The Colorado Department of Natural Resources announced funding for wildfire risk reduction projects, through their Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program (WRRG). Two types of projects will be considered through this grant program: 1) Fuels treatment projects located in Colorado that reduce the risk of damage to property, infrastructure, water supplies, and other high-valued assets as a result of wildfire and/or limit the likelihood of wildfires spreading into populated areas; 2) Projects that address unmet needs for capacity at the local level. These grants are designed to provide communities with equipment that will enable them to treat hazardous fuels on state and private lands going forward. Application deadline is August 8th, 2016. For more information go to CDNR.US.

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is pleased to announce the 2016 Barrett Foundation Business Concept Challenge to foster innovation in natural resource management. Founded by Craig Barrett, former Chairman and CEO of Intel Corporation and long-time Board Member of the NFF, the Challenge encourages and rewards innovative market-based solutions to natural resource issues affecting National Forests and Grasslands and hopes to cultivate a new generation of entrepreneurial natural resource and business leaders. The Barrett Foundation Business Concept Challenge offers a $75,000 cash award to the winning submission and a $25,000 cash award to the first runner-up. Submission Deadline is Monday, August 15, 2016 at 11:59 pm MDT. Application instructions and more information can be found atwww.nationalforests.org.

Pitkin County's Healthy Rivers Fund is accepting grant applications for projects that benefit the Roaring Fork drainage and preserve water rights on the Western Slope. Applications are due Aug 31. Full details HERE.

The V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation (VKRF) Invites Applications for Environmental Projects. VKRF was established in 1991 with an emphasis on strengthening environmental research. They work primarily in the United States, but only on national and international level issues. They favor projects that take stock of; the scale of the environmental problems, use a systems approach to achieve change, link policy, advocacy, and practical solution, have international significance and perspective – even if US based, and are based on original thinking and creative ideas The foundation typically supports small or midsize organizations with proven leadership in developing strategy, communicating a vision, and executing projects. The foundation does not provide general operating support. Letters of Inquiry must be received no later than September 14, 2016. Upon review, selected applicants will be invited by the foundation to submit a full proposal. For complete program guidelines, information about previous grant recipients, and application procedures, see the VKRF website.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) has announced a Habitat Restoration Grant opportunity. GOCO funding for habitat restoration aims to improve and restore Colorado's rivers, streams, wetlands, and critical habitat. The program offers $500,000 in available funding. Previous habitat restoration grants targeted river habitat, but the current program includes all types of ecosystem restoration and enhancement, from forests and grasslands to rivers and wetlands. Applications are available upon request. For more information about this grant visit the GOCO website. Applications are due on September 23, 2016.

The Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program, sponsored by the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Western Mining Action Network, provides support to community-based organizations and tribes or tribal programs in the U.S. and Canada. The goal of the program is to support the capacity building efforts of mining-impacted communities to assure that mining projects do not adversely affect the human, cultural, and ecological health of communities. Requests must be project-specific for an immediate need such as legal assistance, organizing and outreach, development of campaign materials, etc. Grants of up to $3,000 are provided. Requests are reviewed three times per year; the next application deadline is October 1, 2016. Visit the Western Mining Action Network website to download the application form.

Conservation Alliance Invites Nominations for Conservation Projects. The Conservation Alliance is a group of outdoor businesses that seeks to protect threatened wild places throughout North America for their habitat and recreational values. As a group of outdoor industry companies, alliance recognizes its responsibility to help protect the wild lands and waterways on which our customers recreate and wildlife thrives. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded for projects that seek to secure permanent and quantifiable protection of a specific wild land or waterway. Priority will be given to landscape-scale projects that have a clear benefit for habitat. In addition, campaigns should engage grassroots citizen action in support of the conservation effort and must have a clear recreational benefit. Nominations must be received no later than November 1, 2016. Upon review, selected nominees will be invited to submit full proposals by December 1, 2016. Visit the Conservation Alliance website for program guidelines, information about how to be nominated by an alliance member, and application procedures.