Coalitions and Collaboratives Inc. (COCO), a Colorado-based nonprofit, started the Action, Implementation and Mitigation (AIM) Program to accelerate fire adaptation concepts and reduce the risk from wildfire across the U.S. by increasing capacity and on-the-ground work. Since inception in 2018, we have supported over 90 organizations. COCO hopes to increase community resilience, restore fire-adapted ecosystems and create safer conditions for residents and firefighters. This funding opportunity is open to organizations working to advance wildfire risk reduction. 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. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from June 1, 2022 through July 15, 2022
Last year's bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $400 million over five years for WaterSMART grants. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) is now making $160 million available for WaterSMART grants and will release additional funding opportunities in the coming months. Projects eligible for these grants must conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the production of renewable energy, mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict, or accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western United States. Applications are due July 28, 2022. Click here to learn more and to view eligibility requirements.
WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants (formerly Challenge Grants) Reclamation provides 50/50 cost share funding to irrigation and water districts, tribes, states and other entities with water or power delivery authority. Projects conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of hydropower; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States. Projects are selected through a competitive process and the focus is on projects that can be completed within two or three years. July 28th, deadline.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is pleased to announce the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program (CWHP) 2022 Request for Proposals (RFP). The CWHP is a statewide program that supports CPW’s mission by offering funding opportunities to private or public landowners who wish to protect wildlife habitat on their property, and/or provide wildlife-related recreational access to the public. The CWHP is an incentive-based program that funds conservation easements, public access easements, and fee title purchases to accomplish strategic wildlife conservation and public access goals. Funding for the 2022 cycle is approximately $11 million and is made possible by revenue generated from the sale of the Habitat Stamp, hunting and fishing licenses, and through CPW’s partnership with Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO). 2022 funding preferences include working farms and ranches and properties adjacent to wildlife crossings. Application materials will be available on Monday, June 13, 2022 here. All proposals must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022.
The Colorado River District Community Funding Partnership is opening a special funding round to support grant-writing, feasibility, design, preliminary environmental review, benefits analysis, and engineering to support federal funding applications made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Grant deliverables must include a timely application to a federal funding opportunity to be submitted by December 31, 2023, and in no cases later than December 31, 2024. Priority will be given to applications targeting a 2023 federal funding round. Examples of targeted federal funding opportunities include the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) WaterSMART programs, Small Storage Program, Aging Infrastructure Account, and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) watershed programs. The Colorado River District will consider supporting up to 85% of funding needs for this limited funding opportunity. Deadline: Application must be submitted by August 1st, 2022. Funding decisions will be made by September 15th (requests >$50k will be reviewed at the October 18-19 Board Meeting.)
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.
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. Learn more about these opportunities here.
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.
