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1 | Public SEP Idea Library (Created June 2022) | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Timestamp | Geographic area to benefit most directly from project | SEP category | Project name | Project summary | Email Address | Organization name | Organization project manager name | Organization project manager title | Organization project manager phone | Expected environmental and/or public health benefits | Project budget range (and is the project scalable?) | Other relevant information | Is this a government or nonprofit organization? | ||||
3 | 08/25/2025 | Gunnison, Hinsdale | Pollution Prevention, Pullution Reduction, Public Health & Safety | GV-HEAT Program: Gunnison Valley - Home Energy Advancement Team | GV-HEAT is a locally grown program that incorporates different funding sources under one umbrella, providing energy efficiency and health and safety upgrades and retrofits to qualifying households within Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties. Funding from this SEP grant will allow us to expand our impact to embrace moderate income households (up to 150% AMI) that historically have been programmatically excluded from these benefits yet, include some of our most vulnerable citizens. Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties are in beautiful, remote locations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The supply of, and access to a qualified labor pool to provide the GV-HEAT services is extremely limited. The HEAT Program Coordinator has developed valuable relationships with qualified contractors that come from more than 120 miles away to deliver the work and materials necessary to fulfill the program’s goals. This is not a sustainable means of accomplishing those goals, hence developing a local pool of qualified contractors is included in the program’s long-term goals. | info@gvrha.org | Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) | Gesa Michel | GV-HEAT Coordinator | 970-234-5613 | homes can save $450 per year in energy costs:70 annual retrofits, this equates to annual energy cost savings of $31,500, electricity savings of approximately 100,940 kWh, and natural gas savings of 18,340 therms. | $175,000 and $225,000 | We believe that this is an innovative and efficient way to combat poverty and the lack of affordable housing in our area. The HEAT program has seen tremendous success and has local political and public support. The program has nearly a dozen regional partners and will be administered by GVRHA staff that has expansive experience developing and administering energy efficiency programs. Our team is organized, highly efficient and detail oriented. We will regularly share updates with the community, regional stakeholders, and all funding organizations. We would be proud to have CDPHE and SEP funding organizations as our partner! | government | ||||
4 | 9/4/2025 | Multi - County - All) Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson, Broomfield, Boulder, Larimer, Weld, Alamosa, Rio Grande, Conejos, Pueblo, Fremont, Mesa | Pollution Prevention | Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Projects | This project will improve indoor air quality (IAQ), equipment reliability, comfort, and utility bill affordability through energy efficiency retrofits at nonprofits and affordable housing providers serving the low-income community. | afeiertag@energyoutreach.org | Energy Outreach Colorado | Ashley Feiertag | NEEP Program Manager | (303) 523-0227 | This will be a whole building approach with full project management resources. The project will correct health and safety concerns identified within the building, thus improving the wellbeing of staff working within the building, or people being served that visit the building. Environmental Benefits: Energy Efficiency: per building average energy savings of 40,000 kWh, 800 therms, or $4,800 bill savings. IAQ – improved breathable air quality, improve occupant productivity Energy bill savings realized are put back into the community through the programs and services offered by the non-profits. | 45,000-$100,000 per nonprofit building | we can do our single family and multifamily efficiency programing in any county. There are some barriers regarding rebates and incentives that we can offer in certain counties on the eastern plains, but depending on the project we can get creative | nonprofit | ||||
5 | 9/4/2025 | Weld County, CO | Pollution Reduction, Environmental Restoration, Environmental Education | VOC Weld County Volunteer and Partnership Program | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enable and motivate people to become active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. Since 2015, VOC has been working with Weld County partners and land managers to develop strong partnerships, and in 2020, VOC established a new position, the Weld County Volunteer and Partnership Coordinator, to focus exclusively on managing projects and building effective volunteerism in and around Weld County. Embedded in the local area through a partnership with the City of Greeley Natural Areas and Trails department, this position has strengthened the capacity for natural resource stewardship. This position manages an annual portfolio of volunteer projects, trainings, and coordinates efforts with a variety of land managers and stakeholders to address emerging needs and priority efforts that require volunteer assistance to be successful. This proposal requests continued financial assistance to help support VOC’s efforts in Weld County. | morgan@wrv.org | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado | Morgan Crowley | Director of Programs | Tel: 303.543.1411 ext. 102 | The expected environmental and public health benefits from the projects undertaken in 2023 are numerous including erosion prevention, improved water quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, improved recreational amenities for active living, and many others. The specific quantifiable goals for each project will be provided at the time VOC submits the final list of planned projects and will depend on the projects selected. | $15,000 - $150,000 The Weld County Volunteer and Partnership Coordinator position costs approximately $65,000 per year. | nonprofit | |||||
6 | 9/4/2025 | Lake County | Pollution Reduction, Environmental Restoration, Environmental Education | VOC Lake County Volunteer and Training Program | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a statewide nonprofit, founded in 1984, whose mission is to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources. VOC's volunteer projects are designed to engage a variety of audiences, while at the same time addressing critical environmental stewardship needs. Under VOC’s leadership, volunteers make a profound impact on Colorado's outdoors through hands-on work in wildfire and flood restoration, trail building and maintenance, tree planting and reforestation, noxious weed removal and more. VOC also provides essential stewardship skills trainings to land management agencies, stewardship organizations and individual volunteer stewards through our Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI). Each year, VOC engages 4,500 volunteers and 300 trainees in our programs. | kclouse@voc.org | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado | Kelly Clouse | Director of Programs | 303-715-1010 x118 | Expected environmental and public health benefits from VOC’s volunteer projects include erosion prevention, improved water quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, improved recreational amenities for active living, additional safe and sustainable access to public lands, decreased wildfire risks, and many others. The specific quantifiable goals for each project will be provided at the time VOC submits the final list of planned projects and will depend on the projects selected. | VOC is able to host a variety of projects and trainings in Lake County during 2023 and 2024 utilizing all or a portion of the SEP funds that may be available. Every project and training is different, but generally a weekend-long project costs VOC approximately $6,000 and a 2-day training costs approximately $4,000. Every volunteer project has tangible benefits for human and environmental health, while every training increases volunteer capacity in the area. | Please see all our programs at voc.org | |||||
7 | 9/4/2025 | Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Ouray, Park, Phillips, Pitkin, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Sedwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma | Pollution Reduction, Environmental Restoration, Environmental Education | VOC Multi-County Volunteer and Training Program | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a statewide nonprofit, founded in 1984, whose mission is to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources. VOC's volunteer projects are designed to engage a variety of audiences, while at the same time addressing critical environmental stewardship needs. Under VOC’s leadership, volunteers make a profound impact on Colorado's outdoors through hands-on work in wildfire and flood restoration, trail building and maintenance, tree planting and reforestation, noxious weed removal and more. VOC also provides essential stewardship skills trainings to land management agencies, stewardship organizations and individual volunteer stewards through our Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI). Each year, VOC engages 4,500 volunteers and 300 trainees in our programs. | kclouse@voc.org | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado | Kelly Clouse | Director of Programs | 303-715-1010 x118 | Expected environmental and public health benefits from VOC’s volunteer projects include erosion prevention, improved water quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, improved recreational amenities for active living, additional safe and sustainable access to public lands, decreased wildfire risks, and many others. The specific quantifiable goals for each project will be provided at the time VOC submits the final list of planned projects and will depend on the projects selected. | Every project and training is different, but generally a weekend-long project costs VOC approximately $6,000 and a 2-day training costs approximately $4,000. Every volunteer project has tangible benefits for human and environmental health, while every training increases volunteer capacity in the area. Projects in Weld, Denver, Arapahoe, and Larimer can take any amount of money. Projects in other counties can use up to $10,000. | Please see all our programs at voc.org | |||||
8 | 9/4/2025 | Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Ouray, Park, Phillips, Pitkin, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Sedwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma | Pollution Prevention, Pollution Reduction | Charge Ahead Colorado | The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) administers Charge Ahead Colorado, an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure grant program. Grants are available for community-based Level 2 and DCFC charging stations. Program objectives include improving air quality, encouraging the deployment of EVs across the state and supporting the implementation of the Colorado Electric Vehicle Plan 2020. Since its inception in 2013, Charge Ahead Colorado has made awards for nearly 2000 EV charging stations throughout Colorado. | matt.mines@state.co.us | Colorado Energy Office | Matt Mines | Senior Program Manager | 303.866.2128 | Transitioning to electric vehicles will reduce criteria air pollutants and GHG emissions. Colorado has a goal of 940,000 electric vehicles by 2030. Transportation electrification is a critical strategy for meeting our climate and air quality goals. Charge Ahead Colorado is a Statewide program operating in every county. | Variable depending on application round. Announced prior to each application round. | ||||||
9 | 09/04/2025 | Boulder, Weld | Environmental Restoration, Public Health & Safety | Sandstone Ranch Flood Restoration and Habitat Improvement | WRV and City of Longmont will work to restore and clean up a river corridor at Sandstone Ranch impacted by the 2013 floods. At Sandstone Ranch, a City of Longmont-owned property in Weld County, the 2013 floods moved a section of the St. Vrain River several hundred feet to the South. This created a new, unplanned river corridor, and left the old corridor to die out without a water source. These changes left behind hundreds of dead and downed large cottonwood trees, and created a new river corridor prone to erosion and poor water quality. This project will have a variety of elements to improve ecosystem health, create diverse habitat, stabilize river banks, improve water quality, and ultimately build a more resilient watershed. | morgan@wrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers | Morgan Crowley | Habitats & Invasive Species Program Manager | 3035431411 ext 102 | Benefits will include: • Volunteer engagement, including adults and disadvantaged youth • Engagement of Youth Corps to help encourage recruitment into natural resource fields • Large-scale restoration of flood affected sites to improve wildlife habitat and safety • Planting native trees and shrubs • Collecting locally adapted native seed for future restoration sites • Installing fencing for protection of restoration areas from prairie dog colony expansion WRV will report on: • # of volunteers engaged • Acres restored • # trees/ shrubs planted • Feet of prairie dog barrier installed | $250,000 | All project sites/activities will be identified in close collaboration with the City of Longmont and other project partners. By coordinating with government entities, WRV can focus on the highest priority sites that fit the size of the project budget, and leverage SEP funds, possibly allowing us to expand restoration efforts beyond those quantified above. | |||||
10 | 9/4/2024 | Weld | Environmental Restoration, Environmental Education | River & Habitat Restoration – Greeley Natural Areas and Pawnee Grasslands | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) will complete restoration projects in Weld County with the goal of protecting native plants, expanding habitat, and creating overall healthy natural areas and rivers. Two primary project sites have been identified, each with opportunities for multiple volunteer events. The first, Greeley Natural Areas, are a series of properties maintained by the City of Greeley, opportunities exist for noxious weed and invasive tree removal as well as habitat restoration. At the second site, Pawnee National Grasslands, WRV will expand restoration work on land around streams that has been ongoing for 10+ years. | morgan@wlrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers | Morgan Crowley | Program Manager | 303.543.1411 ext. 102 | Benefits Expected: • Volunteer engagement, including adults and disadvantaged youth • Large-scale restoration of eroded watersheds • Increasing plant diversity via native trees, shrubs, and wetland plantings • Slope stabilization from seeding and mulching and additional slope stabilization structures • Installing fencing for rotational grazing on grasslands WRV will report on: • # of volunteers engaged • Length of stream restored • # trees planted • Acres seeded/mulched in riparian areas • Acres seeded/ mulched in burn areas. • Acres or length of stream treated for invasive species | 40359.36 Min Budget ~$40,000, max budget ~$140,000 | Both work sites have the possibility for multiple projects. Our site at Pawnee National Grasslands has opportunities to scale up to more projects due to the relationship that WRV has built with the Forest Service and the need in that location. The amount of fencing, invasive plant removal, and willow/cottonwood planting could be sustained for multiple years. City of Greeley is an ongoing project partner that has continued restoration needs that could be addressed with increased funding. All project sites/activities will be identified in close collaboration with state agencies, and local municipalities. By coordinating with state agencies and associated government entities, WRV can focus on the highest priority sites that fit the size of the project budget, and leverage SEP funds, possibly allowing us to expand restoration efforts beyond those quantified above. | |||||
