History
1903: Henry Sachs relocates to Colorado Springs
Henry Sachs establishes the Sachs Foundation to address racial inequity for Black Coloradans.
Dolphus Stroud, Effie's brother, becomes the first Sachs Scholar.
1903
1927: Founded by friendship
Effie Stroud graduated high school as valedictorian, yet none of her classmates would walk with her at graduation, and she found few educational opportunities available because she was Black.
Sachs offered to pay Effie’s way through Colorado College if she kept her grades up. She did, graduating magna cum laude.
At a weekend picnic, Effie's father, Reverend KD Stroud, told Sachs the need extended far beyond one Black family and suggested establishing a foundation that can support Black Coloradans facing economic and educational discrimination.
1927
1931: Sachs Foundation founded
Henry Sachs, a talented Boston stockbroker, moved to Colorado Springs after contracting tuberculosis. Sachs, who was Jewish, grew close to the Stroud family and saw firsthand the discrimination they faced as Black Coloradans.
1931
1952: Henry Sachs passes away
Sachs leaves roughly $1.25 million to the Foundation. His business partner, Morris Esmiol, carries the mission forward, and the Foundation's work continues to grow in scholarships and community investment.
1952
1950-60’s: Funding first Black medical students
The Foundation funds the first Black medical students at the University of Colorado, expanding its reach beyond undergraduate scholarships into professional education.
Pictured: Dr. Charles J. Blackwood
2019: Elevated Program Launches
Building on nearly a decade of college-preparation programming, Sachs Foundation brings the program in-house and launches Elevated, a cohort-based mentoring program for Black students in grades 8–12. Today, Elevated serves 12 cohorts, nearly 200 students and their families, and 24 mentors across Colorado Springs and the Denver metro area.
2019
2021: Teacher Development Program created
In response to the lack of Black educators in Colorado classrooms, the Foundation launches Teacher Development. It has since supported 64 educators and invested more than $1.8 million.
Photo Credit: Call Me MiSTER
2025: Alumni Board and Grantmaking
Sachs alumni return to the work, this time as grantmakers. The Alumni Board directs funding to other organizations across Colorado doing work for Black Coloradans in five focus areas: arts and culture, education, economic mobility, health and mental wellness, and homeownership and housing stability.
2025
Supporting Black Coloradoans.
The Sachs Foundation uplifts Black Coloradans through mentorship, scholarship, teacher support, and community investment. For nearly a century, we've worked to close the racial wealth gap and build a future powered by the full potential of our community.
Our Programs
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Elevated Program provides pre-collegiate mentoring to Black students in grades 8 through 12, empowering them to access and succeed in higher education.
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Sachs Scholarships minimize the financial burden of higher education, allowing Black Coloradan students to earn their degrees with minimal debt and access elite universities.
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Teacher Development is powered by partnerships with Teach For America Colorado and MSU Denver's Call Me Mister, which identify and engage Black students considering a career in education.
