Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation

RestaurantsColorado, United States11-50 Employees

The Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA) is the leading trade organization for Colorado's foodservice industry. Founded in 1933 and based in Denver, it represents more than 12,400 eating and drinking establishments that together support roughly 238,000 jobs and generate over $14 billion in annual sales in the state, accounting for about 7% of employment. The association counts more than 5,000 restaurant members and over 200 vendor members, and it offers dual NRA membership to independently owned restaurants. As a representative body, the CRA focuses on education, advocacy, and promotion for Colorado's restaurants and broader foodservice sector.

Established in 1987, the Colorado Restaurant Foundation (CRF) operates as the philanthropic arm of the CRA and is organized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit governed by a board of industry professionals and educators. Its mission centers on the training, support, and advancement of people currently in or entering the foodservice industry. The CRF runs programs such as the Culinary Bridge Program, a paid internship initiative to develop hospitality workers, and has launched a mental health program in partnership with Kind Therapy Inc. In 2024, the foundation also supported ProStart education by partnering with Colorado Egg Producers to host a statewide competition for high school students enrolled in ProStart.

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