Funding & Technical Assistance
CML compiles summary of new grant opportunities resulting from recently passed legislation and state and federal stimulus funds
Click here for summary. The 2021 Legislative Session concluded with unprecedented grant and loan opportunities. Whether it is housing, transportation, economic development, or water infrastructure, almost all the programs can positively impact and provide much needed funding to municipalities. This summary compiled by the Colorado Municipal League lists all the applicable grant programs and the lobbyist to contact for more information.
Meeting and Events Incentive Program
HB21-1263 creates the Colorado Meeting and Events Incentive Program within the Colorado Tourism Office to provide support for events like meetings, conferences, or festivals. The program may provide rebates of up to 10% of the hard costs of an event and up to 25% of cost related to complying with public health requirements due to COVID-19 restrictions. To be eligible for funding, an event must occur between July 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2022, and must generate at least 25 paid overnight stays in a hotel or other vacation rental. For more information, contact Meghan MacKillop (mmackillop@cml.org)
Department of Local Affairs Innovative Housing Strategies
HB21-1271 creates three different grant programs in the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). The first program is called Local Government Affordable Housing Development Incentives Grant Program. The program allows a local government to apply for a grant if they adopt at least four policies to incentivize development. The second grant program is the Local Government Planning Grant Program. Money under the planning grant program will be available to a local government to enable them to retain a consultant to identify housing needs. Finally, the act creates the Affordable Housing Guided Toolkit and the Local Officials Guide Program. The purpose of the housing toolkit program is to provide local governments the tools to begin the process to identify their housing needs. For more information, contact Meghan Dollar (mdollar@cml.org).
Rural Economic Development Initiative Grant Program Funding
SB21-204 provides an appropriation to the Department of Local Affairs for the Rural Economic Development Initiative Grant Program, which provides grants that create new jobs in rural communities through a new employer or an expansion of an existing employer, or that create diversity and resiliency in a rural community's local economy. The funding may also be used for the Rural Economic Advancement of Colorado Towns program, which assists the state in responding to significant economic impacts in rural communities. For more information, contact Meghan MacKillop (mmackillop@cml.org)
Summit County Municipalities Accepting Grant Requests for 2022
Deadline: 8/11/21. The towns of Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne are now accepting applications from area nonprofit organizations for grant requests for 2022 projects. Summit County nonprofits that are tax exempt are eligible, and both cash and in-kind grant applications will be included in the process. Nonprofit organizations can download the funding application, in-kind requests and guidelines on any of the towns’ websites.
City of Aspen and Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund Grant Program
Deadline: 8/9/21 | More info here. The purpose of the program is to support Colorado nonprofit organizations in eligible areas to address the health needs of local communities. Funding may be used for general operating support. Eligible organizations are those that address the areas of physical and mental health, prevention of substance abuse, the wellbeing of seniors, community health, and environmental health and education. Nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to working together to strengthen the quality of life in Pitkin County are eligible to apply.
Caring for Colorado Foundation: Supporting Youth Well-Being
Deadline: 7/15/21 | More info here. This funding opportunity will provide grants for increased social and emotional supports in schools and out-of-school time programs, support for staff well-being, and/or facilitated access to mental health services for school-aged youth, with an emphasis on youth in grades 6-12. Support is directed to youth-serving organizations in communities where youth have experienced, or are experiencing, high levels of disengagement and mental health challenges
Caring for Colorado Foundation Statewide Grants
Deadline: 8/5/21 | More info here. The purpose of this program is to create equity in health, well-being, and opportunity for Colorado’s children and families. Funding will support projects that fall under one of the following focus areas: healthy beginnings; healthy youth; strong and resilient families; public policy advocacy.
USDA Drought Disaster Emergency Farm Loans
Deadline: November 15 | More info here. The Emergency loan program is triggered when a natural disaster is designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or a natural disaster or emergency is declared by the President under the Stafford Act. These loans help producers who suffer qualifying farm related losses directly caused by the disaster in a county declared or designated as a primary disaster or quarantine area. Also, farmers located in counties that are contiguous to the declared, designated, or quarantined area may qualify for Emergency loans.
NEA American Rescue Plan Grants to Organizations
Deadline: August 12 | More info here. The Arts Endowment intends to make awards that will impact a broad constituency. Applications are encouraged from a variety of eligible organizations including: organizations that serve populations that are underserved such as those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by ethnicity, economics, geography, or disability; organizations with small and medium-sized budgets; organizations from rural to urban communities; and organizations that may be applying for federal support through the Arts Endowment for the first time.
Eide Bailly Resourcefullness Award
Deadline: 8/13/2021 | More info here. The purpose of the program is to acknowledge outstanding efforts of nonprofits to create original and innovative ideas for sustainable revenue. Consideration will be given to organizations with impactful and creative initiatives that raise funds to further their organization's mission.
National Center for Mobility Management Funding Opportunity
Deadline: July 23 | More info here. Community Mobility Design Challenge 2021 grants to support communities seeking innovative ways to improve transportation access for community members who face transportation barriers in advancing their personal well-being. Grants of up to $25,000 will be available for design and planning purposes and applicant organizations must be non-profits or government agencies.
NextFifty Initiative Flexible Support
Deadline: July 16 | Learn more here. Flexible Support grants are for organizations or programs that serve (or seek to serve) older adults, but funds can be used flexibly. Instead of being asked to articulate a specific project plan and budget, Flexible Support grant applicants will be asked: what need do you see in the aging community and how will these funds help you address it?
Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund
Deadline: September 3. DOLA. More info here. The purpose of the EIAF Program is to assist political subdivisions that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels. Funds come from the state severance tax on energy and mineral production and from a portion of the state's share of royalties paid to the federal government for mining and drilling of minerals and mineral fuels on federally-owned land.
Volunteer Firefighter Pension Program
Deadline: Oct. 31. More info here. This program is designed to help local governments provide a retirement benefit to attract volunteers. All volunteer firefighting entities, which provide a volunteer firefighter pension, are eligible to receive a state match.
Protect Our Neighbors Grants
Deadline: Sept. 18 & Oct. 2. More info here. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Local public health agencies can apply for a Planning Grant of up to $50,000. These funds can be used to engage consultants, community partners, and finance community engagement efforts such as listening and planning sessions with communities impacted by and at increased risk of COVID-19.
If counties have already engaged with impacted communities, completed needs assessments and planning activities and identified infrastructure needs they may apply for Infrastructure Strengthening Grant. These grants will require local matching funds and can be spent on investments such as technology, community resource coordination, communication activities to increase compliance with the public health orders, funding for community-based partners and cultural brokers, and enhanced prevention and containment efforts.
