The assistance grants program is accepting applications until October 25, 2023. The assistance grants program is currently accepting applications to fund drinking water projects in 2024. The program provides financial assistance up to $25,000 for systems that need help reaching or exceeding compliance requirements or addressing a water quality challenge. All public water systems are eligible to apply for this program. Projects must be completed within one calendar year.

The AIM Program is dropping its REQUEST FOR CONCEPT PAPERS (RCP) on September 29, with RCPs due October 27. The AIM grant is available for a wide variety of capacity-building activities, including personnel, planning efforts, and wildfire risk reduction work on non-federal lands. COCO funds organizations across the country with a focus on programs and projects that increase communities’ ability to overcome barriers to successful community wildfire mitigation, multiply the efforts, achieve quantifiable outcomes, support equitable and inclusive community wildfire mitigation programs across the fence, and support place-based solutions. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal fits into the larger community wildfire strategy, including coordination with federal partners on nearby public lands. Applicants must contribute a 100% match and may request from $10,000 up to $75,000. Grants are contracted for a period of one year

The Department of Natural Resources-Executive Director's Office is pleased to announce the 2023 release of the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP) Workforce Development Grant. COSWAP is a permanent wildfire mitigation funding program designed to protect life, property and infrastructure, and this release of funding is specifically targeted to support workforce development throughout the state. COSWAP funds can support projects on all land ownership types in Colorado.
How to Apply: Applications for wildfire mitigation work completed by a conservation corps are due on September 29, 2023. Applications for wildfire mitigation work completed by DOC SWIFT and training grants are due October 27, 2023. Each of the four grants has a separate application that can be found on COSWAP’s website. If you have questions or would like to set up a 15 minute meeting please send an email to both Alison Lerch (alison.lerch@state.co.us) and Courtney Young (courtney.young@state.co.us). We expect a high number of questions in the next couple of weeks so we ask for your patience during this time. We look forward to seeing your applications!

WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects for Fiscal Year 2024

Applications Due: October 31, 2023

Projects that may be funded under this opportunity are divided into four task areas:

1) Increasing the Reliability of Water Supplies through Infrastructure Improvements.

2) Increasing the Reliability of Water Supplies Through Groundwater Recovery.

3) Projects to Improve Water Management through Decision Support Tools, Modeling, and Measurement.

4) Construction of domestic water supply projects for Tribes or disadvantaged communities that do not have reliable access to water supplies.

WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I for Fiscal Year 2023 Department of the Interior. The objective of this NOFO is to invite states, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, local governmental entities, non-profit organizations, Existing Watershed Groups, and local and special districts (e.g., irrigation and water districts, conservation districts, natural resource districts) to submit proposals for Phase I activities to develop a watershed group, complete watershed restoration planning activities, and design watershed management projects. See Section C.4. Eligible Projects for a more comprehensive description of eligible activities.A “watershed group,” as defined in Section 6001(6) of the Cooperative Watershed Management Act (see Section A.1. Authority for full citation) is a grassroots, non-regulatory entity that addresses water availability and quality issues within the relevant watershed, is capable of promoting the sustainable use of water resources in the watershed, makes decisions on a consensus basis, and represents a diverse group of stakeholders, including hydroelectric producers, livestock grazing, timber production, land development, recreation or tourism, irrigated agriculture, the environment, municipal water supplies, private property owners, Federal, state and local governments, Tribes, and disadvantaged communities. The first application period deadline is December 5th, 2023.

WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Projects

Applications Due: January 24, 2024

Funding for projects to study, design and construct aquatic ecosystem restoration projects that are collaboratively developed, have widespread regional benefits, and result in the improvement of the health of fisheries, wildlife, and aquatic habitat through restoration and improved fish passage.

The Workforce Development Grant offers four separate opportunities, all of which are described in detail in the attached Request for Applications (RFA). We encourage everyone to read through the RFA before contacting us with specific questions regarding your project proposals. If you are uncertain about which funding opportunities you are eligible for, visit page four in the Request for Applications for a detailed chart. Last, please visit our website for more information on Strategic Focus Areas and eligibility. The applications are available for download directly from COSWAP’s website under the ‘How to Apply’ section.

The COSWAP workforce development program offers four separate grants:

Wildfire mitigation work completed by a CYCA accredited conservation corps. Projects must fall within the Strategic Focus Areas described in the eligibility section. This is a crew time award and an optional cash grant for project expenses.

Wildfire mitigation work completed by an independent conservation corps. According to The Corps Network, (conservation) corps are locally-based organizations that engage young adults (generally ages 16 – 30) and veterans (up to age 35) in service projects that address recreation, conservation, disaster response, and community needs. Independent conservation corps must be located in Colorado. Projects must fall within the Strategic Focus Areas described in the eligibility section. This is a cash grant. (Please contact COSWAP staff if you have questions about whether an organization you are requesting to work with is a conservation corps.)

Wildfire mitigation work completed by DOC SWIFT crew(s). Project work is completed by the Department of Corrections State Wildland Inmate Fire Teams (DOC SWIFT). DOC SWIFT crews are only available within a three hour drive from the Four Mile Correctional Facility in Cañon City (E US Highway 50 & Evans Rd, Cañon City, CO 81212). This is a crew time award and an optional cash grant for project expenses.

Wildfire mitigation workforce training. To better develop Colorado’s current workforce COSWAP will fund training opportunities for fuels mitigation and prescribed fire. These trainings are available STATEWIDE.

How to Apply: Applications for wildfire mitigation work completed by a conservation corps are due on September 29, 2023. Applications for wildfire mitigation work completed by DOC SWIFT and training grants are due October 27, 2023. Each of the four grants has a separate application that can be found on COSWAP’s website.

