The Colorado Association of REALTORS® Foundation (The Foundation) began in 1960 as the CAR Education Foundation. It was created to further real estate education and research. In 1991, the CAR Housing Opportunity Foundation (CARHOF) was established. Grant funding began in 1993 to assist with safe and affordable housing throughout Colorado. The initial grant monies came from Colorado REALTOR® brokers and title companies who invested their client’s earnest money into interest bearing escrow accounts.

The interest earnings were then donated to CARHOF. Today, hundreds of Colorado brokers and title companies support the Foundation with interest earning contributions from escrow accounts. In 2018, the Foundation was established to combine the Educational Foundation and the Housing Opportunity Foundation under one philanthropic umbrella. At that time, the Foundation established the Disaster Relief Fund in response to the devastating fires and floods that plagued Colorado in 2013 and 2014.

Today, the Foundation is the philanthropic and community engagement arm of the Colorado REALTORS®, real estate agencies, title companies, builders and other affiliate partners who work collaboratively to advance safe and affordable housing programs, education for consumers on homeownership, and provide disaster relief to our neighbors in need.