Grant Jones Biography

Back to Conference Page

Grant Jones is the founder and executive director of the Metro Denver Black Church Initiative (BCI). The initiative is dedicated to improving the health and well being of the African American community. Through its varied health education and outreach efforts, the BCI has become a leader in developing partnerships and mobilizing the faith community to alleviate major health disparities and in promoting active and healthy lifestyle behavior. Under his leadership, the initiative has received a number of awards for outstanding achievement in community, including a 2003 “Shades of Genius” award from the Auraria Health Center in Denver. The work of the initiative has also been featured in a number of publications, including USA Today and a recent book by Dr. Andrew Billingsley – “Mighty Like a River, the Black Church and Social Reform.”

From 1988 until 2001, Jones was a senior program officer at the Denver based Piton Foundation where he focused on developing and supporting innovation in neighborhood improvement and building resident leadership capacity. From 1981 through 1987 he served as executive director of Partners Inc, a nationally known delinquency diversion program. Grant served in the Air Force from 1964 to 1972 and as an Air Traffic Controller in Denver from 1972 to 1981.

In 2004, Grant was presented the distinguished Civis Princeps (First Citizen) Award by Regis University. He was the 2002 recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award from the Colorado Civil Right Commission and awarded the Central Colorado District of SERTOMA Club's Service to Mankind award for 2001-2002. In 1999, he was chosen as one of only 10 individuals in the nation for a year-long Children and Family Fellowship awarded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Grant has been active on community boards and commissions and currently serves as a member of the BioMedical Ethics Committee of Denver Health and board member of the I Have a Dream Foundation, PeaceJam Foundation and Veterans of Hope Project at the Iliff School of Theology. Previously, he served as chairman of the state Juvenile Parole Board, on the Governor's Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the 2025 Commission of the City and County of Denver and on the board of directors of the National Association of Black Foundation Executives. He is a graduate of Regis University and the Leadership Denver class of 1987. Grant and his family attend the Shorter Community A.M.E. Church in Denver.

Back to Conference Page