|
Funding & Technical Assistance
Arts & Culture
Film Festival Support and Promotion Grant. Deadline: Rolling. Colorado Office of Economic Development & Economic Trade. State. Eligible entities to apply for this sponsorship, your film festival needs to take place in Colorado. The Film Festival Support and Promotion Grant supports more than 40 film festivals and educational events each year throughout Colorado. With a focus on Colorado’s rural areas, film festivals bring economic activity to different areas of the state by attracting new visitors.
Broadband
Advance Colorado Broadband Mini Grant Program. Colorado Broadband Office (CBO). State. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: organizations that have previously received a state or federal broadband deployment grant from the Colorado Broadband Office, including High Cost Support Mechanism State Grant recipients. Provides approximately $800,000 in additional funding to support broadband deployment and project expansion efforts in eligible areas identified on the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) map. Funding is sourced from both the Capital Projects Fund and the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. A webinar will be held October 8 at 10:00 a.m. to review program details and eligibility. Deadline November 7, 11:59 pm MST.
Economic Development
Nasdaq Foundation Quarterly Grant Program. Nasdaq Foundation. Private / philanthropic. Project-based funding. Deadline: Oct. 24. Eligible entities: U.S. organizations with 501(c)(3) status (or for-profits acting via a fiscal sponsor). Supports work in two main areas: enhancing financial literacy and investor engagement in under-resourced communities (especially including teaching market investing tools), and strengthening / scaling entrepreneurship among under-resourced or underrepresented founders. Grants typically span one year (multi-year possible with justification) and have no fixed minimum or maximum, though the average size is ~$75,000. Proposals must be submitted through Nasdaq’s online portal.
Quadratec Cares “Energize the Environment” Grant Program. Deadline: Oct. 30. Quadratec (private). Project-based funding. Eligible entities any U.S. individual, group, or organization with an environmental idea or initiative (trail restoration, park beautification, sustainability education, litter prevention, etc.). Offers two $3,500 grants per year (one in spring, one in fall). Requires submission of a 1,000-1,600 word essay describing the applicant, project, goals, and use of funds. No matching funds required.
Advanced Industries Export Grant. Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade. State. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: small- and medium-sized Colorado advanced industry businesses. Provides up to $15,000 (50% of eligible costs) for export activities such as trade shows, marketing, translation, export training, and compliance support.
Business and Industry Loan Guarantees. US Department of Agriculture. Federal. Loan funding. Eligible entities: for-profit and nonprofit businesses, cooperatives, Tribes, public bodies, and individuals engaged or proposed to engage in a business. Loan guarantees to improve, develop, or finance business, industry, and employment and improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities.
Rural Business Investment Program. US Department of Agriculture. Federal. Startup funding. Eligible entities: for-profits and subsidiaries of an entity. Provides a Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) license to newly formed developmental capital organizations to fill the need for business and development capital in rural areas. The program works with for-profit developmental capital funds.
Rural Entrepreneur Grant. Startup Colorado. Private. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: rural entrepreneurs in Colorado. Provides funding for business-related events, education, and technical resources to accelerate growth, covering expenses like registration fees and travel. Up to $5,000.
Strategic Fund Job Growth Incentive. Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade. Business incentives. Eligible entities: Businesses considering interstate competitive expansion or relocation projects in Colorado. Project-based funding. Funds for locating or expanding in the state, signing a lease, hiring employees related to this project, making material expenditures for this project.
Community Development
Spark Good Local Grants. Walmart Spark Good. Foundation funding. General. Eligible entities: Deed-verified organizations with a Spark Good account, including nonprofit organization (c3) government entities, schools, and faith-based groups with community-wide benefit. Provides local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5,000 to support community-specific needs through an open application process. Deadline applications are accepted quarterly August 1–October 15, and November 3–December 31.