11 | 09/04/2025 | Larimer | Environmental Restoration Environmental Education | Campbell Creek Restoration | In the early 1900s an irrigation coop bringing water to early Front Range homesteaders used a natural drainage including the Campbell Creek to transport water for years while the canal construction was completed. The event dug a 40-60 foot deep trench for over three miles, wiping out the riparian forest and causing massive instability in the Campbell Valley and its tributaries. WRV has worked since 2012 to stabilize and revegetate the valley using low impact process-based restoration techniques. Volunteer have built upland rock structures to spread water and reduce erosion, in-stream structures to reduce the effective grade and water velocity and planted native vegetation to rebuild the structural diversity and habitat value. These structures require maintenance until the new vegetation and the wildlife they support can realize the intended trajectory and ongoing monitoring to generate documentation to guide us and other land managers facing similar challenges in the future. | morgan@wlrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers | Morgan Crowley | Program Manager | 303.543.1411 ext. 102 | Erosion and riparian habitat loss are common in semi-arid mountain west waterways. Historic beaver eradication, altered flow regimes from water resource management and stunted regeneration from overgrazing have left many streams incised far below their historic floodplains and denuded of native woody vegetation. Without intervention to slow further erosion and reconnect water to its floodplain regeneration is unlikely in the foreseeable future. Functioning headwater floodplains and wet meadows provide critical habitat, filter and improve water quality, spread and slow floodwaters, serve as firebreaks during forest fires, keep waters cooler and protected from the wind and flatten hydrologic curves leaving more water in our rivers during the growing season. Grade control structures raise water tables to rejoin their floodplains. Induced meandering structures build new floodplains when the historic ones are out of reach. Fencing and planting return native woody vegetation to exposed banks and support natural regeneration and long-term stability. | $30,000 - $115,000 - fully scalable with additional sites available | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers has a strong track record managing SEP funds to accomplish tangible results while building a diverse, empowered and engaged volunteer community. | Nonprofit | ||||
12 | 08/25/2025 | Weld | Pollution prevention Pollution reduction Public health & safety | Electronics recycling event | Host one or more days, dependent on funding, for electronics recycling. The event would be take back for tvs, computers, and related type items that can't go to the landfill but that needs a means for disposal. We would hold events a various locations to provide access to all of our residents. | djoseph@weld.gov | Weld County | Dan Joseph | Director of Environmental Health | 970-400-2206 | This would benefit our community by reducing the amount of wastes that make there way to the landfill. By recycling we reduce the amount of wastes that are being landfill and find another use for a number of items. Has an additional environmental benefit in that it would reduce the likelihood of contamination of leachate from the landfill. | Minimum $50,000, Maximum $100,000, but yes it is scalable. Do need to have minimum to host event. Our expense range based on 2022 events that we held. | We held successful events in 2022. Based on number of pounds collected and people served, we feel there is future need for this type of service. | Government | ||||
13 | 5/15/2023 8:18:44 | Adams | Pollution prevention Pollution reduction Environmental education Environmental restoration | Sand Creek Cleanup and Trash Removal Event | A volunteer team of 100 cleanup participants with 10 people of color recruited as volunteer leaders will collect trash along Sand Creek within Commerce City and properly dispose of the trash using our waste subcontractors. Volunteers will be prepared on what to wear and what to bring to the event. Supplies will be provided by Commerce City and potential community sponsorships. Commerce City's waste subcontractor will provide free roll-offs and disposal of municipal waste and another subcontractor will properly dispose of hazardous waste and tires. Trees and tree shelters will be provided to volunteers to plant at their home or somewhere else with care cards from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Lunch will also be provided after the event. A trash statistics summary sheet will be developed to submit to American Rivers and tree recipients will be provided to NWF. To authentically engage with the community strategiesfrom the book Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) by Doug McKenzie-Mohr. will be used. 1: promote the Sand Creek cleanup. 2. identify barriers that impede people from engaging in the cleanup along with what would motivate them to act. A social marketing strategy is developed to remove the barriers and enhance the benefits. 3. gain commitment in participating in the cleanup. Social diffusion will be implemented to ensure the cleanup promotion is visible, gaining commitment from early adopters to speak to others about the event, and carefully identifying whom to target. 4. evaluation of the cleanup event once it has been implemented on a broad-scale in the community. | jstrauss@c3gov.com | City of Commerce City | Jennifer Strauss | Stormwater Coordinator | (720) 584-0115 | The expected environmental benefit is the reduction of waste from entering our waterway, improving water quality. The expected public health benefit is for all participants to implement the Four Pillars of the Sanctuary Model: Trauma Theory; the S.E.L.F. Framework; the Seven Commitments; and the Sanctuary Toolbox. This will help Commerce City problem solve and create a high-functioning, compassionate, and healthy community. | $31,628.03, which includes $17,683.93 for supplies and organization costs and $13,944.10 for contracts. This project could be scalable to other watersheds. | DI Community Prior to the cleanup event, a small portion of Sand Creek will be piloted for cleanup by City staff to determine additional logistical issues that need to be addressed before the main cleanup. | Government | ||||
14 | 5/15/2023 16:35:31 | Denver | Pollution reduction Environmental education Environmental restoration Public health & safety | Huerta Urbana Farm | This project seeks to address the lack of organic produce available to the residents of the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea (GES) neighborhoods by mitigating pollutants in the soil and water on Focus Points’ communal farm, and subsequently lengthening the growing season through the addition of four high tunnel greenhouses, (hoop houses). In response, Focus Points launched the Huerta Urbana Farm, which trains residents on cutting edge farming/ag business techniques while growing produce that can be distributed to GES residents at no cost. When at full scale, the farm will produce enough to not only feed the community, but to sell to local distributors as a way to rebuild community wealth. This project will remediate contaminated soil, decrease water waste, and reduce urban pollutants on the Huerta Urbana farm. It will empower residents to grow organic produce for consumption and to sell for profit, improving the health and environment of the community. | sheila@focuspoints.org | Focus Points Family Resource Center | Sheila Mahony | Director of Development and Communications | 303-945-6589 | The farm will experience an 80% reduction in metal and other urban pollutants in the soil. The ability to activate the full acre of the farmland for growing, via an improved irrigation system. Thereby, increasing yield and producing more food for the local community. | $146,614.00 | Supports a DI Community - EJ Grant applicant | Nonprofit | ||||
15 | 8/25/2025 | Boulder | Pollution prevention Pollution reduction Public health & satey | Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events for DI Communities | Improper disposal of household hazardous waste (HHW) can include pouring them down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or in household trash, potentially contaminating surface water, groundwater, and air, and posing hazards to sanitation workers, children, and pets. any resident within the identified areas in Boulder County, City and County of Broomfield, and Town of Erie that meet the criteria of the definition for a disproportionately impacted community as identified through the EnviroScreen tool. We propose to host six to ten HHW collection events in the community throughout the year, realistically in spring, summer, and fall over the course of the term. | sfuller@bouldercounty.org | Boulder County - Resource Conservation Division | Shelly Fuller | Hazardous Materials Program Manager | 720-564-2243 | The HHW neighborhood collection event project aims to address the problem of improper disposal of HHW and to prioritize the reduction of environmental health inequities in disproportionately impacted communities. The number of residents who participate in the collection and the amount of waste collected will be tracked and submitted in the completion report. | $158,000 - $203,000 | Supports DI communities. | Government | ||||
16 | 9/15/2025 | Arapahoe, Denver | Environmental Education | Loretto Heights Resilience Hub | The Loretto Heights Resiliency Hub restores a 1951 historic community building into a community-designed resilience hub. The hub will become a replicable model for climate impacted communities everywhere, providing emergency disaster resources for thousands of Denver residents disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. In addition to disaster services such as battery power storage, clean air space, and emergency communications, the hub offers year-round educational programming to support the community to adapt to and address climate change. The project focuses on climate resilience and pollution reduction in Southwest Denver, a region disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental pollution, The Loretto Heights Resiliency Hub is located within a disadvantaged community, as determined by the EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities Map, ID 080310157004. The project is led by a community leadership team known as the Promotoras Climaticas—composed of Spanish-speaking grandmothers, mothers, and young adults—who represent the most vulnerable populations in the area. The hub will provide critical infrastructure and support for disadvantaged communities, addressing both indoor and outdoor air quality and improving overall community health. | andrea@commundenver.org | The Barton Institute (DBA Commún) | Andrea Savage | Director of Finance and Operations | 650-793-0011 | Actions will include community trainings, advocacy education and events, educational materials through media and personal relationships, community events such as tree plantings and work days, and other community identified, culturally relevant actions. We will identify common toxin exposure sources in our community and build a path for our community to reduce that exposure in our neighborhoods. Guided writing of an action plan to mitigate and minimize pollution impacts on our community. Metrics: 1. Number of households reached; 2. Number of mitigation strategies enacted; Number of participants; 4. Qualitative data - an increase in the number of people who commit to taking action, whether at an event with our team or in their own homes. We will measure this success through personal interviews. | $250,000 and is scalable | Supports DI Communities Note from SEP Coordinator: this will need a strong action component and measurable benefits for an Agreement. | Nonprofit | ||||
17 | 9/4/2025 | Boulder | Environmental education, Environmental restoration, Public health & safety | Bilingual Family Projects Lafayette & Longmont | Each year, WRV engages hundreds of youth and their families in environmental education and restoration events. In recent years, we have hired bilingual staff, translated our materials and crew leader training into Spanish and begun engaging Colorado’s LatinX communities in our volunteer events. Projects range from collecting native seed for use in future restoration projects to removal of invasive species. These projects typically occur on accessible City of Lafayette and City of Longmont Open Space land – and are in partnership with The City of Lafayette, The City of Longmont, Nature Kids/Jovenes de la Naturaleza and Thorne Nature Experience. These projects are both educational and fun! | katherine@wlrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) | Amy Allen | Program Manager | 702-277-3306 | Depending on the project we may collect millions of seeds or pull hundreds of invasive plants benefiting dozens of acres either immediately or eventually (once seeds are broadcast). More importantly, each project gets youth outside connecting to nature through hands-on ecological restoration. Given the rise of Nature Deficit Disorder – the increasing disconnect between youth and nature – especially among teenagers and youth of color – this work is crucial. Documented health benefits of connecting to nature include decreased obesity and attention - deficit disorders, important social-emotional skills, and alternative paths to academic success (summarized by Strife and Downey 2009). Time spent contributing to the community in meaningful ways also helps youth develop the capacity to understand their role in the world and see themselves as capable of effecting positive change. Citations Strife S, Downey L. 2009. Childhood Development and Access to Nature: A New Direction for Environmental Inequality Research. Organ Environ 9-122. | $7,500 - $50,000 – easily scalable by number of projects | Nonprofit | |||||
18 | 9/4/2025 | Adams | Environmental education, Environmental restoration | Commerce City Tree Planting - Bilingual | The City of Commerce City is a mixed residential and industrial community that is known for the Suncor oil refinery which has a capacity of 90,000 barrels per day. This, and other industrial facilities, can impact the community’s air quality. Almost 49% of Commerce City residents are LatinX. Our work in Commerce City responds to community needs identified by our partners at Promotores Verdes and Cultivando. The community requested our support with tree planting. These projects are led in both Spanish and English by bilingual staff and volunteer crew leaders. | katherine@wlrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) | Nathan Boschmann | Program Manager | 970-389-5746 | Climate change is already impacting Colorado ecosystems as it has gotten hotter here, especially in urban areas (AKA Heat Islands). Climate change has also caused changes in precipitation patterns in the state. These problems are expected to worsen over time. Trees provide oxygen and shade while also absorbing stormwater and pollutants. Trees can help improve air quality and can mitigate some of the Heat Island Effects caused by climate change. WRV projects aim to engage our large volunteer community in work that has tangible benefits for vulnerable communities and natural areas. Increasing the resilience of these ecosystems and communities makes them better able to withstand the disturbances exacerbated by climate change. WRV projects also include educational components in which we put the work of the project into the broader concept of climate change leading to a better informed and more engaged populous. We can plant hundreds of trees per event. | $5,0000 - $30,000 – fully scalable | Nonprofit | |||||
19 | 9/4/2025 | Clear Creek | Environmental education, Environmental restoration | Summit Lake Restoration | Summit Lake is located alongside the highest paved road in America, just below the summit of Mount Evans (a 14-er soon to be renamed Mount Blue Sky). This site is part of the Denver Mountain Parks owned by the City of Denver. Given the proximity of this site (located in Clear Creek County) to Denver (the state’s biggest city and part of Adams, Arapahoe and Denver Counties) this area has been heavily visited and almost “loved to death”. Volunteer projects range from collecting native seed, growing the seed into seedlings, and planting the seedlings to restore the fragile alpine tundra ecosystem. WRV has been working in this majestic alpine area for over a decade with amazing results. Given the increasing impacts of climate change there, it is important to improve ecological resilience in the alpine tundra. | katherine@wlrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) | Morgan Crowley | Program Manager | 720-903-6119 | Climate change is already impacting Colorado ecosystems, especially those found at higher elevations. WRV projects aim to engage our large volunteer community in work that has tangible benefits for vulnerable ecosystems such as the alpine tundra. Increasing the resilience of these ecosystems makes them better able to withstand the disturbances, such as changes in precipitation patterns, exacerbated by climate change. WRV projects also include educational components in which we put the work of the project into the broader concept of climate change leading to a better informed and more engaged populous. We can collect millions of seeds, grow out thousands of seedlings, or plant hundreds of seedlings per event. | $5,0000 - $100,000 – fully scalable | Nonprofit | |||||
20 | 9/4/2025 | Adams | Environmental education, Environmental restoration, Public health & safety | Bilingual Families Restore Accessible Natural Areas | Each year, WRV engages hundreds of youth and their families in environmental education and restoration events. In recent years, we have hired bilingual staff, translated our materials and crew leader training into Spanish and begun engaging Colorado’s LatinX communities in our volunteer events. Projects range from collecting native seed for use in future restoration projects to removal of invasive species to restoring pollinator habitat. Just north of Denver in Adams County are Barr Lake State Park and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. These projects occur on accessible public land and are often in partnership with Promotores Verdes, a long-time partner to WRV. These projects are both educational and fun, often involving a recreational component in addition to hands-on restoration work. | katherine@wlrv.org | Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) | Morgan Crowley | Program Manager | 720-903-6119 | Depending on the project we may collect millions of seeds, pull hundreds of invasives, or plant hundreds of native plants benefiting dozens of acres either immediately or eventually (once seeds are broadcast). More importantly, youth get outside connecting to nature through hands-on ecological restoration. Given the rise of Nature Deficit Disorder – the increasing disconnect between youth and nature – especially among teenagers and youth of color – this work is crucial. Health benefits of connecting to nature include decreased obesity and attention - deficit disorders, important social-emotional skills, and alternative paths to academic success (summarized by Strife and Downey 2009). Time spent contributing to the community in meaningful ways also helps youth develop the capacity to understand their role in the world, seeing themselves as capable of effecting positive change. Citations Strife S, Downey L. 2009. Childhood Development and Access to Nature: A New Direction for Environmental Inequality Research. Organ Environ 9-122. | $15,0000 - $100,000 – easily scalable by number of projects | Nonprofit | |||||
