Colorado Parks and Wildlife awards $50,000 to promote the Born to Be Wild special license plate

Joey Livingston
Statewide Public Information Officer
303-345-4658 / [email protected]

DENVER — Today, CPW announces the recipients of the inaugural Born to Be Wild License Plate Grant Program. Two organizations, The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project and The Endangered Species Coalition were selected to raise awareness and promote the Born to Be Wild specialty license plate to engage and educate the public about the importance of the license plate, ultimately increasing sales to further support conflict mitigation efforts.

“With the beautiful Born to Be Wild license plate, Coloradans can help support the important work happening to reduce human-wildlife conflict. We appreciate the work of these organizations, as well as the bill sponsors who made this possible,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

In 2023, Colorado House Bill 23-1265 created the new special license plate, raising nearly $950,000 from approximately 18,000 sales to date for non-lethal ways of mitigating conflict with gray wolves. The program has been instrumental in establishing the CPW and CDA range rider program and other mitigation efforts. The Born to Be Wild Plate grant program, administered through Colorado Parks and Wildlife, awards selected non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies. Projects focusing on innovative and creative marketing strategies and solutions are prioritized to increase support for and sales of the license plate.

“This special license plate allows Colorado residents to support ranchers by providing funding to CPW for non-lethal conflict minimization tools and programs and programs,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “The hope is that this program will get the public engaged and increase overall sales of the license plate, in turn reducing impacts with livestock. These efforts help support the implementation of the state’s Wolf Restoration and Management Plan and CPW’s implementation of the state statute to restore a self-sustaining gray wolf population, all while supporting rural ways of life and the robust livestock industry that is such a critical component of Colorado’s culture and economy.”

“I was proud to sponsor the legislation in 2023 that created the The Born to Be Wild License Plate program,” said Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland. “This program is a model for how we can work together across party lines and urban-rural differences to find solutions to problems that can divide us. These plates give every Coloradan the chance to support Colorado ranchers and rural communities impacted by wolf reintroduction.”

“This special license generates money that our ranchers can use to keep their livestock safe,” said Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “The Born to Be Wild special license plate’s success helps our Western Slope communities, especially our agricultural producers which are so essential to our economy.”

“I'm grateful to see the continued success of this license plate which reflects the shared responsibility and commitment among ranchers, conservationists, and wildlife advocates to provide meaningful resources to rural communities like ours here in the Western Slope that are directly impacted by wolf reintroduction,“ said Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D- Glenwood Springs. “It's encouraging to see the funds raised now being put into action to address high-priority needs in my district like the final development of the Range Riders program, site assessments, and other non-lethal deterrents that help ranchers and cattlemen protect their livestock and land. And public awareness efforts like the two recently awarded are a key part of this work to promote the plate and help Coloradans understand the importance and impact of their support in sustaining these critical programs.”

This year, CPW received eight applications and selected two organizations. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project received $36,300 for promotional billboards and digital media, showcasing the Born to be Wild license plate. The Endangered Species Coalition received $13,700 for promotional image wrapping on a vehicle that will travel across the state, to events, and to places like zoos to raise awareness for the plate.

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