In addition to local fundraising efforts, grants are a great tool to support projects on the ground. Often times, they will need to be matched with outside cash and/or in-kind volunteer hours. If your chapter does not have the time or experience to manage grant applications, you can reach out to other local non-profits, governments, or land managment agencies in your area. You can also contact Colorado TU staff to help coordinate an application (contact: Dan Omasta, domasta@tu.org). Below is a list of grant opportunities organized by category. We will try to update this list as often as possible, but if you find grant resources not included on this list, please share!
Conservation Grants
Colorado’s Water Plan Grants - Colorado Water Conservation Board
Application Deadline: February 1 and August 1
Water Plan Grant program funding categories include:
Development of additional storage, artificial recharge into aquifers, and dredging existing reservoirs to restore the reservoirs’ full decreed storage capacity for multi-beneficial projects and those projects identified in basin implementation plans to address the water supply and demand gap.
Technical assistance, project, or program funding for agricultural projects.
Long-term strategies for conservation, land use, and drought planning.
Water education, outreach, and innovation efforts.
Environmental and recreational projects.
Water Supply and Reserve Fund Grants - Colorado Water Conservation Board
Application Deadline: Rotating, based on local Basin Roundtable
The WSRF Program provides grants and loans to assist Colorado water users in addressing their critical water supply issues and interests. The funds help eligible entities complete water activities, which may include competitive grants for:
Technical assistance regarding permitting, feasibility studies and environmental compliance;
Studies or analysis of structural, nonstructural, consumptive and nonconsumptive water needs, projects or activities; and
Structural and nonstructural water projects or activities.
Colorado Watershed Restoration Grants - Colorado Water Conservation Board
Application Deadline: 1st Thursday in November
The Program provides grants for watershed/stream restoration, flood mitigation, and stream management projects throughout our State.
Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund Grants - Colorado Water Conservation Board
Application Deadline: Open, Contact Chris Sturm at CWCB
How the money can be used (applicant must be a water structure owner, or CWCB):
The appropriation of water rights or the acquisition of water rights to preserve or improve the natural environment to a reasonable degree to mitigate the impact of an existing water facility. All acquisitions or appropriations must be in compliance with instream flow rules and state water laws.
River restoration feasibility studies and construction projects designed to directly mitigate or significantly improve the environmental impacts of existing water facilities.
An appropriate combination of river restoration and water rights acquisition or appropriation.
Fishing is Fun Program - Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Application Deadline: late-February (RFP open in November)
Among the types of projects supported through Fishing Is Fun are stream and river habitat improvements, access improvements, perpetual easements for public access, pond and lake habitat improvements, fish retention structures, development of new fishing ponds, and amenity improvements such as shade shelters, benches and restrooms.
Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program - Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Application Deadline: Mid-May
The statewide Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program (CWHP) offers opportunities for private landowners to voluntarily protect important wildlife habitat, provide wildlife-related recreational access to the public, and, if appropriate, sell their property to CPW.
Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund - Colorado Watershed Assembly
Application Deadline: Fall 2020
Two categories of grants will be available under the Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund program: (1) Project Grants, and (2) Planning Grants. Recognizing that good planning is a critical aspect of any project, the goal of the Commission and Board is the implementation of on-the-ground projects to restore and protect the lands and natural resources within Colorado watersheds. Watershed restoration or protection plans and projects can be very costly, and this grant can be used as matching money for larger grants or grants that need non-federal match. Grants can be used in multi-objective projects when multiple partners and funding sources need to be managed.
Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Application Deadline: April
The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop nation-wide-community stewardship of local natural resources, preserving these resources for future generations and enhancing habitat for local wildlife. Grants seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development.
RESTORE Colorado Grant Program - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Application Deadline: April
Restoration and Stewardship of Outdoor Resources (RESTORE) Colorado funds at-scale habitat restoration, expansion and improvement projects across priority landscapes including:
• River corridors, riparian areas and wetlands
• Eastern Colorado grasslands
• Sagebrush
• Big game winter range and migration routes
• Forestland projects in specific geographies
Native Trout
Bring Back the Natives Grant - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Application Deadline: July 30, 2020
Bring Back the Natives invests in conservation activities that restore, protect and enhance native populations of sensitive or listed fish species across the United States, especially in areas on or adjacent to federal agency lands.
Small Grant Program - Western Native Trout Initiative
Application Deadline: April 2021
The purpose of the Western Native Trout Initiative’s Small Grants Program is to provide a source of funding to organizations that desire to become involved in the conservation (protection, restoration and recovery) of western native trout at the local level. The small project funding program specifically supports collaborative approaches and partnerships involved in local efforts or community-based programs that provide for outreach or educational activities, volunteer engagement opportunities, or project design/monitoring activities that contribute to the Initiative’s efforts to conserve western native trout.
Large Grant Program - Western Native Trout Initiative
Application Deadline: October
As a National Fish Habitat Partnership, WNTI’s #1 priority is the protection and restoration of habitat for western native trout and char species. Under this broad priority, we consider actions that achieve the following to be our highest priority:
A. Actions that provide long-term protection of intact and healthy aquatic ecosystems that support priority populations.
B. Restoration projects. Priorities are (in this order):
Actions that protect or enhance multiple populations.
Actions that provide immediate benefits to enhancing the viability of priority populations (e.g. restoring habitat connectivity where populations are isolated or threatened).
Actions that support conservation of unique and rare functioning habitat, habitat diversity, life histories and genetic attributes.
Actions that provide critical information needed for assessing success and making adaptive management decisions.
Other Grants
Local banks and businesses
Community Foundations
