Application period opens for Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative Funding Program
Travis Duncan
DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is offering funding to coalitions working to conserve Colorado’s land, water, and wildlife while also providing for Colorado's renowned outdoor recreation experiences through the Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative. Funding is available for regional collaboration in support of balancing outdoor recreation with conservation. CPW and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) launched this initiative in 2021 to fund coalitions working to advance conservation and recreation for public and private lands and waters in a manner that ensures communities are healthy, livable and prosperous for future generations.
Governor Jared Polis signed an Executive Order in 2020 calling for collaboration among broad interests to advance a state-level vision for balancing recreation and conservation and to ensure equitable and sustainable access to outdoor recreation. The Colorado Outdoor Partnership, a statewide group that brings leaders from public and private lands conservation and recreation interests together with local, state, federal and tribal land managers, drafted criteria for achieving the state-level vision. Regional Partnership grant proposals must demonstrate how they meet this criteria by committing to conservation, outdoor recreation, and collaboration. Outcomes from the Regional Partnership Initiative will be compiled into a statewide conservation and recreation plan.
“Seven regions joined the Outdoor Partnership in 2021 at the launch of this initiative. We are excited to see their progress and look forward to funding more regions in 2022 to advance this important, collaborative effort,” said CPW Director Dan Prenzlow. “We need the engagement of communities across the state if we are going to keep Colorado wild and prosperous.”
The funding application and instructions are available on the CPW Regional Partnerships Initiative webpage. Applications are due May 11, 2022. Award announcements will be made by the end of June 2022.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.