21 | 8/25/2025 | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson | Pollution prevention, pollution reduction, public heallth & safety | Equitable access to EV charging | A workplace charging program is set up by employers to offer on-site EV charging, while their employees are at work. Women who Charge (WWC), a local non-profit, will assist small businesses in the Denver metro area to create a program that supports small business employees adopting EV technology. The process of installing charging infrastructure and creating a new workplace benefit for employees can feel like a daunting task. Recognizing the critical need for additional workplace charging, this non-profit wants to help small business owners overcome the barriers. | womenwhocharge@gmail.com | Women Who Charge | LaSheita Sayer | Founder | 720-949-2020 | Zero-emission technologies, like electric cars are known to bring major public health benefits through cleaner air and reduced climate pollution. Transportation pollution is a leading source of both harmful air and climate pollution in the United States, meaning that the road to clean air must include zero-emission vehicles. One of the barriers for low wage earners to adopting an EV is "I live in an apartment. Where will I recharge?" This workplace charging program helps to answer that question. "You can recharge at work." | $15,000 - $450,000 - scalable | Nonprofit | |||||
22 | 8/23/2023 11:47:21 | Arapahoe, Jefferson | Pollution reduction, environmental education, public health & safety | Bear Creek Watershed Restoration - E.Coli | The Bear Creek is tributary to South Platte and has been identified to contain high E-Coli levels which has been confirmed with Groundworks Denver water sampling. Possible source locations include horse ranching upstream. A variety of mycelium strains have been identified to mitigate the presence of E-Coli and hopefully eliminate the contamination. The school's venture club and paid youth working in Groundworks Denver are capable of germinating the mushrooms and tracing the sources where the treatment would be applied. | stangeboard@gmail.com | Sheridan School District 2 | Daniel Stange | Board President | 720-338-5056 | Reduction in high E-Coli levels of the Bear Creek and increased community particiapation including youth environmental awareness and collaboration | $200,000 is a generous initial phase. potentially, scaling this could be less expesive. | Daniel is also a Board director on the Groundworks Denver organization and partners with a Sheridan resident non-profit organization SRTFE | Government | ||||
23 | 8/24/2023 16:24:17 | Clear Creek | Pollution Prevention, Pollution Reduction, Environmental Education, Public Health & Safety | Transfer Station Freon Disposal Program | We are seeking some training dollars for our transfer station in Clear Creek County to provide disposal of freon and refrigerants at our station. Being 82% public lands, we find a lot of refrigerators in the backcountry and the nearest location to dispose of these units is over an hour away from our station. Through the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and the EPA website recommendation we found a company that will provide the onsite training for us at our station, however the cost is $10k. With this funding, we could train our station team plus a couple public works employees and reduce the number of illegal dumping in our forest. | bluther@clearcreekcounty.us | Clear Creek County | Beth Luther | Operations Director | 303-679-2312 | Freon is a massive impact to the ghg impacts on our environment. Having a local station where people can properly dispose of their refrigerators would not only provide a close-to-home disposal but also greatly reduce the number of refrigerators being illegally dumped in the backcountry. With Clear Creek being 82% public lands, the amount of land and habitat being restored by removal of these units or total prevention of dumping these units is immeasurable. | $10,000.00 | The cost of the training was provided by TPC the CDPHE/CDLE recommended site for training. | Government | ||||
24 | 9/19/2023 13:08:28 | Boulder | Environmental Education, Public health & safety | Particulate Air Monitoring | In 2023, CDPHE levied fines of $357,175 against the Cemex cement plant in Lyons for violations of air quality regulations between April 2020 and May 2021. CDPHE also required Cemex to take actions to reduce air pollution. The penalty resulted from community members filing complaints about fugitive dust events. Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) is often contacted about dust events at the plant, but the events typically subside by the time staff arrive. BCPH proposes deploying a network of particulate air monitors and cameras around the plant and the gravel quarries to the north. | bhayes@bouldercounty.org | Boulder County Public Health | Bill Hayes | Air Quality Program Coordinator | 303-441-1574 | The project would assist in documenting the effectiveness of the actions that Cemex proposes to reduce air pollution and allow for more effective and timely enforcement of air quality regulations. Air monitoring data would be displayed on a public-facing website that would allow residents to sign-up for real-time alerts when air quality is poor. The alerts would provide recommendations to mitigate health impacts of poor air quality. The system would also alert residents to air pollution from wildfires. | $85,000 - yes, this project would be scalable | Not a DI Community | Government | ||||
25 | 10/19/2023 12:19:48 | Jackson, Larimer | Environmental Restoration, Environmental Education | Cameron Peak Fire Restoration | VOC would work with local partner organizations to host several restoration projects in the Cameron Peak Burn Scar Area. This would include tree plantings and revegetation, ecological and riparian restoration and erosion mitigation along the Poudre Watershed | kclouse@voc.org | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado | Kelly Clouse | Director of Programs | 303-715-1010 ext. 118 | Hundreds of acres of habitat restored through revegetation and restoration efforts. Stream banks along the Poudre River will be stabilized and restored using erosion control techniques like willow planting and utilizing materials on site to create erosion control structures like beaver analog dams. | Scalable $2500 or more | The Cameron Peak Fire in 2020 burned 208,660 acres in Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests and Rocky Mountain National Park. SEP funds would go a long way in the restoration of this watershed. Erosion is a huge issue on the Poudre River due to this fire as sediment is eroding further downstream, causing problems in the Lower Poudre River Watershed as well. | Nonprofit | ||||
26 | 11/6/2023 14:01:34 | Denver | Public health & safety, Environmental Education, Pollution Prevention, Pollution Reduction | Reducing Disposable Vape Waste at Behavioral Healthcare Orgnaizations | Mile High Behavioral Healthcare (MHBHC) is interested in offering a collection site for disposable electronic nicotine devices. Many clients at MHBHC use electronic vapes and there is no clear way to recycle after use. These products are also illegal to throw away under federal law as well as dangerous since they contain lithium batteries. My goal to offer a collection point at 2-3 Mile High Behavioral Healthcare offices as a pilot project. The goal after a successful pilot is to expand this program to other behavioral healthcare organizations. I have also reached out to The Happy Beetle as a partner for this program to deliver the recycling to Denver Hazardous Waste or a CDPHE recognized recycler center. This project would be similar to the Vape Aware Program in Boulder County. https://bouldercounty.gov/environment/healthy-home/tobacco/vapeaware/ This Boulder County Program has been successful in meeting their goal of diverting 3,500 vapes from landfills. | sdelong@mhbhc.org | Mile High Behavioral Healthcare | Sarah DeLong | STEPP Program Manager | 4044522745 | This project would fill a gap in the demand for vape recycling. In Denver, there are significant barriers to recycling these products. A recent article in the Denver Post discussed the lack of opportunity to recycle electronic nicotine devices: https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/19/communities-cant-recycle-or-trash-disposable-e-cigarettes-so-what-happens-to-them/ This would help divert hazardous waste from sewers, waterways and landfills. This would also reduce the risk of fires from lithium batteries. | $5,000. I do believe this project is scalable and could grow to include more collection sites. | This project would ideally start in early 2024 and coincide with the two STEPP grant Mile High Behavioral Healthcare has received. | Nonprofit | ||||
27 | 12/20/2023 12:53:59 | Larimer, Weld | Environmental Restoration, Environmental Education | Volunteer & Partnership Program | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enable and motivate people to become active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. Since 2015, VOC has been working with Weld County partners and land managers to develop strong partnerships, and in 2020, VOC established a new position, the Weld County Volunteer and Partnership Coordinator, to focus exclusively on managing projects and building effective volunteerism in and around Weld County. Embedded in the local area through a partnership with the City of Greeley Natural Areas and Trails department, this position has strengthened the capacity for natural resource stewardship. This position manages an annual portfolio of volunteer projects, trainings, and coordinates efforts with a variety of land managers and stakeholders to address emerging needs and priority efforts that require volunteer assistance to be successful. This proposal requests continued financial assistance to help support VOC’s efforts in Weld and Larimer Counties. | kclouse@voc.org | Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado | Kelly Clouse | Director of Programs | 303-715-1010 ext. 118 | The expected environmental and public health benefits from the projects undertaken in 2024 are numerous including new multi-use trail construction at Greeley's newest natural area, reforestation and erosion prevention in the Cameron Peak Burn Scar, improved water quality and enhanced wildlife habitat of the Poudre River Watershed, improved recreational amenities for active living, and many others. The specific quantifiable goals for each project will be provided at the time VOC submits the final list of planned projects and will depend on the projects selected. | $15,000 - $30,000 | Weld County Volunteer and Partnership Coordinator position costs approximately $65,000 per year to support. VOC is committed to the continuation of the position and has annual financial support from the City of Greeley Natural Areas and Trails at $30,000 cash and administrative overhead in-kind. To close the gap, VOC has received support from SEP the last four years. | Nonprofit | ||||
28 | 1/3/2024 11:13:44 | Elbert | Public health & safety, Environmental Education, Pollution Prevention, Pollution Reduction | Frontier High School & Elizabeth High School Chemical Materials and Waste Clean-Up | We have a large amount of hazardous chemicals, both solids and liquids, from past high school chemistry programs that can no longer be used and need to safely disposed of. | fjohnson@esdk12.org | Elizabeth School District | Franziska Johnson | ESD Grant and Facilities Coordinator | 3036461846 | The expected benefit will be minimizing waste and safely disposing of hazardous materials which will free up space in the high school for student activities. | $8,000 - $11,000 | We could do amounts less than $8,000, doing the cleanup in portions. We have compiled a complete list of all the chemicals, the number of containers and the amounts. | Government | ||||
29 | 1/19/2024 13:50:43 | Jefferson | Retrofitting and Upgrading Wheat Ridge Recreation Center's Lighting | This project would fund the replacement of existing Wheat Ridge Recreation Center light fixtures throughout the facility. Larger areas such as the lap pool, leisure pool, and gym would be replaced with “Natatorium” grade LED light fixtures, rated for indirect (inverted) to provide 100% up-lighting. Other facility areas such as the cardio and weight room areas, fitness rooms, classrooms, the ballroom, locker rooms, restrooms, storage areas, hallways, and other spaces would receive standard LED lighting. Existing lighting is original and beginning to fail, requiring expensive parts, repair, and maintenance. Existing lighting technology is also outdated and very inefficient in terms of energy use and material waste etc. The Recreation Center is 69,000 square feet and the city is making efforts to adhere to CDPHE Regulation AQCC #28 and CO HB 23-1161 section 8. | baltenburg@ci.wheatridge.co.us | City of Wheat Ridge | Dan Beiers | Facilities Manager | 303-205-7554 | New LED lighting will generate a significant reduction in energy use, which has long term financial and environmental benefits. For example, in the Lap pool, each lamp & ballast uses a total of 1058 watts/fixture for a total of 27,500 watts per hour. In contrast, a basic LED will provide at least a 60% energy saving over the existing lighting and only use about 10,500 watts per hour. In the gym, 1000w high pressure sodium and the 400w metal halide lighting use 1548 watts per combo fixture or 24,788 watts per hour. Basic LED lighting will use approx. 9,975 watts/ hour. Also, the cost of repair and maintenance over the life of and LED fixture is negligible compared to the conventional lighting currently in use. An additional energy savings of 10-15% can be achieved with adjustable controls | $275,000 . Yes, this project could be scalable to include other public facilities | The city will eventually be replacing all florescent lights throughout city-managed spaces including public and employee facilities, parks, parking lots, and streetlights. The city hopes to start with the Recreation Center as it is the largest facility with the highest ROI and is the only facility over 50,000 square feet, which requires it to meet progress standards set by CDPHE Regulation AQCC #28. If the CDPHE supports this project idea, future similar projects could include other city facilities. | Government | |||||
