Grant Deadlines:

Coalitions and Collaboratives is thrilled to announce the launch of our Community Catalyst Fund as part of the Community Navigator Program! Purpose: The Community Catalyst Fund aims to strengthen community-serving organizations with increasing capacity towards climate resilience. Priority will be given to proposals that clearly articulate how the proposed project will increase support for frontline communities, as outlined by the Community Navigator Program, with efforts that align with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions. Application Deadline: Applications for the Community Catalyst Fund are due on June 6, 2024, by midnight Mountain Time.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Program is now accepting applications for their FY24/FY25 Environmental Water Resources Projects (EWRP)! Approximately 40-80 projects will be awarded under this funding opportunity.

About the Grant

This funding opportunity supports collaboratively developed projects that provide significant ecological benefits, including water conservation and efficiency projects, water management and infrastructure projects, river and watershed restoration, and nature-based solutions implementation.

The first application period ends on June 18, 2024. Need more time? Don't worry, you can apply during the second period, closing on March 11, 2025.
In general, applicants may request up to $3 million for projects which can be completed within three years, and watershed groups may request up to $5 million for projects to be completed within five years.
Click here to access the funding opportunity on grants.gov and download the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity (also searchable using the opportunity number R24AS00299).
Learn more about EWRP grants and WaterNow’s support by downloading our EWRP Fact Sheet and visit our website for additional guidance!

EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants — Rolling Applications until November 21, 2024 — EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input.

EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant — Technical Assistance — Technical Assistance (TA) assists eligible applicants to apply for and use EPA grant funding. Through EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, eligible entities can receive TA in all stages of the Community Change Grants. This includes application support, capacity building, project planning, and more. There are two TA programs for the Community Change Grants: 1) Community Change Technical Assistance, and 2) Community Change Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance. To learn more about TA for the Community Change Grants, click here.
Environmental Protection Network (EPN) 6-Step Application Process for EPA’s Community Change Grants — To help applicants submit applications for EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants, EPN has created a suggested 6-step application process for Track I and Track II, including a suggested timeline. To view the suggested processes, click here.
EPN Community Change Grants Program Partner and Assistance Survey — EPN created a survey which organizations can use to find partners and share information about the EPA Community Change Grants, including whether they can give or would like assistance completing the application. This survey is NOT an EPA survey and EPA did not assist with its development. To complete the survey or view responses, click here.

IRA Forest Landowner Support - Provides grant opportunities to entities and organizations delivering technical and financial assistance to private forest landowners - including Tribes, underserved landowners, and small-acreage landowners - to participate in emerging private markets for forest resilience and climate mitigation.

The Forest Service’s Forest Landowner Support program has a new funding opportunity focused on Tribal access to emerging private markets for forest resilience or climate mitigation. Eligible applicants include: Federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations/Villages, and Tribal Organizations. The deadline for NOFO 2 is August 21, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.

Additionally, funding is still available for proposals under $2 million that support the participation of underserved landowners and landowners owning less than 2,500 acres in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. The deadline for NOFO 1 is August 21, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Grant Programs:

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.

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.

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.

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.

City of Ft. Collins 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!

Colorado Environmental Justice Grants Program - Community Solutions to Improve Environmental Health. This grant opportunity was created by the Environmental Justice Act to provide funding to communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change. The Environmental Justice Advisory Board oversees the EJ Grants Program and will serve as the selection committee for the grants. You can apply for this grant if you are part of a: non-profit organization, local government, federally-recognized Tribal government, university, other educational institution, for-profit corporation, or grassroots organization.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - Programs include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and the Watershed Operations PL-566 Program.

Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) - CDPHE’s SWAP program's main objective is to minimize potential contaminant threats to public drinking water supplies. To engage in this effort, public water systems and governmental entities can apply for a $5,000 protection planning grant through the SWAP program. The SWAP program also supports Wildland Fire Decision Support System work and post-wildfire recovery efforts. SWAP program staff assisted in the development of the Post Fire Playbook to assist local recovery groups in navigating the complexities surrounding post-wildfire recovery. For more information visit the SWAP page.

Water Quality Grants and Loans Unit - CDPHE’s Grants and Loans Unit offers small community grants and water quality improvement fund grants to protect public health and water quality. They also administer the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program to finance the design and construction of public drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. More information on eligible drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater projects is available on the water quality grants and loans page.

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.

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).

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.