Grant Deadlines:

The National Forest Foundation is pleased to announce that the Matching Awards Program (MAP) is now accepting applications for Round 2 2025! Through the Matching Awards Program (MAP), the NFF is soliciting proposals to provide funds for projects that directly benefit America’s National Forests and Grasslands. MAP pairs federal funds provided through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service with non-federal dollars raised by award recipients, multiplying the resources available to benefit the National Forest System. Round 2 Application Deadline: June 27, 2025. Informational Webinar: June 4, 2025, 12:00 - 1:00 pm MDT, register here. Read the full RFP announcement HERE.

The 2026 Drinking Water and Wastewater State Revolving Fund Eligibility Surveys will open on Thursday, May 1, 2025. The department encourages all municipalities, counties, districts, public water systems, not-for-profit water systems, and other special districts to participate. Please visit the Colorado Environmental Online Services (CEOS) portal to complete the surveys (drinking water and wastewater), but please note that an individual system can only submit one of each type of survey. Submit the drinking water and/or wastewater surveys through the CEOS portal by June 30, 2025 to be added to the 2026 project eligibility lists for SRF and BIL funding. Learn more HERE.

The Women in Water Scholarship is an annual $7,500 gift. Applicants must be a college junior or senior pursuing a Bachelor's degree in any facet of Western water resources. Advanced degree applicants will not be considered. Deadline to apply: June 30. Learn more HERE.

The Colorado Water Plan Grant Program supports implementation of the Colorado Water Plan.The Partner Actions within the plan offer examples of the types of project level work that CWCB can help support through this grant program. All grant applications will be assessed based on funds available for a particular Water Plan category. Application deadlines are twice per year (July 1 and Dec 1). Colorado Water Plan Grant program multi-benefit funding categories include: Water Storage & Supply; Water Sharing Agreements; Conservation & Land Use Planning; Engagement & Innovation; Agricultural; Watershed Health & Recreation. To learn more or to apply, please contact the CWCB staff person in your basin, listed HERE.

The National Forest Foundation’s Collaborative Capacity Program financial awards provide resources to support collaborative activities that increase wildfire resilience, recreation opportunities, forest health, and rural economies. Eligible efforts must describe how investments in collaboration will support a long-term strategy for achieving stewardship outcomes and how these outcomes benefit National Forest System lands.In 2025, two funding pathways are offered, based on budget level: the Mini Grants Pathway and the Standard Grants Pathway. The Mini Grants Pathway supports all eligible applicant types requesting $10,000 or less and is designed to allow the program to prioritize smaller requests that can be funded sooner and with a shorter application. In addition to the separate pathways based on budget threshold, Standard Grant applications submitted by federally recognized Tribes or Tribal organizations will be evaluated separately to allow for recognition of matters of sovereignty, and their government-to-government relationship with the U.S. Forest Service. Application Deadlines: Mini Grants: July 25, 2025, Standard Grants (Community Partner Applicants): August 1, 2025, Standard Grants (Tribal Applicants): August 22, 2025. Learn more HERE.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) are pleased to announce a $1.5 million grant opportunity for open space, local government, and land trusts to hire conservation corps! Please note: in addition to public parks, open spaces, and private lands protected by conservation easement, projects may occur on federal lands. View details in the Request for Proposals (RFP), which can be found on the homepage of www.cyca.org. The application deadline is Wednesday, July 30th at 4:00 PM; early submissions are strongly encouraged. Successful projects will be announced in December 2025 and crews will complete the proposed work in 2026.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is pleased to announce the 2025 Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program (CWHP) application period is now open through Oct. 9, 2025. The CWHP is a statewide program that offers funding opportunities to landowners who wish to protect wildlife habitat or provide wildlife-related recreational public access on their property. 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. Learn more HERE.

Grant Programs:

The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Water Project Loan Program provides low-interest loans for the design and construction of agricultural and municipal water collection, storage, and delivery facilities, as well as hydroelectric power generation projects in Colorado; however, it does not fund drinking water or wastewater treatment projects. A minimum loan request of $100,000 is recommended. Projects financed by the Water Project Loan Program must align with the goals identified in Colorado’s Water Plan and its measurable objectives.

Community Navigator Program - The Watershed Center and Coalitions and Collaboratives, along with several other national and regional nonprofit organizations, are partnering with the US Forest Service on a community navigator initiative, which supports communities in accessing federal funding opportunities, creating partnerships, and building capacity for wildfire risk mitigation and climate resilience. To get in touch with a navigator, fill out a request form here.

Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap: EPA is offering free technical assistance for communities with failing decentralized (septic) wastewater systems, or communities with no existing wastewater systems at all. Do septic systems back up into homes or cause sewage to pool in yards? Does the town or county struggle to provide adequate sanitation services to its residents? Does the community struggle to rebuild damaged or non-functioning wastewater and septic systems? If any of these conditions apply, then your community may be eligible for assistance through this initiative. Communities – including homeowners and utilities – and all states, Tribes, and territories can request no-cost technical assistance. Technical assistance can help assess current wastewater infrastructure, recommend options, and support development of funding applications for the community. More information can be found HERE.

IRA Forest Landowner Support - Provides grant opportunities to entities and organizations delivering technical and financial assistance to private forest landowners - including Tribes, underserved landowners, and small-acreage landowners - to participate in emerging private markets for forest resilience and climate mitigation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants — Rolling application window open — The USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants program supports eligible communities to prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Eligible applicants must show a decline in quantity or quality of water that occurred within two years of the date of the application or that a significant decline in quality or quantity of water is imminent.

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs are provided to eligible applicant states/tribes/territories that, in turn, provide sub-grants to local governments. The applicant selects and prioritizes applications developed and submitted to them by local jurisdictions to submit to FEMA for grant funds. Prospective sub-applicants should consult the official designated point of contact for their applicant state/tribe/territory for further information regarding specific program and application requirements.

City of Ft. Collins Nature in the City Planning Grants. Have an idea for a nature play area, outdoor gathering space, or pollinator restorations? The Dream it Up Project Planning grants can help you and your community plan out your dream project. Anyone from HOA's, faith-based organizations, affordable housing communities, and even schools are welcome and encouraged to apply. Get started!

Colorado Environmental Justice Grants Program - Community Solutions to Improve Environmental Health. This grant opportunity was created by the Environmental Justice Act to provide funding to communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change. The Environmental Justice Advisory Board oversees the EJ Grants Program and will serve as the selection committee for the grants. You can apply for this grant if you are part of a: non-profit organization, local government, federally-recognized Tribal government, university, other educational institution, for-profit corporation, or grassroots organization.

The Water Supply Reserve Fund (WSRF) Grant Program provides funding to assist Colorado water users in addressing their critical water supply issues and interests through a unique local review process. Requests for funds from the WSRF program must be presented to and recommended by the respective Basin Roundtable prior to submitting a grant application and being considered by the CWCB Board. Deadlines to apply vary based on the respective Basin Roundtable meeting schedule and more information can be found HERE. Eligible projects may include funding for technical assistance regarding permitting, feasibility studies and environmental compliance; studies or analysis of structural, nonstructural, consumptive and nonconsumptive water needs, projects or activities; design of structural projects or activities; infrastructure replacement or maintenance projects.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - Programs include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and the Watershed Operations PL-566 Program.

Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) - CDPHE’s SWAP program's main objective is to minimize potential contaminant threats to public drinking water supplies. To engage in this effort, public water systems and governmental entities can apply for a $5,000 protection planning grant through the SWAP program. The SWAP program also supports Wildland Fire Decision Support System work and post-wildfire recovery efforts. SWAP program staff assisted in the development of the Post Fire Playbook to assist local recovery groups in navigating the complexities surrounding post-wildfire recovery. For more information visit the SWAP page.

Water Quality Grants and Loans Unit - CDPHE’s Grants and Loans Unit offers small community grants and water quality improvement fund grants to protect public health and water quality. They also administer the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program to finance the design and construction of public drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. More information on eligible drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater projects is available on the water quality grants and loans page.

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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $7.5 billion ofWater Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funding. The WIFIA program offers long-term loans to help communities implement critical water infrastructure projects, which protect public health, deliver environmental benefits, create over 60,000 good-paying jobs, protect waterways including drinking water sources, and support local economies, at a lower cost. The WIFIA program has funding available on an ongoing basis. Learn moreHERE.

Colorado Water Funding Opportunity Navigator

Colorado Water Conservation Board has compiled this database to serve as a tool for people and organizations across Colorado to navigate all available funding opportunities for water projects in a single place.

Colorado Wildfire Mitigation Funding Opportunities

A list of state, federal and private funding available for a wide variety of wildfire mitigation projects including Watershed Health.