30 | 2/23/2024 10:56:59 | Arapahoe, Denver | Pollution prevention, pollution reduction, environmental education | Residential Green Infrastructure to Reduce Non-Point Source Pollution | Funding will support Groundwork Denver (GWD) in youth and community outreach and engagement in areas in Metro Denver to support water quality mitigation strategies focused on reducing non-point source pollution via installing green infrastructure, including rain barrels and rain gardens, on residential properties. Through the project, GWD will leverage its youth and young adult employment programs to outreach to residents, recruiting them to receive rain barrels on their properties and participate in rain barrel and rain garden workshops. | grants@groundworkcolorado.org | Groundwork Denver | Jessica Swindon | Director of Water Program | (303)455-5600 | Though the project is scalable, GWD proposes outreaching to 1,000 residents and installing 30, 55-gallon rain barrels on private residences, which reduce both stormwater runoff and tap water usage; on average, one rain barrel can capture and discharge 1,012 gallons of stormwater per year. GWD will provide rain barrel recipients with a rain barrel maintenance guide and sustain the installations through follow-up contact post-installation and by providing maintenance as requested by residents. GWD also proposes hosting two rain barrel workshops to train residents on rain barrel installation and maintenance, with Spanish translation available. Finally, GWD proposes installing pilot rain gardens on at least six private residences while building its capacity to provide them to the community by training and certifying youth employees. GWD will sustain rain garden installations through follow-up contact six to eight weeks post-installation and continuing as needed for up to one year. | $64,000. Yes the project is scalable. The number of youth and community members engaged and installations to take place are scalable based on available funds. | If funded the proposed project would scale current efforts initiated in the neighborhoods surrounding the Lower Bear Creek (LBC), particularly in the City of Sheridan and the Harvey Park South neighborhood of Denver. In 2010, LBC, the segment of Bear Creek between the outfall of the Bear Creek Reservoir and its confluence with the South Platte River, was listed on Colorado’s 303 (d) list for unsafe E. coli levels. Testing also reveals elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, and contamination due to nutrients, oil/grease, metals, pesticides, and trash. In Sheridan, nearly 40% of residents are Latine and 14% of residents live in poverty, and in Harvey Park South, 50% of residents are Latine and 22% of children live in poverty (U.S. Census, 2020 & 2019). Numerous barriers limit residents’ access to waterways, including a golf course, parking lots, and highways, as well as limited pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and general safety concerns. If residents manage access, they find the Sheridan stretch of the LBC in poor condition and unsuitable for recreation. Those who recreate in this section are at risk of health hazards due to E. coli, made worse by climate-related temperature increases. This section of the creek tests above swimming standards at least two-thirds of the time in the summer. This combination of under-resourcing of communities, poor environmental conditions, and challenging creek access creates a nexus of environmental justice concerns. The water quality impairment in Bear Creek presents an opportunity to catalyze transformation and renewal driven by community leaders. GWD’s projects and programs are designed to meet people where they are and engage them in ways that are meaningful and culturally relevant to them. Embracing this unique model, GWD engages community members historically excluded from solutions to climate and environmental challenges, empowering them with the education and tools needed to meaningfully impact the public and environmental health of their community. Leveraging the strength of this approach, GWD seeks to support the community in embracing the opportunity to restore the water quality of the creek to levels safe for swimming and play, increase health and recreational opportunities, further environmental justice, protect habitats for wildlife, and improve social cohesion and pride. While the project has its origins in the Lower Bear Creek, the effort could be moved to other watersheds or geographic areas of the Denver metro area, especially in disproportionately impacted (DI) communities as defined by the state of Colorado and CDPHE. | Nonprofit | ||||
31 | 2/23/2024 13:46:30 | Arapahoe, Denver | Pollution prevention, pollution reduction, environmental resotration, environmental education, public health and safety | Healthy Water, Healthy People | Funding will support Groundwork Denver (GWD) in outreaching to and engaging with youth and community in areas surrounding Lower Bear Creek (LBC), particularly in the City of Sheridan and Denver’s Harvey Park South neighborhood, by hosting five volunteer trash clean-up events and habitat restoration efforts while increasing awareness of and knowledge about water quality issues. In addition, funding will support GWD’s ongoing monthly water quality testing, providing data to further inform water quality mitigation strategies. The number of events held, youth and community members engaged, and testing events to take place are scalable based on available funds. In 2010, LBC, the segment of Bear Creek between the outfall of the Bear Creek Reservoir and its confluence with the South Platte River, was listed on Colorado’s 303 (d) list for unsafe E. coli levels. Testing also reveals elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, and contamination due to nutrients, oil/grease, metals, pesticides, and trash. | grants@groundworkcolorado.org | Groundwork Denver | Jessica Swindon | Director of Water Program | (303)455-5600 | By improving the riparian habitat for wildlife and people in the Bear Creek Watershed through community restoration efforts that reduce invasives and trash, the project will promote waterway resiliency and adaptation in the face of climate-related water risks. Additionally, by increasing awareness, knowledge, and stewardship behaviors among residents within the Bear Creek Watershed, the project will protect their health and the health of the creek and its other inhabitants. Finally, the project will increase the efficacy of water quality mitigation strategies by allowing GWD to continue to test water quality and share data with relevant stakeholders. At each event, GWD will engage at least 50 volunteer community members, remove invasives, and collect 20 30-pound bags of trash. Further, GWD will engage at least 20 Sheridan youth in water quality and climate change issues in their neighborhood to develop youth-led solutions. | $64,000. Yes the project is scalable. The number of events held, youth and community members engaged, and testing events to take place are scalable based on available funds. | In Sheridan, nearly 40% of residents are Latine and 14% of residents live in poverty, and in Harvey Park South, 50% of residents are Latine and 22% of children live in poverty (U.S. Census, 2020 & 2019). Numerous barriers limit residents’ access to waterways, including a golf course, parking lots, and highways, as well as limited pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety concerns. If residents manage access, they find the Sheridan stretch of the LBC in poor condition, unsuitable for recreation. Those who recreate in this section are at risk of health hazards due to E. coli, made worse by climate-related temperature increases. This section of the creek tests above swimming standards at least two-thirds of the time in the summer. This combination of under-resourcing of communities, poor environmental conditions, and challenging creek access creates a nexus of environmental justice concerns. The water quality impairment in Bear Creek presents an opportunity to catalyze transformation and renewal driven by community leaders. GWD’s projects and programs are designed to meet people where they are and engage them in ways that are meaningful and culturally relevant to them. Embracing this unique model, GWD engages community members historically excluded from solutions to climate and environmental challenges, empowering them with the education and tools needed to meaningfully impact the public and environmental health of their community. Leveraging the strength of this approach, GWD seeks to support the community in embracing the opportunity to restore the water quality of the creek to levels safe for swimming and play, increase health and recreational opportunities, further environmental justice, protect habitats for wildlife, and improve social cohesion and pride. | Nonprofit | ||||
32 | 4/2/2024 17:18:07 | Denver | Pollution Reduction, Environmental Education, Public Health and Safety | Stabilizing the Heart of Westwood | This project aims to preserve Westwood’s identity by preserving small, BIPOC, culturally relevant businesses. Specifically, this project seeks to address years of neglect of the built environment that, in turn, affects long-term economic success. In partnership with Elevation Community Land Trust, BuCu West purchased a building in the heart of Westwood with the goal of transitioning commercial unit ownership to current tenants. However, to achieve this equity vision, immediate improvements must be made—for example addressing leaking roofs, bathrooms without hot water, shared electrical circuits, broken windows, old furnaces, and countless other issues that put health, safety, and economic potential at risk. This project seeks to remediate this environmental injustice by bringing the building up to code, improving air quality, reducing utility expenses, and giving each business a better chance at long term success with a building they can rely on to represent their business and culture. | peggy@bucuwest.com | West Community Economic Development Corporation (DBA BUCU West) | Peggy Hermann | Director, Grants & Institutional Funding | 720-588-8339 | With upgrades to buildings during the transfer of ownership to tenants, many building improvements will be made that will improve energy efficiency, public health and safety. Thereby, improving air quality, reducing utility expenses, and giving each business a better chance at long term success with a building they can rely on to represent their business and culture. | 75,000-200,000 | This is a DI Community. The original asking budget was $100,000, but the project is scalable. | Nonprofit | ||||
33 | 4/18/2024 9:48:00 | Pueblo | Pueblo Central Multi-Purpose Turf Field | Our mission is to acquire an accessible, safe, and properly sized training facility for the Pueblo Central girls’ and boys’ soccer teams. Acquiring a training facility would help the needs of these student athletes by giving them an equal opportunity to participate in the athletic/academic high school experience. On March 12th, 2024, Pueblo District 60 Education Foundation, Inc. approved the committee to use the Foundation’s 501(c)(3) status to seek grants and donations that will aid in the development of a soccer facility for the Pueblo Central girls’ and boys’ soccer teams. The Foundation will serve as the fiscal agent for monetary requests. | thomas.thiebaut@pueblod60.org | Pueblo School District 60 Education Foundation | TJ Thiebaut | Head Soccer Coach | 719-671-8456 | A turf field- this could be gallons of water saved, an increase in physical activity, and an increase in community connectedness. | $900,000 | I have renderings to show a before and after of the parking lot converted to a turf field. I can provide at any time via email. | Nonprofit | |||||
34 | 5/17/2024 16:27:46 | Boulder, Larimer | Public Health and Safety, Pollution Prevention | LEAF Hub in Lyons | Renovate a purchased and outdated, inefficient property to create a community hub for LEAF’s provision of all human and behavioral health/substance abuse services in the underserved and disproportionately impacted rural Lyons community. LEAF’s new hub is sustainably-designed and will include energy efficient systems and unduplicated community space, including Food Pantry, mental and medical health center, community classroom, a place for youth to seek services, gardens, gathering areas, and more. Over 90% of LEAF’s clients are low or extremely low income and we do not charge for services. There are no other human/behavioral health services in Lyons. With no public transportation in/out of town, underserved community members depend on LEAF for services and support. | lory@leaflyons.org | LEAF, Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund | Lory Barton | Executive Director | 303-990-2176 | Energy efficient HVAC to replace current obsolete systems. Replace overgrown landscaping and extensive asphalt with sustainable permaculture solutions of benefit to the community, including food-producing gardens. Repair long term drainage and flooding concerns. Provide space for provision of human services (food and housing security, case management, training, etc), where none currently exists. Address local mental health and suicide crisis by creating a mental health and addiction recovery clinic, where none currently exists. Create a place for a physician to provide medical and MAT services for LEAF clients, where none currently exists. Design space for youth to connect and seek services, where none currently exist. There has never been a human services investment in Lyons. With funding, we will create a community hub, services, and connection center. This type of resource is desperately needed in our rural community in order to begin to address chronic inequities in access to services in Lyons. | $450,000.00 | $1.9M. The project is underway. We have raised $1,450,000 and have a shortfall of approximately $450,000. | Nonprofit | ||||
35 | 6/4/2024 9:33:08 | Jefferson | Environmental | Retrofitting and Upgrading Wheat Ridge Recreation Center's Lighting | This project would fund the replacement of existing Wheat Ridge Recreation Center light fixtures throughout the facility. This proposal is for facility areas such as the cardio and weight room areas, fitness rooms, classrooms, the ballroom, locker rooms, restrooms, storage areas, hallways, and other spaces would receive standard LED lighting. Specific areas including the lap pool, leisure pool, and gym are not part of this request as they have been recommended for funding through the Congressionally Directed Spending program. Existing lighting is original and beginning to fail, requiring expensive parts, repair, and maintenance. Existing lighting technology is also outdated and very inefficient in terms of energy use and material waste etc. | baltenburg@ci.wheatridge.co.us | City of Wheat Ridge | Dan Beiers | Facilities Manager | 303-205-7554 | We expect a significant decrease in energy use. In some calculations, converting to LED lighting reduced kWh’s up to 80%. Because most of the fixtures being proposed for replacement as part of this project are standard bulb/fixture types, we will experience a reduction of energy use of 25 to 50% depending on the fixture. Also, LED bulbs last 4 to 5 times longer than traditional fluorescents, drastically reducing waste. Lastly, we will no longer be releasing toxic mercury contained fluorescent bulbs upon disposal. An expected 2,116 fluorescent lights will be replaced with LED bulbs. The fluorescent lights run for around 18 hours per day (around 138 hours per week). The estimated energy usage savings will be around 208,000 kWh annually (146 metric tons of CO2 annually). | $128,132 is the project estimate. $140,000 would give the project a 10% contingency. Yes, this project could be scalable to include other public facilities | The city hopes to fund LED replacements of the Recreation Center’s 2 pool areas and gym through the Congressionally Directed Spending program. If that funding request, which was recommended for funding by Senator Bennet, is approved, there would be economies of scale and efficiencies with doing that lighting project at the same time in 2025 as the project in this proposal. That would result in the entire facility getting its florescent lighting upgraded to LED lighting in a short time-span. The City will eventually be replacing all florescent lights throughout city-managed spaces including public and employee facilities, parks, parking lots, and streetlights. The city hopes to start with the Recreation Center as it is the largest facility with the highest ROI. If the CDPHE supports this project idea, future similar projects could include other city facilities. | Government | ||||
36 | 9/30/2024 11:46:19 | Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Ouray, Park, Phillips, Pitkin, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Sedwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma | Environmental | Healthier Homes through Decarbonization | This project will target low-income households. The work will include replacing inefficient gas water heaters with high-efficiency heat pump water heaters. As a result, the residents will benefit from a healthier home environment with fewer indoor air pollutants which is proven to reduce asthma or other health complications due to poor air quality. In many cases, the households served are seniors living on fixed incomes in homes with inefficient water heating systems. These systems can emit CO2 which can also lead to dangerous health and safety concerns. This project will be impactful for several reasons. It will provide solutions to improve the energy efficiency of homes. It will remove the financial barriers that low-income households face around affording costs to transition to high-efficiency heating systems. It will improve the health and safety of residents by removing CO2 from their homes. | afeiertag@energyoutreach.org | Energy Outreach Colorado | Ashley Feiertag | Director of Residential Programs | (303) 523-0227 | energy efficiency upgrades resulting in decreased emissions and improved indoor air quality in low-income communities | $30,000+, yes | EOC is currently engaged in two (2) active SEP projects and has successfully completed another SEP. | Nonprofit | ||||
37 | 11/5/2024 7:55:28 | Boulder, Gilpin | Net Positive Nature Center on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway | Wild Bear Nature Center was a key partner with Boulder County and Town of Nederland to preserve 260 acres and now an additional 2500 acres. Wild Bear volunteers removed over 30 tons of trash from the land and owns 5 acres at the entry to the land. Through a conservation easement and ballot approval, Wild Bear is building a net positive 8,500 sq ft grid tied nature center, with 50Kw of solar, partially underground with thick insulation. It is a public nature center engaging all ages in nature through programs, exhibits, a nature playscape and 16 miles of trails. Wild Bear has raised $8.1M of the goal through donors and foundations and is closing the shell of the building this fall/winter. The facility will serve Colorado residents and its visitors where on average 6,400 cars travel daily into Nederland on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. | jill@wildbear.org | Wild Bear Nature Center | Jill Dreves | Chief Vision Officer | 303-588-0299 | The nature center is 100% energy efficient resulting in decreased emissions providing a model to the general public that if it can be done at this high elevation (8,250) open year round, it can be done anywhere. Wild Bear's commitment to land preservation and stewardship and educating a broad community of locals and tourists is a model for other communities. The insulation is made from recycled plastic, the cement has made with a high fly ash content, the windows are passive solar certifiable. The careful excavation was kept to a minimum and Wild Bear's conservation easement and commitment is to landscape with native plants and low water consumption. See this link to learn more about Wild Bear's commitment to the earth and a broad community. https://www.gowild.wildbear.org/renewable-energy | $13,000,000 | Since 1995, Wild Bear's nonprofit mission is to inspire a lifelong commitment and community through creative exploration of the outdoors. The nature center currently is located in Nederland's downtown shopping center and serves tens of thousands of people annually through programs for children, families and adults including free all ages visitors who explore hands-on educaitonal exhibits 350 days of the year. | Nonprofit | |||||