Make it Happen: Implementation Grants. Nature in the City would like to help you and your community create more access to nature and improve wildlife habitats throughout Fort Collins. Make it Happen: Implementation Grants will include small, medium, and large-scale projects with funds ranging from $5,000 - $30,000 or more.

Timeline for applications and grant funds:

Applications will open on September 1, 2023
Applications are due at midnight on October 20, 2023
Awardees announced by mid-December 2023
Funds available after paperwork is completed February/March 2024

This grant opportunity is thanks to the voter-approved Community Capital Improvement Program. Thank you for your support! Get inspired and see what types of projects have been funded in the past, check out the Community Projects page or go on a self-guided tour of some Nature in the City projects!

The Department of Local Affairs in Colorado has launched the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program for small, community-based nonprofits serving underrepresented communities. The program aims to support infrastructure and capacity-building by providing funds for strategic planning, professional development and technology. Eligible nonprofits with budgets between $150,000 and $2,000,000 can apply from July 5 to August 31, 2023. Grants totaling $33,100,000 will be awarded, with selected organizations receiving up to $100,000. Interested applicants should contact their Regional Access Partner for assistance and submit applications through them. Grant recipients will be notified by January 31, 2024, and the program seeks to help nonprofits enhance their impact on historically marginalized communities.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants — Rolling application window open — The USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants program supports eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Eligible applicants must show a decline in quantity or quality of water that occurred within two years of the date of the application or that a significant decline in quality or quantity of water is imminent.

Click here to access the funding opportunity on grants.gov and download the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity (also searchable using the opportunity number R23AS00089).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is allocating $550 million from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to expedite investments to reduce pollution in disproportionately impacted communities. Grant funding will be available through the EPA’s new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) program. This new program will fund up to 11 entities to serve as grantmakers to community-based projects that reduce pollution. Grantmakers will work collaboratively with the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. Grantees will develop an efficient, simplified process so that organizations that historically have faced barriers to receiving funding can more seamlessly apply for subgrants and address environmental harms and risks. The following types of organizations can apply:

A community-based nonprofit organization;
A partnership of community-based nonprofit organizations;
A partnership between a Tribal Nation and a community-based nonprofit organization; or,
A partnership between an institution of higher education and a community-based nonprofit organization.

Federal Technical Assistance Grants. As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, a total of $5 million in federal funding has been allocated for technical assistance grants that will enable eligible entities to work with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) contractors or to hire contractors to expand their capacity and expertise, in pursuit of federal funding opportunities that directly support the Colorado Water Plan objectives. The allowable uses of this grant funding are broad in scope, to allow for the wide range of federal opportunities available. Funding can be used for: preliminary project planning and design, preliminary permitting, development of estimated project costs, navigation of available federal opportunities, grant writing, and federal grant application submittal. Rolling application deadline.

The Request for Concept Papers for AIM Grant Funding has been posted! Download the instructions and the concept paper from COCO's AIM Grant Page under How To Apply HERE.

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs are provided to eligible applicant states/tribes/territories that, in turn, provide sub-grants to local governments. The applicant selects and prioritizes applications developed and submitted to them by local jurisdictions to submit to FEMA for grant funds. Prospective sub-applicants should consult the official designated point of contact for their applicant state/tribe/territory for further information regarding specific program and application requirements.

The Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP) was created after the devastating 2020 fire season by the Colorado legislature through the bi-partisan supported SB21-258 in the summer of 2021. COSWAP is designed to quickly move $17.5 million state stimulus dollars to start on-the-ground work on fuels reduction projects and increase Colorado's capacity to conduct critical forest restoration and wildfire mitigation work that will increase community resilience and protect life, property and infrastructure.

Applications are NOW OPEN for Nature in the City planning grants! Have an idea for a nature play area, outdoor gathering space, or pollinator restorations? The Dream it Up Project Planning grants can help you and your community plan out your dream project. Anyone from HOA's, faith-based organizations, affordable housing communities, and even schools are welcome and encouraged to apply. Get started!

The Colorado River District’s Community Funding Partnership was created in 2021 to fund multi-purpose water projects on the Western Slope in five project categories: productive agriculture, infrastructure, healthy rivers, watershed health and water quality, and conservation and efficiency. Funding for the program was approved by Western Colorado voters as part of ballot question 7A in November 2020. These funds provide a catalyst for projects that are priorities for residents in the District to receive matching funds from state, federal and private sources. Click here for more information and to apply.

HUD: Authority to Accept Unsolicited Proposals for Research Partnerships Notice. HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) has the authority to accept unsolicited research proposals that address current research priorities. HUD is making up to $2 million available for Lead and Healthy Homes Research Partnerships and approximately $1 million available for Research Partnerships for other topics. HUD is interested in increasing participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) of higher education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in all program areas. To learn more, click here.

In response to the impacts of COVID-19, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) has launched the Resilient Communities Program (RCP). The $15 million program aims to fund one-time, immediate needs or opportunities that have emerged in direct response to the pandemic. It will help partners advance outdoor recreation, stewardship, and land protection projects in a manner that best reflects community needs and priorities at this moment in time. Capacity and operations support, stewardship efforts, projects that support community vitality, and urgent and emergent land acquisition opportunities will be considered. For more information, including eligibility criteria and application forms, click HERE.

Colorado Water Funding Opportunity Navigator

Colorado Water Conservation Board has compiled this database to serve as a tool for people and organizations across Colorado to navigate all available funding opportunities for water projects in a single place.

Colorado Wildfire Mitigation Funding Opportunities

A list of state, federal and private funding available for a wide variety of wildfire mitigation projects including Watershed Health.