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Funding & Technical Assistance
Federal Funding Opportunities
USDA Rural Energy Programs: 2 New Programs
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of nearly $11 billion in grants and loan opportunities to help rural energy and utility providers bring affordable clean energy to communities. Funding will be available through two new programs under the Inflation Reduction Act:
Community Wildfire Defense Grants - USDA
Full details here. Available to municipalities in amounts up to $10 million. The grants, paid for by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, are intended to help communities to plan for and mitigate the risk created by wildfire. They can help communities in the wildland urban interface restore and maintain landscapes, prepare for wildfire, and improve wildfire response. The grant program prioritizes at-risk communities in areas with high wildfire hazard potential, as well as low-income communities and communities that have experienced a severe disaster.
State Funding Opportunities
Matching Grant Program - Department of Local Affairs
Full details here. DOLA is accepting applications for the state’s Local Match grant program. The program helps communities access funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The program helps local governments meet their non-federal match requirement when they apply directly to the federal government for grants from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. More information here. All interested local governments must first contact Kodi Johnson, kodi.johnson@state.co.us before starting an application.
Broadband Ready Community Program - Colorado Broadband Office
The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) will start taking applications for the BEAD funding in 2024 through the Advance Colorado Broadband grant program. Want to be ready? Ensure your community is “Broadband Ready.” Learn more about the program and check out the CBO’s Broadband Ready Community Checklist
Energy Code Adoption and Enforcement Grant Program – Colorado Energy Office
Initial funding round opens Sept. 1; additional deadlines in Dec. 2023, March 2024, May 2024 | Full details here. The Colorado Energy Office is launching a new grant program to support local governments with adopting, implementing, and enforcing the latest building energy codes. As of July 1, 2023, local governments adopting or updating any building code will be required to adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as well as the Colorado model electric ready and solar ready code. These grants will support local governments in adopting and enforcing these codes or improving enforcement of previously adopted energy codes that meet or exceed the state's minimum requirements.
Advance Colorado Broadband - Capital Projects Fund
These grants will fund broadband projects that will connect nearly 18,000 unserved Colorado homes to high-speed internet. Learn more.
Other Funding Opportunities
Downtown Colorado Inc.’s Challenge Program
This unique technical assistance program seeks to transform community challenges into opportunities. In 2024, this program offers extended resources for redevelopment of opportunity sites and brownfields in your downtown. If you have a building or site within your community that could use some help, we encourage you to get involved this year! If interested, click to fill out a quick 3 question interest form and RSVP for an upcoming webinar in October. More information coming soon!
Intercultural Understanding and Rural Projects: Laura Jane Musser Fund
Applications will be accepted from September 1 to October 2, 2023, for the Rural Initiative, and from September 15 to October 16, 2023, for the Intercultural Harmony Initiative.
Grant amount: Project planning grants range up to $5,000 and project implementation grants range up to $25,000. Through the Rural Initiative, the Fund encourages collaborative and participatory efforts among residents in rural communities that will help to strengthen their towns and regions. The applicant community must have a population of 10,000 or less. Through the Intercultural Harmony Initiative, the Fund supports projects that promote mutual understanding and cooperation between groups of community members of different cultural backgrounds.
Community Wildfire Defense Grants
Available to municipalities in amounts up to $10 million. The grants, paid for by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, are intended to help communities to plan for and mitigate the risk created by wildfire. They can help communities in the wildland urban interface restore and maintain landscapes, prepare for wildfire, and improve wildfire response. The grant program prioritizes at-risk communities in areas with high wildfire hazard potential, as well as low-income communities and communities that have experienced a severe disaster. More information on applying for a Community Wildfire Defense Grant is available at https://tinyurl.com/4rwnuhsm
Colorado Loans to Increase Mainstreet Business Economic Recovery (CLIMBER) program
Small businesses with up to 99 employees may apply for working-capital loans between $10,000 and $500,000. For more information on the program or to apply, go to climber-colorado.com.
T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program: To Refresh Community Spaces in Small Towns
Deadline: Sept. 30 | Details here. The T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program funds community projects in small towns across the United States. Each quarter, 25 grants of up to $50,000 are provided for shovel-ready projects to build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local connections in small towns. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to, adaptive uses of older and historic buildings into community gathering spaces, improvements to outdoor parks or trails, and technology projects for public libraries. Applications are accepted from elected officials, town managers or employees, tribal leaders, or nonprofit community leaders from small towns with populations of less than 50,000.
Resources
Outdoor Industry Workforce Hub
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) has released a new resource for community partners to learn more about outdoor industry careers and workforce development. The Outdoor Industry Workforce Hub provides a full primer to the depth of outdoor workforce and career opportunities including a new roadmap for a 21st century outdoor workforce and an interactive map highlighting education, trade, and training programs for outdoor careers. Visit the Outdoor Industry Workforce Hub to learn more.
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