St. John's Episcopal Church , 1419 Pine St , Boulder
  8:45 pm

Monday December 22

• All Ages Storytime
  NoBo Corner Library Community Room (2nd Floor), NoBo Library
  10:15 am

Tuesday December 23

• Storytime Break: No storytime today!
  Boulder Public Library All Locations
• All Ages Storytime
  NoBo Corner Library Community Room (2nd Floor), NoBo Library
  10:15 am

Wednesday December 24

• Boulder AI for Business
  Boulder Public Library Arapahoe Room, Main Library
  9:00 am

Thursday December 25

• All Ages Storytime
  NoBo Corner Library Community Room (2nd Floor), NoBo Library
  10:15 am

Friday December 26

• Storytime Break: No storytime today!
  Boulder Public Library All Locations
• All Ages Storytime
  NoBo Corner Library Community Room (2nd Floor), NoBo Library
  10:15 am

Saturday December 27

• Storytime Break: No storytime today!
  Boulder Public Library All Locations

Thursday January 1

• Max's Seussical - Teen Cast
  The Locol Theatre, 800 S Hover St, Longmont, CO, 80501
  7:00 pm

📣 Boulder Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Monday December 22

• All Ages Storytime
  NoBo Corner Library Community Room (2nd Floor), NoBo Library
  10:15 am

Tuesday December 23

• Storytime Break: No storytime today!
  Boulder Public Library All Locations

Wednesday December 24

• Boulder AI for Business
  Boulder Public Library Arapahoe Room, Main Library
  9:00 am

Saturday December 27

• STUDIO 24: Open Studio
  Boulder Public Library STUDIO 24 Classroom, NoBo Library, Makerspace STUDIO 24
  10:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Fire crews responded to a report of a fire along the fence line at 30th and Madison in Boulder, which is now out.
  1:03PM on Dec 19: Fire crews are responding to a report of a fire along the fence line at 30th and Madison in Boulder. (Nextdoor )
• This is Wonderland Lake on Friday 12/19.
  Never knew water sprites could form here! The wind whipped the glasses off my face and tossed them somewhere in the grass while I was taking this… (Nextdoor Wonderland Lake)

• USA Jobs posted a job opening for Entry Level Med Device Assembler in Boulder. Apply here.
• TJX Companies, Inc. posted a job opening for Merchandise Coordinator in Boulder. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Boulder here.

Ok Boulder! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I feel lightheaded!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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