CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program

You Invest a Dollar: We Invest a Dollar.

Matching Grant Program for the 2023 Program year

THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED. The application period for the 2024 program year will open on Tuesday, October 3.

Please read the application requirements and application checklist below, then apply or log in to your existing account to apply for the current program year.

What is the CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program?

The CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program is one more reason to feel good about living in Colorado! Designed to help lower to middle-income Colorado families save money for higher education.

This is a great start to helping our young people on a future path to a higher education!

scroll for more information about matching grant program

Quick Links

Terms & Conditions 2023

Terms & Conditions 2022

Matching Grant Program Forms

call us

800.448.2424

mon–fri 8am–5pm (mst)

email us

Send us an email

mailing address

CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program
1600 Broadway, Suite 2300
Denver, CO 80202

accepting applications in October 2023:

closed

Log in to your Matching Grant account

Log in

Matching Grant Program application requirements

Please carefully review the Applicant, Beneficiary and Account requirements for the current program year below.

Applicant Requirements
Beneficiary requirements
CollegeInvest 529 Account requirements

applicant requirements

  • You must be a Colorado resident
  • You must be able to claim the Beneficiary as a dependent on your Federal Tax forms
  • You must be the Parent/Guardian of the 529 CollegeInvest Savings account
  • You must carefully read and accept the Terms & Conditions
  • You must have a Family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from the Federal Tax forms that is at or below the figures shown in the income eligibility chart below.
  • If filing separately, your AGI must be from all Parent/Guardians in the household Federal Tax Forms
  • Note, the AGI is updated every year

Beneficiary Requirements

  • Must be the Beneficiary (child, grandchild, etc.) of the CollegeInvest 529 Savings account.
  • Must be 8 years old or younger at the time of the initial application
    • After the first application year, the Beneficiary does not have to meet the maximum age limit
  • Must not be over the age of 18 at the end of the current program year
  • No more than one application per Beneficiary per year will be accepted for a Matching Grant in connection with the contributions to their CollegeInvest account(s)

CollegeInvest 529 Account requirements

  • Must be open at time of application.
    • The account number will be required to apply
  • Have the applicant as the CollegeInvest 529 Savings Account Owner
  • Have the child as the Beneficiary
    • Only one Beneficiary per account
    • If you have more than one Beneficiary, you must submit a separate Application Form for each and they must also individually meet the eligibility requirements
  • Be funded by the end of the contribution period
    • The match is up to the first $500 contributed to the account of the current Program year

Application Checklist

To apply, please have the following information ready:

CollegeInvest 529 Account Owner

Full name and SSN of the Parent/Guardian of the 529 CollegeInvest Savings account.

Federal Tax Form PDFs

PDF of Federal Tax Forms for all Parent/Guardians in the household. If more than one Parent/Guardian in the household and filed separately, please provide both Federal Tax Forms in PDF form. We do not accept password protected PDFs.

Beneficiary Information

Full name and SSN of the Beneficiary.

*Each Beneficiary must have a separate application

CollegeInvest 529 Account Number

Required if open at the time of application.

Ready to apply for the Matching Grant Program?

New applicants

  • Be sure to have checked the eligibility requirements for the current Program year above. 
  • When you’re ready, apply online during the current program year application period, noted above.
  • We do not accept password protected Federal Tax Forms.

APPLY NOW

Previous applicants

Be sure to have checked the eligibility requirements for the current program year above

When you’re ready, log in to your existing Matching Grant Program account to apply for the upcoming Program year. You can also use your Matching Grant Program account to:

  • check your application status
  • check your award history and account balance
  • request withdrawals from your previous awards
  • contact our customer team

Log in now

Frequently asked questions about the Matching Grant Program

General
Applications
Contributions
Awards
Withdrawals

How do I find out more information about the Matching Grant Program?

You can find more information in our Terms and Conditions.

How old can my child be for me to apply to the Matching Grant Program?

Your child has to be 8 years old or younger to apply for the first time to the program. After that, the age limit goes up to the age of 18 years old.

I logged in to my account but do not see the Matching Grant information. Why not?