Hometown Grants. T-Mobile. Foundation. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: local government, tribal leaders, or nonprofit community leaders. The program will fund projects to build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local connections in small towns (with populations less than 50,000), including town squares, historic buildings, outdoor parks, ball fields, or libraries. Elected leaders, town managers or employees, or nonprofit leaders are eligible to submit project details. Deadline: Awards will be made quarterly. Applications will be open on a quarterly basis and the portal will close on the last day of each quarter and reopen for the new quarter on the first of the month.
Craigslist Charitable Fund. Private. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: nonprofit organizations, fiscally sponsored projects, and individuals addressing animal exploitation and related issues with scalable, long-lasting impact. Supports projects advancing animal protection, environmental sustainability, and social good initiatives. Grants generally cover no more than 30% of an organization’s annual budget, though exceptions may be made. Academic institutions may allocate up to 10% for indirect costs. Applications are reviewed in quarterly cycles beginning in 2026, with decisions typically issued within two months of the close of each submission window. Funds are generally disbursed within one to two weeks of notification. Fiscal sponsorship is permitted for applicants without 501(c)(3) status. Projects submitted Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026 will be decided by March 31, 2026.
Emergency & Disaster
Local IMPACT Accelerator. Colorado Energy Office (CEO). State. Policy and project-based funding. Eligible entities: local governments (cities, counties, or multi-jurisdiction cohorts) and Colorado’s two federally recognized Tribes. Supports adoption of new local policies and implementation of aligned projects in the sectors of buildings, land use, transportation, and waste. Provides funding for activities such as outreach, stakeholder engagement, technical analysis, policy development, pilot projects, rebate programs, consultant studies, and equipment purchases tied to adopted policies. Project funding must be paired with policy adoption; standalone project requests are not eligible. Grant sizes range from approximately $200,000 for policy adoption to up to $1.8 million for combined policy and project proposals, with $50 million available statewide. Requires demonstrated local government leadership support and adoption of policies beyond state minimums or early adoption of upcoming requirements. Deadline Round 2 LOI due November 17 with full applications January 16–February 18, 2026.
Energy & Environment
The Lawrence Foundation Grant Program. Foundation. Project‐based & operating grants. Eligible entities U.S. public charities (501(c)(3)), public schools, or organizations with a fiscal sponsor. Supports work in environment, human services, disaster relief, and other causes aligned with their mission. Typical awards range from $5,000 to $10,000, generally as unrestricted grants. Deadline October 31 (for December awards), April 30 (for June awards).
Community Action Fund (CAF). NDN Collective / NDN Foundation. National / International (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Indigenous territories). Project-based / direct action funding. Eligible entities Indigenous-led frontline grassroots groups, individuals, Tribes, tribal non-profit entities, Native Hawaiian organizations, First Nations/Metis/Inuit communities, and other Indigenous individuals leading direct action or movement building work. Supports urgent, time-sensitive direct action, organizing, and movement work defending Indigenous peoples’ rights, land, water, resources, climate disaster response, and decolonization efforts. Grants up to $20,000 for a term of up to six months. No matching funds required. Deadline October 31.
AIM Grant. Coalitions & Collaboratives (COCO). National (US). Project‐based / capacity‐building funding. Eligible entities: nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (or with a fiscal sponsor), local or regional collaboratives, conservation districts, Fire Safe/Wildfire Councils, fire departments, Tribal authorities, city or county governments; organizations must have a UEID, be active in SAM.gov, and satisfy state & federal good‐standing criteria. Supports capacity building, planning, and wildfire risk reduction work (on non-federal lands), personnel, planning efforts, mitigation projects, increasing ability to overcome barriers, community wildfire strategy coordination, equitable/inclusive approaches, place-based solutions. Award amounts: $10,000 to $75,000 for one-year grants. Requires 100% match (cash or in-kind). Deadline next round Requests for Concept due October 31.
Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP). Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR). State. Project-based / workforce & landscape funding. Eligible entities: conservation corps, local governments and collaboratives, and other organizations able to do wildfire fuel reduction, forest restoration, and also workforce training in mitigation work. Supports two main tracks: Workforce Development Grants (training people, crews, conservation corps, SWIFT inmate fire teams) and Landscape Resilience Investments (fuels reduction projects in high-priority focus areas and watershed protection). Provides funds to treat forested land, reduce wildfire risk to homes, infrastructure, and watersheds; goals include forest health, ecological resilience, reducing firefighting costs, protecting water supply. Deadline November 3.
Large Building Decarbonization Showcase Grant Program. Colorado Energy Office (CEO). State. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: owners of large commercial or public buildings covered under Colorado’s Building Performance Standards (i.e. buildings ≥50,000 sq ft) who have selected the Greenhouse Gas Intensity Reduction target. Supports projects that reduce emissions in large buildings, especially by exceeding required performance standard targets (either ahead of deadlines or beyond baseline requirements). Funding can be used for electrification of heating, water-heating, and other fossil-fuel systems; energy efficiency upgrades; demand flexibility; performance optimization; and related measures. Grants are expected in amounts between $500,000 and $2,000,000 per award. Requires a cost match of at least 50%. Deadline November 3.
Health & Mental Health & Community Services
Building Pathways to Economic Self-Sufficiency | Department of Housing and Urban Development | Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator Program
Deadline: December 2. Target population: Residents of public housing. The ROSS-SC Program supports residents of Public and Native American Housing in achieving economic and housing self-sufficiency. Grants fund Service Coordinators who connect residents with education, job training, financial literacy, and health services to help them progress toward independence and stability. For seniors and residents with disabilities, coordinators also link participants to supportive services that help residents age in place.
Elevating Prevention in Colorado (EPIC). Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE). State. Project-based / systems planning funding. Eligible entities Colorado communities, local public health agencies, nonprofits, coalitions engaging in primary prevention of substance use and misuse using a shared risk/protective-factor approach. Supports building a collective impact system, coordinating prevention strategies across funding sources, and implementing evidence-based prevention programs. Deadline November 3, 2025, by 5:00 pm MST.
The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation
Application deadline: December 15, 2025. Grant amount: $100,000 per year for two years
Target population: Children and families in underserved communities. The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation funds research that improves access to high-quality mental health care for children and families, especially in under-resourced communities. Grants support innovative approaches such as new care models, digital tools, and programs in schools or homes that can be scaled to reach more youth. Projects should demonstrate measurable improvements in access to care and positive outcomes for children and families.
The Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation
Application deadline: None. Target population: Underserved communities
Description: The Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation supports nonprofit and faith-based organizations across the U.S. that serve vulnerable communities through education, recreation, health, and social service programs. Funding may be used to improve curricula, upgrade facilities, offer scholarships, or expand access to medical and community care. Priority is given to initiatives that promote self-sufficiency, wellness, and long-term community impact.
Transportation/Infrastructure
Bridge Investment Program. Federal Highway Administration. Federal. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: projects involving bridges or culverts on the National Bridge Inventory rated poor or imminently poor. Provides funding to reduce the overall number of bridges in poor or fair condition. Grants include Bridge Project Grants for projects with total eligible costs not greater than $100 million and a minimum award of $2.5 million (deadline November 1).
Off-System Bridge Program. Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). State / federal. Project-based funding. Eligible entities Colorado counties and municipalities owning public road bridges or major culverts (off-system structures) rated in Poor or Fair condition. Supports inventory, inspection, evaluation, major rehabilitation, and replacement of off-system bridges and tunnels. Requires a minimum 20% match from the applicant. Deadline November 7.
NOFA 2025 Capital Call for Projects. Colorado Department of Transportation, Division of Transit & Rail (DTR). State/federal. Project-based funding for transit capital projects. Eligible entities: public transit agencies, local governments, tribal governments, nonprofit transit operators, including “new applicants” (with a required questionnaire) via DTR’s COTRAMS system. Supports capital transit work under FTA & State programs (FTA 5310, 5311, 5339, and State FASTER Transit) such as purchase or rehabilitation of rolling stock, transit facility construction or upgrades, preventive maintenance, ITS or technology enhancements, bus storage & maintenance infrastructure, and multimodal facility improvements. Requires that funded projects be initiated in calendar year 2025 and completed within one to three years. Deadline December 5, by 11:59 pm MST via COTRAMS. New applicant questionnaire (for agencies who haven’t received DTR transit funds recently) is due October 31.