38 | 1/16/2025 19:04:54 | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver | Education | Green Jobs and Justice Program | Train youth from Adams County to succeed as advocates for environmental justice and as HVAC/R installers ready to join the green workforce. 1 year program will get youth job-ready and help them understand policy systems that impact environmental conditions. They will get hands-on experience with public comment, writing opinion letters, and other forms of EJ advocacy. They will also complete training and exams to be job ready as HVAC/R installers with an emphasis on heat pumps and other zero-emissions technology, in time to benefit professionally from large-scale building electrification across the front range. | blackparentsunitedfoundation@gmail.com | Black Parents United Foundation | Shere Walker | Executive Director | 720-742-7844 | 1. Improved participation by frontline community members in environmental decision-making 2. Improved access to green jobs by frontline community members 3. Improved air quality from successful advocacy by youth program participants 4. Reduced indoor air pollution from increased installation of heat pumps 5. Reduced carbon pollution from increased installation of heat pumps | $200,000-$1,000,000--Yes, it is scalable. | Nonprofit | |||||
39 | 2/6/2025 11:19:41 | Pueblo | Environmental | Pueblo Interchanges - convert Kentucky Bluegrass to Native grasses and forbs | Along I25 in within the city limits, the interstate right of ways have been maintained as irrigated and mowed Kentucky Bluegrass lawns. This is a large expense on both CDOT and the City of Pueblo to water, maintain high water requiring non-native grass, and mow weekly. This project is removing the non-native water loving Kentucky Bluegrass and seeding with seeding with native grasses and forbs to reduce both irrigation and fertilizer requirements, maintenance needed by staff to meet both CDOT PD513.1 and Greening of Government initiatives ion and pollinator habitat. | pamela.cornelisse@state.co.us | Colorado Department of Transportation | Pamela Cornelisse/Jennifer Sparks | Landscape Architect/Project Engineer Manager | 303.929.6271 | The benefits are a reduction in water use, improved air quality with addition of trees and shrubs, carbon sequestration through the roots of native grasses, habitat creation for pollinators including bees, beetles, butterflys, moths, and birds. | The total project cost is estimated to be $325,000. The project is scalable and can be broken into 2 or more smaller projects. | This project is shovel ready and was designed in the Spring of 2014 and is waiting for a funding source. | Government | ||||
40 | 2/7/2025 16:04:14 | Boulder | Environmental | Net-Positive Solar Power System Installation | Wild Bear is building a nature center that is powered by the sun, maintains a consistent temperature no matter how cold it is outside and produces more energy than it consumes, providing energy back to the grid. This is only possible with the correct solar power system and proper installation. | matthew@wildbear.org | Wild Bear Nature Center | Jill Dreves | Chief Vision Officer | (303) 258-0495 | Pollution prevention and reduction | $60,000 and no | Nonprofit | |||||
41 | 2/7/2025 16:16:56 | Boulder | Education and Environmental | Pollinator Garden | Within the vision of our new nature center we are building is the implementation of several pollinator gardens surrounding the building. These gardens will not only restore the ecosystems, but will encourage native pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds to serve as a "living classroom". The implementation of these gardens will be accomplished through educational programs engaging the community in the actual building of the gardens as well as instilling knowledge for people to create their own pollinator gardens at home. | matthew@wildbear.org | Wild Bear Nature Center | Jill Dreves | Chief Vision Officer | (303) 258-0495 | Environmental Restoration, Habitat creation, and Education | $50,000 and yes | Nonprofit | |||||
42 | 2/13/2025 13:33:22 | Larimer | Environmental Restoration | Hally Strevey | The 2020 Cameron Peak Fire burned over 200,000 acres in the Poudre Watershed. Severe wildfires like Cameron Peak can impact watersheds for decades. Over the last four years, CPRW has worked to help the watershed recover after the fire. One facet of post-fire restoration is reforestation. Across the West, ponderosa pine are not returning in areas that were severely burned. CPRW has partnered with other nonprofits and private landowners to plant ponderosa pine. We use a climate suitability model to select acres to plant each year and harvest local cones/seeds to grow in nurseries for 6-8 months. Seedlings are planted in the spring and fall to ensure highest survivability. We are requesting funding to sustain the program for the next three years. This will include planting ~5,000-8,000 trees/year across the burn area on private land, cone scouting/collection and working with the US Forest Service to help develop their reforestation strategy. | hallys@poudrewatershed.org | Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW) | Hally Strevey | Executive Director | 970-222-5754 | We anticipate planting ~18,000-20,000 native ponderosa pine seedlings over the next three years with our partners on private land. This project will not only help ensure that ponderosa pine is able to reestablish in the Poudre watershed, but will also help to prevent soil erosion, support wildlife habitat, improve water quality and help prevent the establishment of invasive species. | $100,000-$150,000; yes the project is scalable | Currently, we are unable to plant trees on public land, but we are working closely with the US Forest Service to help develop their reforestation strategy for the Cameron Peak Fire burn area. | Nonprofit | ||||
43 | 3/12/2025 11:52:25 | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson | Environmental Restoration | Fishable Swimmable South Platte River | We aim to restore the Urban South Platte River as it flows through Denver, Colorado to a fishable and swimmable recreation and environmental resource for all people. A primary next step in the process is to implement a sampling program for E.coli and eDNA. eDNA sampling will help us identify the source of E.coli is in the water. This is critical for identifying the next steps for implementation.We pick up trash, plant seeds, raise millions of dollars, improve riparian areas, build parks, work with legislators and decision makers, build partnerships and implement large projects. | shane@confluenceco.org | Confluence Colorado | Shane Wright | Executive Director | 3038157613 | A fishable and swimmable river benefits all people in the Denver Metropolitan area. Some people, like me, feel that we as a society should be measured by the health and wellness of our people and of our natural systems. It could be argues that we are sick in both. Our focus is on helping lower income neighborhoods connect to healthy natural spaces. Improving access to clean rivers and healthy natural systems helps all people. | $250,000 and yes. | We are building on the success of the SPRAY (South Platte River Advisory Youth) Council Our River, Our Voices, Our Future Plan to restore the South Platte River. https://www.magcloud.com/user/spraycouncil | Nonprofit | ||||
44 | 3/18/2025 19:27:10 | Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Clear Creek, Delta, Denver, Eagle, Fremont, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Mineral, Park, Pitkin, Pueblo, San Miguel, Summit, Teller, Weld | Environmental | WHISK - EV Charging Equity | The WHISK Program empowers low-income Colorado women living in apartments to embrace electric vehicle (EV) ownership. Addressing the financial hurdle of public charging, WHISK provides monthly vouchers and essential charging adapters. Participants must demonstrate income below 80% of their county's Area Median Income (AMI). This initiative aims to alleviate the high cost of public charging, a significant barrier to EV adoption for this demographic. By providing direct financial assistance and necessary equipment, WHISK promotes equitable access to clean transportation. A community-driven volunteer program fosters engagement and long-term sustainability. The program not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also enhances the economic mobility of participating women, contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive Colorado. | womenwhocharge@gmail.com | Women Who Charge | LaSheita Sayer | Executive Director | 7209492020 | The WHISK Program will deliver significant environmental and public health benefits through increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption among low-income Colorado women. Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: By offsetting public charging costs, WHISK directly promotes EV usage, displacing gasoline-powered vehicle miles. This will lead to a measurable reduction in CO2 and other harmful greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to cleaner air and mitigating climate change. Improved Air Quality: Reduced reliance on gasoline vehicles will decrease the release of particulate matter and other air pollutants, particularly in urban areas where many apartment residents reside. This translates to improved respiratory health and a reduction in air pollution-related illnesses. Decreased Reliance on Fossil Fuels: By making EV charging more accessible, WHISK supports a transition away from fossil fuel dependence, promoting a more sustainable energy future. | $65-75K | Women Who Charge (WWC) serves as the program administrator for the WHISK initiative. Their primary responsibilities include: Participant Recruitment: Actively engaging and recruiting eligible low-income women across Colorado who meet the program's criteria (apartment residents, EV owners/lessees, income below 80% AMI). Fund Distribution: Managing and distributing the monthly charging vouchers/credits to program participants, ensuring efficient and timely delivery. Program Oversight: Overseeing all aspects of the program, including application processing, eligibility verification, data tracking, and reporting. Community Engagement: Facilitating the volunteer program and fostering community involvement to ensure program sustainability. | Nonprofit | ||||
45 | 3/28/2025 9:31:58 | Delta | Improving Hazardous Waste Disposal Access in Delta County: A Critical Opportunity for Environmental Protection | Delta County faces challenges in accessing affordable household hazardous waste collection options. The last event that provided an opportunity to divert waste from the landfill took place over a decade ago. Due to limited collection sites and a lack of awareness, household hazardous waste is rarely collected, and much of it ends up in the landfill, where it is buried. This event would provide a critical opportunity to collect and properly dispose of a wide range of hazardous materials, helping prevent contamination of air and water in one of the poorest counties on the Western Slope. | straubel@deltacountyco.gov | Delta County Public Health | Samantha Traubel | Delta County Environmental Health Director | 970-874-2040 | Environmental Protection: Prevents contamination: Proper disposal of hazardous waste reduces the risk of contamination to local air, water, and soil, protecting both wildlife and human health. Reduces landfill waste: Diverting hazardous waste from the landfill minimizes the long-term environmental impact of waste burial and mitigates the potential for toxic chemicals to leach into the ground. Reduces exposure to hazardous substances: Properly disposing of household hazardous materials helps protect the public from accidental exposure to dangerous chemicals that could cause health issues. Prevents improper disposal: Offering a safe and accessible way for residents to dispose of hazardous waste reduces the likelihood of illegal or unsafe disposal practices, such as dumping waste in inappropriate areas. | Estimated Budget Range: $15,000 - $25,000 | Our county landfill does not accept hazardous waste, requiring residents to travel to the Mesa County landfill for disposal. This process is often inconvenient for many, which could lead to improper disposal of hazardous materials. As a result, residents may resort to unsafe disposal methods rather than correctly handling these chemicals. | Government | |||||
46 | 4/17/2025 16:04:55 | Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Ouray, Park, Phillips, Pitkin, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Sedwick, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma | Marketing training and assistance to help local values aligned farms and farmers markets thrive and grow to increase positive environmental and human health impacts | Local-values-aligned regenerative (LVAR) farms and farmers markets provide food that is grown in a way that prevents and reduces pollution, restores the local environment, helps mitigate climate change, and improves public health with equitable access to fresh, nutritious food. LVAR farms and farmers markets are only serving an estimated 5% of the demand for local food, while often feeling like the local market is unpredictable or sluggish. Our local food systems are currently being impeded by the lack of a local-values-aligned marketing strategy. The understanding and adoption of local-values-aligned marketing strategy will enable farms and farmers markets to easily thrive and grow, as much as is desired, by meeting unmet demand for local food. Aspiring farmers will be able to join local systems with much lower business risks. This project provides outreach, local-values-aligned marketing training, support, and free use of a want-ad like web app for sharing product availability to help LVAR farms and farmers markets thrive and in turn increase their positive environmental and human health impacts. | heidi@theFarmBoard.com | Farm Board, LLC | Heidi Anderson | Owner | 303-258-0535 | LVAR farms regenerate soil to restore the environment and increase carbon sequestration, avoid polluting inputs, improve water filtration for pollutant removal, and reduce greenhouse gases for climate change mitigation. These farms embrace biodiversity to help remove pollutants from air while increasing beneficial insects. LVAR farms also improve public health with the most trustworthy, fresh, nutrient-dense food that is accessible by all community members when SNAP, EBT, and double-up food bucks programs are in use. A thriving reliable local food system characterized by a web of independent businesses who sell direct to consumers and local businesses establishes optimal food security due to the decentralized nature of local systems. Success of this project will be measured with a list of farms and farmers markets served, and a sampling of quantitative farmer reports on business risk mitigation and sales improvements. | $85,000 per county served (scalable) | Nonprofit | ||||||
47 | 6/10/2025 11:11:31 | Larimer | Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Project | Larimer County is working to improve air quality by accelerating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The northern Front Range is classified as “severe” for ground-level ozone, with transportation emissions as the leading contributor. Larimer County’s EV Charging Station Plan states 922 Level 2 charging stations are needed by 2030 to support Colorado’s clean transportation goals. To encourage adoption, residents must feel confident that convenient, reliable charging is available. This project will expand EV infrastructure in key locations throughout Larimer County where access is currently limited. More charging options will make it easier for residents and visitors to switch to EVs, reducing harmful emissions and supporting long-term public health. Additionally, EV ownership offers significant cost savings over time, making clean transportation more accessible for a broader range of residents. | stapleab@co.larimer.co.us | Larimer County | Abbey Stapleton | Sustainability Program Coordinator | (970) 498-7014 | Expanding electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure will reduce tailpipe emissions, the largest local contributor to ground-level ozone. Improved air quality directly benefits public health by lowering rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and other respiratory conditions. As charging stations become more accessible across Larimer County, including in high-traffic public areas and near popular outdoor recreation sites, more residents will be empowered to make the switch to EVs. This not only supports regional air quality improvements but also reduces noise pollution and long-term climate impacts. Widespread EV adoption can also ease the financial burden of fuel and maintenance costs for drivers, contributing to household economic resilience. | 38,000-150,000 depending on charger location and yes, it’s scalable to install several charging stations. | Charging station locations can be determined once the full scope of the project is known. However, placing a station in an underserved area would be a top priority. Larimer County aims to ensure that cleaner air, lower transportation costs, and access to EV infrastructure are shared equitably across the community. | Government | |||||
