Colorado Parks and Wildlife to award up to $50,000 for initiatives that promote the Born to Be Wild special license plate

11/25/24

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

DENVER — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is pleased to announce the Born to Be Wild License Plate Grant Program. The program will provide up to $50,000 in funding for initiatives that raise awareness and promote the Born to Be Wild special license plate, educating the public about its importance and ultimately increasing sales to further support gray wolf conflict mitigation efforts. The application deadline is Dec. 15, and awardees will be announced in early March 2025.

Administered through CPW, the Born to Be Wild License Plate Grant Program awards funding to selected nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and government agencies for projects focused on innovative and creative marketing strategies and solutions that increase participation in this license plate program.

Additional information including applicable projects, eligibility requirements and application details are available online. 

“The Born to Be Wild license plate will help Colorado continue reducing human-wildlife conflict and supporting education and awareness around our great state. I appreciate the work of the legislators who made this possible and look forward to seeing the impact of this important funding,” said Gov. Jared Polis. 

The Born To Be Wild special license plate was established by HB23-1265 to raise funds for non-lethal means of mitigating conflict with gray wolves. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Reps. Meghan Lukens and Elizabeth Velasco, along with Sen. Janice Marchman and then-Sen. Perry Will. Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill into law in May 2023.

“Our ranchers are on the frontlines when navigating wolves on the Western Slope, and this grant program signifies that the State of Colorado is invested in decreasing livestock depredations and supporting our ranchers,” said Rep. Lukens. “There is more work to be done to decrease wolf-livestock conflict, and the Born to Be Wild License Plate Grant Program is a component of these vital conflict mitigation efforts.”

"I am proud to support ranchers and cattlemen here in the Western Slope,” said Rep. Velasco. ”This effort was made possible by folks from the ranching industry, the sportsperson caucus, conservationists and wildlife biologists who were able to come together and agree on a project that meets everyone’s needs, acknowledging that we must continue to foster trust and collaboration on the ground. We are looking forward to seeing the funds put into action and to have a real impact for our community."

"This bipartisan effort passed by Western Slope and Front Range legislators helps to bridge the urban-rural divide in Colorado by giving Coloradans who support wolves the ability to assist the agricultural community and those directly impacted by the reintroduction effort,” said County Commissioner-Elect Perry Will. “I support all efforts to provide landowners and producers with the assistance they need to be successful in the face of change brought by a growing wolf population in the state. I'm glad to see the plate's initial success, and hope that this next round of grants will spur the plate's popularity so it can continue to provide meaningful wolf conflict reduction resources to rural Colorado."

"The Born to Be Wild license plate program shows how Coloradans can come together across party lines to find creative solutions,” said Sen. Marchman. “Working with Senator Will and our House colleagues, we designed this program to provide a sustainable funding source for our ranching communities. Every time someone chooses this special plate, they're helping build a bridge between wildlife conservation and agricultural interests in our state. I encourage organizations to apply for these grant funds and help spread the word about this innovative program."

“This special license plate allows Colorado residents to support ranchers impacted by wolf depredation by providing funding for non-lethal conflict minimization tools such as turbo fladry and scare devices,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “The Born to Be Wild License Plate Grant Program is important to wolf advocates, and the hope is that it will get the public engaged and increase overall sales of the license plate, in turn reducing impacts with livestock so that both ranchers and wolves can thrive and coexist together in Colorado.”

This grant cycle, the minimum award amount will be $5,000 with a maximum of $50,000. The amount awarded will be determined based on the project's alignment with program priorities and the availability of funds. Partial funding may be provided. Annual award amounts will vary each cycle depending on revenue generated from license plate sales.

Applications must be submitted by Dec. 15, 2024. Applicants should email any questions about the Born to Be Wild License Plate Grant Program to Amy Brandenburg at [email protected].

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