Water
Assistance Grants Program (2026). Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Water Quality Control Division (WQCD). State. Project-based funding. Eligible entities all public water systems in Colorado. Supports projects that address regulatory or water quality challenges, including infrastructure upgrades, and operational or administrative improvements (e.g. emergency response plans, cybersecurity, tank inspection, main break procedures). Maximum award: $30,000. Total funding: $150,000. Projects must be completed within calendar year 2026. Deadline October 21.
State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. State/federal partnership. Loan funding. Eligible entities: Colorado communities seeking financing for water infrastructure projects, including drinking water and wastewater systems. Finances the design and construction of Colorado water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. We administer the fund along with the Department of Local Affairs, and the Colorado Water Resources & Power Development Authority. We manage environmental reviews, engineering design approvals, and conduct overall project management. The power authority manages the finances and loan approvals. Local affairs staff members work with applicants on credit reviews and reports. Deadline November 5.
Water Supply Reserve Fund Grants. Colorado Water Conservation Board. State. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: local governments, special districts, water and sanitation, conservancy, conservations, irrigation and water activity enterprises, private entities such as mutual ditch companies, nonprofits, individuals and partnerships, etc. Provides funding to Colorado water users in addressing critical water supply issues and interests. Funding requests can be for technical assistance for permitting, feasibility studies, and environmental compliance; studies or analysis of structural, nonstructural, consumptive and nonconsumptive water needs, projects or activities; design of structural projects or activities; infrastructure replacements or maintenance projects. Deadline December 1.
Water Plan Grants. Colorado Water Conservation Board. State. Project-based funding. Eligible entities local governments, special districts, water and sanitation, conservancy, conservation districts, irrigation and water activity enterprises, private entities such as mutual ditch companies, nonprofits, individuals and partnerships, etc. Provides funding to advance the Colorado Water Plan. Please see program guidelines for eligible project types. Preference given to projects that have multiple benefits and multiple purposes and involve multiple stakeholders. Deadline December 1 and July 1.
Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants in Colorado. US Department of Agriculture. Federal. Emergency funding. Eligible entities: local government, nonprofits, Tribes. Emergency-based funding. This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Water transmission line grants up to $150,000 to construct waterline extensions, repair breaks or leaks in existing water distribution lines, and address related maintenance necessary to replenish the water supply. Water source grants up to $1,000,000 for the construction of new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and/or other sources of water (water source up to and including the treatment plant).
Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program. US Department of Agriculture. Federal. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: local government, nonprofits, Tribes. This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage, and distribution; sewer collection, transmission, treatment, and disposal; solid waste collection, disposal, and closure; storm water collection, transmission, and disposal.
Community Funding Partnership. Colorado River District. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: include local governments, nonprofits, irrigation districts, and other stakeholders within the Colorado River District’s 15-county Western Slope region. Provides funding for multi-benefit water projects in five categories: productive agriculture, infrastructure, healthy rivers, watershed health and water quality, and conservation and efficiency. Grants aim to support projects that enhance water resilience and leverage additional funding from state, federal, and private sources. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; however, for funding requests exceeding $50,000, applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the quarterly board meetings held in January, April, July, and October.
Federal Grants
Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance. Economic Development Administration. Federal. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: State, local government, nonprofits 501c3 and not, special district governments, Tribes. The Public Works program provides resources to meet the construction and/or infrastructure design needs of communities to enable them to become more economically competitive. Supported activities under EDA’s EAA program include construction and non-construction such as construction or upgrading of public infrastructure, sectoral partnerships for workforce training, design and engineering, technical assistance, economic recovery strategies, and capitalization or re-capitalization of Revolving Loan Funds.
Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program. US Department of Agriculture. Federal. Project-based funding. Eligible entities rural local governments and Tribes. This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Detailed list of essential community facilities included in link.
Thriving Communities Technical Assistance. Department of Housing & Urban Development. Federal. Eligible entities are those that are eligible under specific grants. Technical assistance funding. To receive HUD’s Thriving Communities technical assistance (TA), jurisdictions must be a unit of general local government that is receiving federal transportation funding (directly or indirectly through the state) and use that funding to support a project that coordinates transportation and housing plans, programs or investments to benefit residents and businesses.
Disaster Supplemental Grant. Economic Development Administration. Federal. Project-based. Grants for areas in a Presidentially declared disaster region may be eligible for highly flexible grants to use building up a strong and modern workforce. EDA's role in disaster recovery is to facilitate the timely and effective delivery of federal economic development assistance to support long-term community economic recovery planning and project implementation, redevelopment and resiliency.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Federal. Project‐based funding. Eligible entities: Indian Tribes and intertribal consortia. Supports improvements to post-consumer materials management, recycling, composting, reuse, source reduction, end markets, and solid waste infrastructure on Tribal lands. Provides grants ranging $100,000 to $1,500,000 per award; total available ~ $20 million. No cost share or match required. Grant period up to 3 years (up to 5 years for Alaska). Deadline December 12.
Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects (Small Storage Program). U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. Federal. Project-based funding. Eligible entities: include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; joint powers authorities; federally recognized Tribal governments and tribal organizations; and IRS 501c3 nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education) located in the 17 western U.S. states, Alaska, or Hawaii. The program supports planning, design, and/or construction of small surface or groundwater storage projects with capacities between 200 and 30,000 acre-feet, offering up to 25 percent federal cost-share. Priority is given to multi-benefit, regional, and multi-stakeholder projects that enhance reliability, ecosystem resilience, groundwater management, or water quality. Deadline April 17, 2026, by 4:00 pm EST.
Resources & News
The housing we stopped building — and why we need it now
Blog by Jeri Mintzer, Smart Growth America. We’re short 4.7 million homes. Our approach to housing aims to build more homes in the right places at the right price so that everyone can live in a community that supports them at every stage of life. And when we say more housing, we mean more types of homes. In this series of explainer blogs, we’re taking a closer look at how, in addition to focusing on supply, smart growth strategies on type, place, and price are essential to solving the housing crisis and creating the types of homes and communities that allow people to stay, grow, and thrive. Read full blog here.
Proposition 123 Reports and Performance Measures Resource. Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Housing. State-level performance and policy resource providing reports, dashboards, and metrics tracking the implementation of Proposition 123, Colorado's affordable housing funding initiative. Includes data on annual allocations, program performance, and compliance with priorities such as affordability, density, and sustainability. Updated regularly to support planning, accountability, and transparency.
Child Care Facility Development Toolkit. Colorado Department of Local Affairs. State. Technical assistance resource. Offers a free, self-guided five-session video series on planning, designing, funding, and developing childcare facilities.
The Northwest Colorado Small Business Development Center is Recruiting Advisors
Learn more here. Are you a seasoned business professional with a passion for helping others succeed? Do you want to use your skills and experience to make a tangible impact on your community? Consider becoming an SBDC advisor. We have opportunities for both volunteers and on-call advisors. This is more than just an opportunity; it's a chance to mentor, innovate, and contribute directly to the growth of businesses in your local community and others across rural Colorado. If you're looking for a fulfilling way to give back where your expertise can truly make a difference, we invite you to join our team!
Colorado Department of Local Affairs Local Community Funding Guide
The Division of Local Government (DLG) created this comprehensive resource to help local governments and nonprofit community organizations navigate the funding sources available through a variety of Federal and State programs. While not an exhaustive list, this guide is updated frequently as new information is available.
|