48 | 6/10/2025 15:57:03 | Adams, Alamosa, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Delta, El Paso, Garfield, Gunnison, Kiowa, Larimer, Logan, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Pitkin, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Miguel, Washington, Weld, Yuma | Public Health | Heat Stress Protection for Agricultural Workers | Project Protect Food Systems Workers is committed to supporting Colorado’s agricultural workers. Heat stress and illness present significant health risks to agricultural workers. As the frequency of extreme heat events rises, it is important to protect workers from these conditions. The goal of the project is to give workers protective clothing and supplies to protect them from heat stress. The majority of agricultural workers in Colorado are Spanish-speaking immigrants living near or below the poverty line. Ensuring this workforce remains healthy is critically important to protecting Colorado’s food system and economy. Supplemental Environmental Project funds would be used to purchase hats with neck covers, face covers, cooling performance shirts, all-weather work gloves, sunscreen, and reusable water bottles. These supplies would be packaged into a kit with an approximate cost of $50. Supply kits would be distributed directly to workers at employer-provided housing and community events. | hunter@projectprotectfoodsystems.org | Project Protect Food Systems Workers | Hunter Knapp | Development Director | (970)846-9988 | The proposed project will yield significant environmental benefits by promoting sustainable workforce practices that reduce the negative health impacts of extreme heat on agricultural workers. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of high temperatures, protecting agricultural workers is essential to maintain a stable food supply chain and minimize emergency medical interventions that strain public resources. Distributing reusable water bottles and long-lasting protective gear—including cooling shirts, face and neck covers, and gloves— reduces waste from single-use items while improving worker safety. The initiative also supports environmental justice by prioritizing low-income, Spanish-speaking immigrant communities who face disproportionate climate-related health risks. Ensuring that agricultural workers can safely perform their duties helps sustain Colorado’s local food systems and reduces the environmental burden associated with long term health disparities. Overall, this project enhances climate resilience and environmental health for both workers and Colorado’s broader food system. | $1,000 - $300,000 (Yes, scalable in increments of $50) | Nonprofit | |||||
49 | 6/13/2025 10:40:53 | Adams, Denver | Public Health/Environmental | CCH Move-in Kits | This project provides eco-friendly move-in kits to 215 residents of Renewal Village, a housing program operated by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). Renewal Village offers meals, transportation, behavioral health care, case management, peer support, and 24/7 staffing and security to individuals transitioning out of homelessness. The transportation program is actively pursuing electrification through multiple EV bus route grant applications. The move-in kits include non-toxic cleaning products, reusable household items, energy-efficient LED bulbs, and educational tools to support safe, sustainable living. Each kit is delivered in reusable packaging and accompanied by an invitation to community-based programs focused on gardening, cooking, and environmental stewardship. This project reduces exposure to harmful chemicals, lowers waste and energy use, and promotes environmental health equity while reinforcing the program’s broader efforts to support stability and long-term well-being. | aneilya.carbaugh@coloradocoalition.org | Colorado Coalition for the Homeless | Veronique Skiffer | Director of Transitional Housing | 7205010475 | This project delivers meaningful environmental and public health benefits by reducing toxic exposures, minimizing waste, and lowering household energy use. Each of the 215 move-in kits includes non-toxic cleaning products and educational materials that promote safer indoor air quality. Reusable and compostable items reduce landfill contributions and encourage long-term sustainable behaviors. Two LED light bulbs per unit are expected to save approximately 23,500 kWh of electricity annually, reducing emissions and lowering utility costs. Renewal Village is located in a census block group identified by Colorado EnviroScreen as a disproportionately impacted community, with elevated environmental burdens and socioeconomic stressors. Many residents face compounding health vulnerabilities due to prior homelessness and limited access to safe, sustainable household products. This project targets those risks while empowering residents with tools and knowledge to support healthier, more environmentally conscious living. | Estimated project budget: $75,000–$85,000 This includes eco-friendly supplies for 215 move-in kits (~$249/kit) and staffing costs for a .25 FTE coordinator to support environmental education and participant engagement. Personnel costs include salary, fringe benefits, and indirect expenses, totaling approximately $19,250. Yes, this project is highly scalable. CCH operates 23 supportive housing properties across the Denver metro area, serving 2400 clients per night. The eco move-in kit model can be readily expanded to other CCH sites programs. Costs scale predictably by household, and the educational tools are reusable and easily adapted, making replication both cost-effective and impactful. | This project is a natural extension of Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’s long-standing commitment to health equity, environmental justice, and housing stability. The project builds on CCH’s established service model by integrating environmental health education and sustainable tools into the daily lives of residents receiving housing and supportive services. While the primary impact is at Renewal Village, this project also serves as a scalable pilot for broader integration across CCH’s 23 properties in the Denver metro area. In addition, the Coalition is actively pursuing electrification of its transportation fleet and deepening its climate resilience work. This SEP aligns with multiple CDPHE priorities, including pollution prevention, cross-media benefits, and improving environmental conditions in disproportionately impacted communities. The Coalition has experience managing state and federal grants and will comply with all SEP reporting, fiscal, and monitoring requirements. | Nonprofit | ||||
50 | 7/9/2025 17:06:45 | Rio Blanco | Environmental Restoration | White River Riparian Ecosystem Restoration | This project will improve riparian habitat and function on 25 acres (1 river mile) in the White River basin through the removal of woody invasive plants (ie tamarisk and and Russian olive) and reestablishment of native plant communities. This project enhances riparian and aquatic habitats by reducing monotypic stands of invasive plants. It also improves public health and safety by reducing the risk of wildfire in the riparian zone, which threatens community safety and water quality. An additional public benefit is engaging and training 16 young adults in land management and riparian restoration by partnering with conservation corps. | jleary@riversedgewest.org | RiversEdge West | John Leary | Restoration and GIS Project Manager | 970-256-7400 | Restore 25 acres of riparian habitat and function along 1 river mile in the White River watershed through the removal of invasive woody plants and re-establishment of native vegetation. Engage 16 young adults (18-25) in hands-on conservation and land management experience in partnership with conservation corps. Improve public safety by reducing threats posed by wildfires in riparian zones. Protect water quality by reducing the risk of wildfire posed by invasive woody plants in riparian areas. Improve agricultural and recreational uses along the White River by removing invasive plants that physically block access to the river and riparian zones. | Project is scalable. $100,000 | Project can occur on public and/or private lands. Project is coordinated through the White River Partnership, a multi-stakeholder collaborative group focused on riparian health in the White River watershed in Utah and Colorado. Vegetation treatments are tracked and publicly available through the White River Partnerships online interactive map. | Nonprofit | ||||
51 | 7/16/2025 16:35:58 | Costilla | Environmental Restoration | Costilla water and soil contamination monitoring | Costilla County is proposing to conduct extensive stream, groundwater, and soil sampling near recent development projects like the Cielo Vista fence project. The sampling will determine if these developments have had any adverse impacts on the local watershed and will provide information for developing a long-term sustainability plan to protect these watersheds. The information will also be made avaialbel to the local community so they can be made aware of potential soil and watershed contamination. | pwertz@costillacounty-co.gov | Costilla County Public Health | Paul Wertz | Director | 7196723332 | Data on the effects can help to drive mitigation and messages to the community about water and soil safety. This information can be used to make informed decisions on water filtration and soil use in farming. | 50,000 | Costilla County has the lowest per capita income in the state of Colorado and is unable to afford to do any of this necessary testing of the water and soil. | Government | ||||
52 | 8/13/2025 8:06:25 | Mesa | Environmental Restoration | Colorado River Riparian Habitat Restoration | Non-native, invasive plant species have a significant impact on riparian areas and the hydrology of the Colorado River. These impacts lead to an increased wildfire risk, degraded habitat, diminished water availability, and reduced agricultural and recreational value. This proposal will improve riparian habitat and hydrologic function on 25 acres of lands along the Colorado River and its local tributaries. Core activities will include technical assistance, identifying and prioritizing treatment sites, monitoring, and fostering and maintaining partnerships with local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Partnerships with youth conservation corps supports workforce development in local communities by offering job training and employment opportunities to young adults. This work will build upon past treatments for tamarisk and Russian olive, but also allow for the treatment of secondary weeds, such as Russian knapweed. Previously treated areas may also provide the opportunity to complete revegetation work to support the return of native riparian vegetation. | sjurca@riversedgewest.org | RiversEdge West | Sara Jurca | Restoration Coordinator | (970) 256-7400 | This project will restore 25 acres of riparian habitat along the Colorado River by removing tamarisk and Russian olive trees and re-establishing native vegetation. These efforts will improve stream function through reconnecting the river to its floodplain and supporting natural geomorphology. The risk of wildfire will be reduced as native riparian zones function as natural fire breaks and dense fuels will be removed reducing the risk of increased erosion and sedimentation. This project will also allow better access for recreation as dense stands of tamarisk and Russian olive block access to the river. Partnerships with local youth conservation corps will provide valuable hands-on experience to young adults who are interested in ecological restoration. This project creates opportunities to work across political boundaries and bring together nonprofits, landowners, and local state and federal agencies to collectively work towards building a stronger and more resilient river system. | $100,000 This project is scalable. There are several project sites that would benefit from smaller amounts of funding ($15,000) for ongoing maintenance of past treatments. | This proposal is being submitted on behalf of the Desert Rivers Collaborative, a collaborative group of many stakeholders with a vision of creating a more resilient native river system. More information on the Desert Rivers Collaborative is available here: https://www.riversedgewest.org/partnerships/desert-rivers-collaborative | Nonprofit | ||||
53 | 8/13/2025 8:08:14 | Delta, Mesa | Environmental Restoration | Gunnison River Riparian Habitat Restoration | Non-native, invasive plant species have a significant impact on riparian areas and the hydrology of the Gunnison River. These impacts lead to an increased wildfire risk, degraded habitat, diminished water availability, and reduced agricultural and recreational value. This proposal will improve riparian habitat and hydrologic function on 25 acres of lands along the Gunnison River and its local tributaries. Core activities will include technical assistance, identifying and prioritizing treatment sites, monitoring, and fostering and maintaining partnerships with local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Partnerships with youth conservation corps supports workforce development in local communities by offering job training and employment opportunities to young adults. This work will build upon post treatments for tamarisk and Russian olive and will give the opportunity to restore agricultural fields that are within the historic riparian zone. Treatment of secondary weeds, such as Russian knapweed, will support the return of native vegetation as well. | sjurca@riversedgewest.org | RiversEdge West | Sara Jurca | Restoration Coordinator | (970) 256-7400 | This project will restore 25 acres of riparian habitat along the Gunnison River by removing tamarisk and Russian olive trees and re-establishing native vegetation. These efforts will improve stream function through reconnecting the river to its floodplain and supporting natural geomorphology. The risk of wildfire will be reduced as native riparian zones function as natural fire breaks and dense fuels will be removed reducing the risk of increased erosion and sedimentation. This project will also allow better access for recreation as dense stands of tamarisk and Russian olive block access to the river. Partnerships with local youth conservation corps will provide valuable hands-on experience to young adults who are interested in ecological restoration. This project creates opportunities to work across political boundaries and bring together nonprofits, landowners, and local state and federal agencies to collectively work towards building a stronger and more resilient river system. | $100,000 This project is scalable. There are several project sites that would benefit from smaller amounts of funding ($15,000) for ongoing maintenance of past treatments. | This proposal is being submitted on behalf of the Desert Rivers Collaborative, a collaborative group of many stakeholders with a vision of creating a more resilient native river system. More information on the Desert Rivers Collaborative is available here: https://www.riversedgewest.org/partnerships/desert-rivers-collaborative | Nonprofit | ||||
54 | 8/13/2025 8:26:36 | Dolores, Mesa, Montrose, San Miguel | Environmental Restoration | Dolores River Riparian Habitat Restoration | The Dolores River has been significantly impacted by invasive plant species, leading to degraded habitat, increased wildfire risk, diminished water availability, and reduced agricultural and recreational value. This proposal, on behalf of the Dolores River Restoration Partnership (DRRP)—a long-standing public-private collaboration restoring nearly 200 miles of the Dolores River—advances landscape-scale approach to riparian restoration. It supports efforts along the Dolores River from McPhee Reservoir to the Colorado-Utah border, focusing on maintaining previously treated areas while addressing remaining tamarisk infestations and secondary weeds. Core activities include providing technical assistance, monitoring, prioritizing treatment sites, and fostering collaboration among local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders. This project also emphasizes workforce development through partnerships with conservation corps, offering job training and employment opportunities for young adults. Building on over 15 years of coordinated restoration, this work continues to enhance ecological resilience, reduce wildfire risk, improve water sustainability, and strengthen local economies. | mneubaum@riversedgewest.org | RiversEdge West | Melissa Neubaum | Restoration Coordinator | 970-256-7400 | This project will restore 25 acres of riparian habitat by removing invasive tamarisk and re-establishing native vegetation—benefiting both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. It will improve stream function, support natural geomorphology, and reconnect the river to its floodplain, restoring habitats like backwaters and secondary channels that are vital to endangered native fish. Tamarisk removal also lowers wildfire risk, helping protect nearby communities, rangeland, and water quality from erosion and sedimentation caused by riparian fires. Clearing dense woody invasives improves access to river entry points and campsites, enhancing recreation and river aesthetics. Restored riparian buffers support agriculture by stabilizing soil and filtering runoff. Through partnerships with local youth conservation corps, young adults will gain valuable hands-on experience in ecological restoration and stewardship. This multi-benefit project is a collaborative effort among nonprofits, landowners, and local, state, and federal agencies—working across boundaries to build long-term resilience in the Dolores River watershed. | The budget is $100,000, but this project is scalable. There are several project sites that would benefit from smaller amounts of funding ($15,000) for ongoing maintenance needs for habitat improvement. | More information on the Dolores River Restoration Partnership is available here: https://www.riversedgewest.org/partnerships/dolores-river-restoration-partnership | Nonprofit | ||||