You probably logged in to the Direct Portfolio, Scholars Choice or Smart Choice which means you have logged into the wrong portal to see the Matching Grant Program account.

Matching Grant has it’s own portal at https://matchinggrant.collegeinvest.org/

Why don’t I see the application?

The Application Form is only available during the annual application period (typically October through December)

Do I have to reapply each year or am I automatically reenrolled?

You have to reapply each year and submit the required Federal Tax Forms.

If you don’t apply, you are not eligible for the award.

How do I calculate my family household size?

Count the number of Parents/Guardians in the household and the number of children that are under the age of 18.

  • Example: You and a spouse/significant other live in the house, which equals 2 Parents/Guardians. You have 4 children that live in the house, but one is 18 years old or over, which equals 3 children under the age of 18 years old. Add that together, 2 Parents/Guardians plus 3 children in the household, equals 5 total family members in the household.
  • Look on the AGI chart, find 5 Household Size that will give you the Eligible Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for the family.

Where do I find my Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)?

Your AGI is listed on your Federal Tax Forms. Typically on the first page of the tax form.

If filing separately, combine both Parent/Guardians AGI’s from both tax forms to come up with the total AGI for the family household.

How long do I have to contribute to my account to receive an award?

Each program year you will have one full year to contribute to your account.

The contribution period (Matching period) for the 2023 program runs from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.

See the Terms & Conditions of the program year for full dates.

What if I can’t contribute the full $500 to my CollegeInvest 529 Savings account? Do I still get the award?

Yes, we will match dollar for dollar up to the $500.

Example: You can only contribute $350, then your award would be $350 for that program year’s award.

Even a small contribution can add up to big savings.

  • For example, if you can invest $25 a month in your child’s account during the contribution period, you will have saved $300 for their college education. CollegeInvest will then put in another $300 in matching funds for a total of $600.
  • So, by saving $25 a month for five years ($1,500) and receiving five Matching Grant Program awards of $300 each ($1,500), you will have a total of $3,000 between your personal savings and the CollegeInvest Matching Grant Program funds.

How do I know I am eligible for the award?

You will receive written or email confirmation from CollegeInvest indicating that you are eligible for a Grant for contributions you make during the designated period (up to $500, subject to the availability of funds).

I’m eligible for an award. Does that guarantee me the award?

No, you have to contribute funds during the contribution period of the program (typically a calendar year).

For contribution periods, see the Terms and Conditions

How many awards can I receive?

You can receive 1 award per year up to 5 years, per Beneficiary, for a total of 5 awards.

When will I get my award?

The Matching Grant Program funds will be awarded in the first quarter following the completion of the program year.

I’ve received notice that I’ve been awarded but I don’t see the award. Why not?

The award could take a few days to a week to show up in your account. Check back in a few days.

I don’t see my award in my account. Where is it?

The award goes into a separate account that CollegeInvest owns for your child.

For more information about the CollegeInvest owned account for your child, please refer to the Terms and Conditions.

How do I make a withdrawal from my Matching Grant Program account?

To make a withdrawal login to your Matching Grant Program account and click on Disbursement in the header.

Remember the Matching Grant Program awards can only go directly to institutions of higher education.

How long do I have to use the awarded funds?

You have 4 years from the age of maturity (typically 18 years old) to start using the funds in the Matching Grant Program account or the funds can be revoked.

You have 6 years from the age of maturity (typically 18 years old) to finish using the funds in the Matching Grant Program account or the funds will be revoked.

What expenses can I use my Matching Grant Program funds on?

The Matching Grant Program awarded funds can only go directly to the institution of higher education. So, any expense the school charges you for that has to be paid directly to the college. Usually, just fees and tuition.

How else are we helping families?

First Step Program

First Step is a new program recently passed by the Colorado legislature and CollegeInvest, offering a free $100 gift for every newborn or adopted child in Colorado on or after January 1, 2020 to jump-start your way to saving for their higher education.

learn more

Collegelnvest 529 Scholarship

The 529 Scholarship is closed to new participants.

learn more