55 | 8/19/2025 10:27:23 | Grand | Public Health | Install a continuous turbidity sensor that measures all effluent or bypass flow from the wastewater treatment facility, with an automated notification system | Residents of Grand County have reported illicit discharges and/or excessively turbid waters in the Fraser River to Grand County many times in the past decade. A continuous turbidity sensor and automated notification system would help protect public health by informing downstream water suppliers and users of turbid conditions attributed to the Moffat Tunnel WWTF. The Division and UPRR could use existing TSS data to define the automated notification threshold. The discharge to the Fraser River is located at approximately 39.887480°, -105.761645°. When turbidity exceeds the notification threshold UPRR would notify Grand County and the Town of Winter Park and report the current turbidity and provide an estimate of when turbidity would return to normal conditions. When effluent or bypass waters exceed the turbidity threshold, UPRR would be required to collect a water quality sample that includes all pollutants in the discharge permit and a comprehensive list of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). | aldrexler@gmail.com | Learning By Doing Inc. | Anna Drexler-Dreis | Project Coordinator | 970-531-1171 | Improved river health and aquatic habitat. Pollution source identification and reduction. Data-driven watershed management. Protection of drinking water supplies. Reduced risk of exposure to harmful pollutants. Transparency and community trust. Emergency preparedness. | $30,000 - $170,000 | Nonprofit | |||||
56 | 8/19/2025 10:30:35 | Grand | Fraser River Restoration Project | Recent studies, commissioned by Learning By Doing, indicate that health and quality of macroinvertebrate communities in the Fraser River decrease downstream of the Moffat Tunnel discharge, and macroinvertebrate health has declined in this reach since 2017 when the industrial wastewater treatment plant came online. Since the current permit for UPRR’s Moffat Tunnel discharge became effective on October 1, 2018, the facility has been the subject of six separate compliance advisories. Following receipt of the SEP funds, UPRR and Learning By Doing members would identify a project to create significant environmental benefits in the Fraser River downstream of the UPRR discharge. | aldrexler@gmail.com | Learning By Doing Inc. | Anna Drexler-Dreis | Project Coordinator | 970-531-1171 | Improved aquatic habitat. Increased biodiversity and resilience. Enhanced water quality. Sediment and nutrient retention. Resilience to climate stressors. Cleaner water for downstream communities. Reduced treatment costs for municipalities. Enhanced recreation and community well-being. Ecosystem services for the community. | $50,000 - $500,000 | Nonprofit | ||||||
57 | 8/19/2025 10:36:09 | Grand | Environmental Restoration | Restoration Projects in the Cooperative Effort Area | Learning By Doing will implement projects to restore and enhance aquatic habitats in the Fraser, Williams Fork, and Colorado River basins, along with their tributaries, in Grand County, Colorado. More than ten priority sites have been identified, each offering opportunities for scalable, phased improvements. SEP funds would support on-the-ground restoration and enhancement work (including design and construction) as well as ongoing water quality monitoring to measure project effectiveness. | aldrexler@gmail.com | Learning By Doing Inc. | Anna Drexler-Dreis | Project Coordinator | 970-531-1171 | Improved aquatic habitat. Enhanced water quality. Increased resilience. Public health protection. Community and recreational benefits. | $50,000 - $500,000 | Nonprofit | |||||
58 | 8/19/2025 14:22:45 | Denver | Pollution Reduction | eMowers for Clean Air | We propose to continue our engagement with Denver Public Schools to deploy 3 pilot riding mowers as a follow-on to the hand-held lawn equipment deployment we previously completed as part of the Suncor SEP grant. We previously proposed this solution with the RAQC who ran out of funds before we could deploy the equipment. DPS has agreed to continue the engagement should we receive funding and will deploy the equipment to evaluate converting the rest of their fleet to electric in the future similar to how they adopted the electric lawn equipment. A third party consultant (potentially AGZA) would be retained to advise on the type and power level of equipment best suited for DPS' needs. To maximize success, we would follow the same protocol of deployment with advanced training of personnel, admin engagement, and school board updates as we did with our previous engagement in the Suncor SEP grant. | tmakley@gmail.com | SmogFree Denver | Joel Strohecker | Vice president | 303-520-8724 | Reduced gas and oil use, reduced toxic and carcinogenic emissions and carbon emissions, reduced noise levels and reduced toxic solid waste. An added benefit is the health of the equipment operators not just from elimination of inhaled emissions but from the quieter operation and less vibration on their bodies. | $110,000 to $125,000 The project is scalable in increments of equipment pricing which start around $25,000. | SmogFree Denver has successfully deployed a similar electric mower fleet at Adams14 schools in Adams County as an add-on to our Suncor SEP grant. SmogFree worked with the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) as well as the RAQC to deploy 3 pieces of large riding equipment including operation and safety training of all the operators. | Nonprofit | ||||
59 | 8/19/2025 15:15:41 | Montrose | Environmental Restoration | Uncompahgre River Riparian Habitat Restoration and Community Engagement | The Uncompahgre River through Montrose, CO, provides vital habitat for a valued trout fishery, serves as a wildlife corridor in an urban setting, and supports recreation, agriculture, and scenic value—making its restoration a shared local priority. In partnership with the City of Montrose, this project will improve riparian health through invasive species removal (e.g., tamarisk and Russian olive) on City property and native plant revegetation via community stewardship events. Led by RiversEdge West (REW), the project includes site prioritization, technical assistance, workforce development through conservation corps partnerships, and efforts to secure long-term funding for continued restoration. REW staff will oversee coordination, partner communication, public outreach, and grant administration. Restoration Coordinators will monitor treatment progress, collect pre- and post-restoration vegetation data, and manage a public online geodatabase to support planning, track outcomes, and inform future efforts—ensuring the project’s ecological and community benefits are sustained over time. | mneubaum@riversedgewest.org | RiversEdge West | Melissa Neubaum | Restoration Coordinator | 970-256-7400 | This project will restore approximately eight acres of riparian habitat by removing invasive tamarisk and Russian olive and reestablishing native vegetation, benefiting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Restoration will improve stream function, reconnect the river to its floodplain, and restore critical habitats for endangered native fish. Tamarisk removal reduces wildfire risk, protecting nearby communities, rangelands, and water quality from erosion and sedimentation. Clearing dense invasives will enhance recreational access and river aesthetics. Restored riparian buffers will stabilize soil, filter runoff, support agriculture, and increase biodiversity. RiversEdge West will coordinate invasive removal on priority sites with conservation corps crews and native plant revegetation events with volunteers, who will provide follow-up care. Protective measures like wire caging will safeguard young plants. Through community stewardship events and partnerships, the project fosters long-term environmental stewardship, workforce development, and resilience across the watershed, delivering multi-benefit ecological, social, and economic outcomes. | Project budget is $40,000. However, this project is scalable, with several additional sites that could benefit from modest funding amounts (e.g., $15,000) to support ongoing habitat maintenance or community-based stewardship events. | This project is conducted in partnership with the City of Montrose and the local nonprofit Friends of the River Uncompahgre. Vegetation treatment data will be publicly accessible through an online geodatabase. | Nonprofit | ||||
60 | 8/25/2025 14:12:28 | Pueblo | Environmental Education | 2025-2026 5th Grade Earth Studies Program | Earth Studies is a flagship environmental education program serving all Pueblo District 60 fifth graders, nearly 1,000 students each year, through immersive, standards-aligned outdoor learning. For over two decades, the program has ensured every child, regardless of background, experiences high-quality, hands-on education that connects classroom science to the living world. Students begin with in-school presentations and then expand their learning through field studies at the River and Mountain Campuses of the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center. The curriculum integrates timely climate-focused topics including wildfires, water quality, and invasive plants, equipping students with knowledge relevant to their communities. Each student also completes at least one hour of stewardship work, contributing directly to the care of local lands. By combining professional educators, unique natural settings, and real-world action, Earth Studies fosters curiosity, confidence, and lifelong environmental stewardship. With SEP support, we can continue inspiring the next generation of scientists, leaders, and engaged citizens. | taylor@hikeandlearn.org | Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center | Taylor Driver | Executive Director | 719-485-4444 ext. 1000 | The Earth Studies program delivers measurable environmental and public health outcomes while educating 1,000 Pueblo fifth graders annually. Each student contributes at least one hour of stewardship—such as invasive species removal, light fire mitigation, habitat care, and trail improvements—which strengthens ecosystems, reduces wildfire risks, and enhances community spaces. The curriculum highlights local climate challenges (wildfires, water quality, invasive plants) and demonstrates sustainable practices through examples at our Mountain Campus, including biomass heating systems and composting toilets at the historic Horseshoe Lodge. Students also learn the value of native gardens for supporting pollinators, reducing water use, and restoring ecosystem health. Together, these lessons connect environmental health to community well-being, showing tangible solutions to reduce impacts while fostering lifelong stewardship. The program produces both immediate conservation benefits—hundreds of hours of land restoration—and long-term gains, preparing a generation of informed leaders to advance resilience, sustainability, and healthier landscapes in Colorado. | The Earth Studies program serves all 1,000 fifth graders in Pueblo District 60. The project budget is flexible, ranging from $5,700 to cover our in school visits all the schools, or all the way to $75,700+ for full program implementation across all schools. School visit (onsite classroom program): $5,700 ($300 per school,19 schools total). 2 onsite Field trips: $35 per student per 6-hour session (~$70,000 total annually). Optional overnight: $70 per student for lodging and meals, plus $35 for an additional day of programming. This structure makes the program scalable and adaptable: funders can support the entire district program, individual sessions, or a specific number of schools, ensuring investment at any level directly impacts equitable student access to outdoor learning. | Earth Studies not only benefits the environment but also addresses critical youth health needs in Pueblo. Local data shows Pueblo County youth face above-average rates of obesity and mental health challenges, with nearly 1 in 3 students classified as overweight or obese and over 40% reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression. Research consistently demonstrates that time spent outdoors improves physical activity, lowers stress, and enhances mental well-being. By engaging 1,000 fifth graders in active, hands-on learning across three program visits, Earth Studies promotes healthier lifestyles, builds resilience, and supports social-emotional growth. The program’s emphasis on stewardship and teamwork also cultivates a sense of belonging and purpose—protective factors against risky behaviors and isolation. For many participants, Earth Studies provides a rare opportunity to explore natural spaces, establishing positive habits that extend into adolescence and adulthood. In Pueblo, this is both an educational investment and a public health intervention. | Nonprofit | ||||
61 | 8/26/2025 11:25:33 | Denver, Douglas | Environmental Education and Restoration | CampSEEN | Youth Seen (YS) advances environmental justice by fostering the social, emotional, and environmental wellbeing of BIPoC+ LGBTQ youth and families disproportionately impacted by environmental harms. Through its flagship program, CampSEEN—a weeklong summer camp in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain foothills—youth ages 10–18 gain safe access to nature, culturally affirming mental health supports, and opportunities for recreation, healing, and social connection, while becoming stewards of the environment. CampSEEN was created by and for QTBIPoC community members to address the historic exclusion of queer youth of color from outdoor spaces. Programming includes hands-on projects such as pond restoration, garden revitalization, and erosion reclamation, teaching youth conservation, stewardship, and sustainability. YS maintains year-round engagement through peer and parent support groups, mentoring, and wellness services, helping youth integrate skills learned at camp into their communities. By centering psychosocial resilience, equity in nature access, and environmental stewardship, CampSEEN builds future leaders equipped to thrive while advancing environmental justice. | amy@youthseen.org | Youth Seen | Dr. tara jae | Executive Director | 720.788.0062 | Through CampSEEN, Youth Seen advances both environmental sustainability and public health by engaging QTBIPoC youth in conservation-focused projects. Pond restoration activities improve water quality, reduce pollutants, and create healthier ecosystems that benefit both wildlife and surrounding communities. Garden revitalization enhances soil health, reduces waste, and promotes access to fresh, sustainable food, supporting long-term nutrition and wellbeing. Land erosion reclamation protects landscapes, prevents harmful runoff, and safeguards air and water quality, directly reducing risks to public health. In addition, campers gain critical conservation education that fosters sustainable practices, ethical outdoor behavior, and a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship. By restoring habitats and expanding access to green spaces—shown to reduce stress, improve mental health, and strengthen community resilience—CampSEEN provides immediate ecological benefits while also preparing youth to become future leaders in environmental justice, conservation, and public health advocacy. | $200,000 - $250,000; yes this project is scalable | Nonprofit | |||||
62 | 8/26/2025 13:15:15 | Denver | Environmental Education | Harvesting Health: Bridging Environmental Justice and Local Food Systems | The direct need to be addressed by our project is the limited access to communal green and garden space in the Valverde neighborhood. The bigger picture issue, from which this need stems, is the increased environmental stress through heat islands and air pollutants felt by the community. This is caused by limited tree and native plant ground cover as this neighborhood is situated near many high traffic areas, and industrial parks. SustainEd Farms values community-led partnerships and is in partnership with the Valverde Neighborhood Association, and eight other organizations who together go by Gals Who Garden. This initiative has gathered qualitative data about the problems concerning the neighborhood and is taking action to address these issues. The issues identified were the lack of shared green and garden space where the community can step into and interact with nature in meaningful ways. | grants@sustainedfarms.org | SustainEd Farms | Matt Suprunowicz | Founding Executive Director | 518-320-0559 | SustainEd Farms’ work furthers environmental and climate justice by promoting sustainable agriculture practices that are not only environmentally responsible but also build and teach resilience in communities disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation and climate change. In action this work is broken down into three categories: promoting regenerative agriculture, restoring resilience to climate impacts and injecting into local food systems. SustainEd Farms, and our partners, promote regenerative agriculture by integrating the practices into our teaching while we plant and maintain our garden spaces. These gardens are intentionally designed and planted to address the climate and food system disparities in Denver. By restoring community and ecological resilience, SustainEd Farms works to mitigate the environmental impacts of climate change by restoring soil, planting native plant species, and planting trees. All of these support the pollinators, and bird populations which contribute to a more healthy ecology. | $154,391 | Nonprofit | |||||
63 | 8/26/2025 14:01:14 | Adams, Boulder, Denver | Pollution Reduction | Community Tree Planting | Using our Promotores Verdes peer-to-peer engagement model (similar to Community Health Workers), AFC+A educates communities on the importance of maintaining a healthy and robust tree canopy, the inequities they face related to canopy coverage, and the fundamentals of urban forestry. Hand in hand with community members disproportionately impacted by tree inequities, we host trainings and planting events. We use our community arborism approach to teach skills that can lead to long-term stewardship and open career paths for participants who want to pursue a job in the field. | irene@americasforconservation.org | Americas for Conservation + the Arts | Irene Vilar | Executive Director | 303-330-6597 | Depending on the investment, AFC+A can provide culturally relevant community engagement to at least 100 people, plant at least 25 trees, and conduct at least 4 community workshops before and after tree planting to increase participation and stewardship. | $50,000 - 200,000 and is scalable | AFC+A has successfully implemented this model as a grantee of CDPHE environmental justice funding and also as a partner with the City and County of Denver. | Nonprofit | ||||
64 | 8/27/2025 16:35:28 | Montrose | Environmental Restoration and Pollution Prevention | Moving an arroyo to protect the Hospital from flooding | The goal of this project is to continue to provide healthcare services to the community that has come to expect continuous, high quality patient outcomes. This is to be done by moving an arroyo. A pipe will be installed at least 15 feet in the ground and shift water movement four city blocks. It will increase capacity of the arroyo by 25 percent. This will give the water a chance to drain. Flood waters will not enter the Hospital’s loading dock or emergency department. The pipe will be set at a depth that hits the water table. The site where the pipe needs to be installed is between open water, as the ditch is above ground before and after the Hospital. The drainage as it is now is a bottleneck to water that drains constantly. Too much water could be collected from downstream canals and creeks or rain. | rfunk@montrosehealth.com | Montrose Regional Health | Robyn Funk | Grant Writer | 970.252.2522 | Montrose Regional Health has unequal flood exposure, unfair recovery outcomes, and a limited ability to adapt to flooding. This jeopardizes its desire to promote healthcare to ensure a healthy community. Flood waters threaten this vital provider of healthcare for more than 100,000 people in a 10,000 square mile area. The current arroyo is only 30-feet from the patient tower, putting more than 75 patients and 400 caregivers at any one time at risk. The arroyo is the catchall for stormwater. It diverts water to ditches and other canals in the City of Montrose. It acts as an overflow in the event the dam at Ridgway Reservoir were to fail. In any scenario, the Hospital, due to the location of this arroyo, is in the pathway of a 100-year flood event. Annually, Montrose sees an average rainfall of 9.33 inches and an average snowfall of 21.5 inches. | Up to 6.5 million and can work with lesser amounts | Montrose Regional Health has looked at building a new facility at a new location in the City of Montrose. Current construction costs are $1,600 a square foot and the current facility is 400,000 square feet. This means a new facility of comparable size is $640 million. To renovate the current building will be $80 million. This excludes the cost of moving the arroyo, which adds $6 million to the total. The organization wants to be good stewards of the community’s money. It also knows it needs to expand to care for these souls. | Nonprofit | ||||
65 | 9/4/2025 20:57:12 | Fremont | Public Health | Finally Fremont First Clothing Drive | I would like to buy donation bins for clothing to benefit any women man or child in need of clothes. Providing clean, appropriate clothing to individuals experiencing homelessness offers significant health benefits, protecting against environmental exposure and reducing the risk of skin infections. Access to clean clothes also positively affects mental health by improving self-esteem and dignity. Proper clothing helps protect against life-threatening conditions like hypothermia and frostbite in cold weather, and sunburn or heatstroke during hot months. Access to clean, appropriate clothing, socks, and undergarments allows for regular changes, which can reduce the risk of skin infections and other hygiene-related health issues. | backinaaz@gmail.com | Fremont First Co | Self | Community block organization to host clothing drives | 6023944750 | There is no public transportation in Florence Colorado or Fremont county at that. It makes it hard for individuals in need of such services nearly impossible to get to any of the surrounding counties that do offer such services nearly 40 miles in every direction. Manna house charges the people in need. They require identification that many are not able to provide due to the lack of transportation, homeless or just unable to physically get there. | 900$, yes it scalable | Thank you. I appreciate your time and consideration in this matter. I am hoping to propose my initiative to the elks Lodge in Florence Colorado, praise community Church and the Florence police department as possible donation bin locations! If a business license/space are required per Colorado non profit laws I am willing/able to proceed | Nonprofit | ||||
66 | 9/12/2025 11:53:58 | Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, Ouray, Rio Blanco, San Juan, San Miguel | Environmental Restoration | RiversEdge West’s Western Slope Restoration Initiative | RiversEdge West’s Western Slope Restoration and Stewardship Initiative is a collaborative effort to restore and sustain riparian ecosystems across Western Colorado. Building on more than 20 years of experience, we strengthen long-standing partnerships to ensure resilient rivers that support both natural systems and human communities. Colorado’s rivers face growing threats from climate change, invasive species, water scarcity, and population growth, with rural communities feeling these impacts most acutely. RiversEdge West is uniquely positioned to respond, combining technical expertise, facilitation, and long-term stewardship to achieve lasting restoration outcomes. Through coordinated partnerships, this initiative restores rivers across the Colorado, Gunnison, Dolores, White, and Uncompahgre watersheds, removes invasive plants like tamarisk and Russian olive, restores native vegetation, and improves wildlife habitat. By engaging diverse partners and sustaining restored sites, we are building healthy river corridors that safeguard biodiversity, water resources, recreation, and local economies for generations to come. | emcdermott@riversedgewest.org | RiversEdge West | Erin McDermott | Associate Director | 970-256-7400 | RiversEdge West’s Western Slope Restoration and Stewardship Initiative delivers measurable environmental benefits across multiple watersheds. Through coordinated restoration efforts on the Colorado, Gunnison, Dolores, White, and Uncompahgre rivers, we remove invasive species such as tamarisk and Russian olive, restoring native vegetation and improving wildlife habitat. Our work stabilizes stream banks, reduces erosion, and enhances water quality, supporting healthy aquatic ecosystems and resilient riparian corridors. Across these projects, we restore hundreds of acres of degraded habitat and protect critical water resources for communities and wildlife. By implementing sustainable stewardship frameworks, we ensure that restored areas are maintained over time, maximizing ecological return on investment. Additionally, our engagement with local contractors and youth corps supports workforce development while minimizing project-related waste. Collectively, these efforts result in improved biodiversity, increased water storage and filtration, reduced sedimentation, and enhanced recreational and agricultural opportunities, contributing to long-term environmental, social, and economic resilience in Western Colorado. | $100,000 | Please visit our website for more information: www.riversedgewest.org | Nonprofit | ||||
67 | 9/19/2025 14:05:42 | Boulder | Environmental Restoration | Valmont Coal Ash Clean Up | The Valmont Community Commission (VCC) is a frontline, grassroots community-led initiative dedicated to ensuring an equitable and just remediation of coal ash contamination at the Valmont Power Plant. The VCC mission is to empower and elevate the voices of disproportionately impacted communities that live near the clean up site, particularly residents of Columbine, San Lazaro, and Vista Village manufactured home communities, who are majority low-income, immigrant, and non-English speaking. Since its founding in November 2023, the VCC has worked in Boulder County to ensure that community engagement around the coal ash clean up is not only safe, but also inclusive, transparent, and equitable. What makes the VCC unique is that our leadership comes directly from the communities being served. Members of neighboring manufactured home communities are at the center of the commission, shaping priorities, leading outreach, and guiding advocacy strategies. | alejandro@cjcboco.org | Valmont Community Commission | Alejandro Murillo | Finance and Administrative Coordinator | 303-928-9883 | Community-led air quality monitoring, community capacity building, coal ash landfill clean up, beneficial reuse of materials, water quality remediation. | $150,000-$550,00 per year | Nonprofit | |||||
68 | 9/23/2025 14:14:15 | Denver | Environmental Restoration and Education | Roots to Resilience: Building Soil, Sovereignty, and Sustainability | This project addresses critical environmental health inequities in disproportionately impacted (DI) communities by focusing on four interconnected challenges: a) lack of access to fresh, organic, low-cost food; b) poor soil conditions caused by geologic history, industrial, and government pollution; c) limited access to land for food production; and d) high health inequities. In 2023, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) reported that 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted while one in eight Americans struggles to have enough food. These realities drive our work, which evolves through deep engagement with youth and communities in Denver’s food deserts. By listening to how youth envision change, we build programs that empower them to lead environmental and food justice efforts. The need for healthy soil is a central focus of this project. Many community members hesitate to grow food due to concerns about soil contamination. We address this by testing soil for contaminants and biological life, raising awareness about soil health, and supporting a movement in Montbello to build both the underground ecosystem and a broader social ecosystem for food sovereignty, climate resilience, and community advocacy. | austine@consumptionliteracy.org | Consumption Literacy Project | Austine Luce | Executive Director | 720-982-8081 | This project is a youth- and community-led initiative that blends traditional ecological knowledge with modern climate adaptation to build resilience and food security. By addressing soil health, education, and urban food infrastructure, it fosters environmental justice and sustainable growth. Soil testing, composting, and workshops will improve community soils, while remediation addresses contamination. Up to 45 urban farmers and residents will be trained in sustainable techniques such as rain gardens and ollas, with knowledge shared at community farms like Montbello Spiral Garden and Eastside Growers Collective. Urban food systems will expand through food forests and the planting of 100 apple trees and other drought-resistant edibles, reducing heat absorption and enhancing biodiversity. Community events, planting days, and a community-led video will strengthen engagement. In partnership with the University of Colorado Denver, this project creates hands-on opportunities for youth leadership, advancing food security, climate resilience, and community advocacy in Montbello and beyond. | $300,000-350,000, yes | This project is the result of years of community-led work, developed through ongoing feedback to build local food-growing capacity and respond to evolving needs. Community members have expressed interest in learning about soil health and food production, and our iterative approach ensures programming reflects their priorities. We use a community-based participatory evaluation model that centers community voices at every stage, including pre- and post-program surveys, informal interviews, activity sheets from urban agriculture specialists, and regular community meetings. Youth participants in 2024 highlighted increased gardening skills, friendships, and engagement, while also suggesting improvements such as more shade, seating, and opportunities to contribute—insights that will directly shape future planning. This dynamic, community-centered process builds infrastructure for food production and soil regeneration while cultivating long-term engagement. By maintaining a cycle of listening, learning, and adapting, the project ensures relevance, resilience, and sustained impact for both youth and community members. | Nonprofit | ||||
69 | 9/30/2025 12:13:44 | Adams, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Broomfield, Cheyenne, Crowley, Dolores, El Paso, Garfield, Huerfano, Jackson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, La Plata, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Morgan, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Washington, Weld, Yuma | Public Health | Prehospital Whole Blood Support Program | Death from hemorrhage is the number one cause of death in the US from birth to age 46. This occurs more frequently in our rural and frontier counties in Colorado. The Colorado Whole Blood Coalition is working with local EMS providers and medical systems to equitably implement prehospital blood across Colorado. If we can treat bleeding patients who are in hemorrhagic shock with whole blood before they get to the hospital we can reduce their mortality by 50%. That could save almost 1,000 lives per year in Colorado that would otherwise be lost. We would use Supplemental Environmental Project funds to support the Colorado Whole Blood Coalition’s efforts. These include: purchasing equipment and instructing local EMS agencies in how to safely transport and transfuse whole blood, purchasing whole blood, and providing the educational and logistic support needed to meet state and federal regulatory obligations. | scottwbranney@gmail.com | Colorado Whole Blood Coalition | Scott Branney MD | Chairman, Colorado Whole Blood Coalition | (303)-579-6066 | Prehospital whole blood offers an outstanding return on investment in improving public health. Valuations on the financial worth of saving a single life vary from $400,000 to over $4,500,000. Patients dying of hemorrhage are often younger productive members of society in the prime of their life. Administering blood in the prehospital setting has also been shown to reduce the total amount of blood used, shortens hospital length of stay, and reduces total costs. All of these variables can and will be measured by the Colorado Whole Blood Coalition. Additionally, placing blood products in the prehospital setting in rural and frontier counties offsets some of the health inequities these communities have historically faced. These communities have always had higher death rates just due to the time and distance required to get to advanced medical care. Prehospital blood can bridge that gap, providing the same advanced care available in more urban settings. | $100,000 to $500,000 | EMS jurisdictions are not strictly aligned with county boundaries. In some counties EMS care may well be provided by an agency headquartered in a bordering county. As we look towards applying funds in the county where the infraction occurred this could well result in a multi-county project. | Nonprofit | ||||
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