Community Funding Partnership
Celebrating 5 Years of Impact
Community Funding Partnership
Celebrating 5 Years
of Impact
Five Years of Impact
Measurements of Success
2021-2025 Grant Distribution
5 Year Category Distribution
5 Year Basin Distribution
5 Year County Distribution
Accelerator Grant Impact
Accelerator Grants help partners build winning state and federal grant applications by funding the costly, must-have pieces of the process.
Since launching in 2022, every $1 invested has leveraged an average of $64 in additional outside funding.
“Community funding partnership dollars demonstrate to state and federal grant administrators that strong grassroots support exists, an important component to leveraging these larger grants. When the district funds projects such as the Middle Colorado Ag Collaborative (MCAC), it further strengthens cooperation between diverse water users.”
Accelerator Grant Impact
Accelerator Grants help partners build winning state and federal grant applications by funding the costly, must-have pieces of the process.
Since launching in 2022, every $1 invested has leveraged an average of $64 in additional outside funding.
“Community funding partnership dollars demonstrate to state and federal grant administrators that strong grassroots support exists, an important component to leveraging these larger grants. When the district funds projects such as the Middle Colorado Ag Collaborative (MCAC), it further strengthens cooperation between diverse water users.”
“From the outset, we aimed to build a funding tool that respects local knowledge and puts communities in the lead. CFP is flexible by design, accountable by practice, and rooted in the belief that decisions are strongest when made closest to the issues. That is how we turn priorities into projects and projects into lasting benefits.”
2020–2025 milestones
*The $32 million awarded to date includes the full $20 million commitment to the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project.
2020–2025 milestones
2020:
Ballot Initiative 7A passed with 72% of West Slope voters approving tax dollars to fund CFP
2021:
Board approved Community Funding Partnership Framework
$2.8M Granted to Date
$33M Outside Funding Leveraged to Date
23 Grants Awarded to Date
2022:
Launched Accelerator Grant Program
$6M Granted to Date
$49M Outside Funding Leveraged to Date
70 Grants Awarded to Date
2023:
CRD Board approves $20 Million Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project
$14M Granted to Date
$66M Outside Funding Leveraged to Date
100 Grants Awarded to Date
2024:
Accelerator grants return an average of $64 for every $1 invested
$22M Granted to Date
$94M Outside Funding Leveraged to Date
129 Grants Awarded to Date
2025:
Launched Irrigation Company Financial Sustainability Pilot Grant Opportunity
$32M* Granted to Date
$98M Outside Funding Leveraged to Date
147 Grants Awarded to Date
*The $32 million awarded to date includes the full $20 million commitment to the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project.
Legacy Water Protection for the West Slope
In 2023, the Colorado River District committed $20 million from its Community Funding Partnership to help fund the $99 million purchase price of the Shoshone water rights. The project offers far-reaching benefits: sustained river health and healthy aquatic ecosystems, maintained streamflows upstream and downstream of the Shoshone Hydropower Plant, improved water quality for drinking water supplies, greater irrigation reliability, and stronger support for the recreation economy that thrives along the river. Protection of essential flows in the 15 mile reach support the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and base flows into Lake Powell preventing further pressure to fallow West Slope Agriculture. This project demonstrates CFP’s ability to provide legacy-level funding for community-driven, basin-wide, and strategic projects on Colorado’s western slope. This is a once-in-a-generation project that creates enduring benefits communities can count on long into the future.
Legacy Water Protection for
the West Slope
In 2023, the Colorado River District committed $20 million from its Community Funding Partnership to help fund the $99 million purchase price of the Shoshone water rights. The project offers far-reaching benefits: sustained river health and healthy aquatic ecosystems, maintained streamflows upstream and downstream of the Shoshone Hydropower Plant, improved water quality for drinking water supplies, greater irrigation reliability, and stronger support for the recreation economy that thrives along the river. Protection of essential flows in the 15 mile reach support the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and base flows into Lake Powell preventing further pressure to fallow West Slope Agriculture. This project demonstrates CFP’s ability to provide legacy-level funding for community-driven, basin-wide, and strategic projects on Colorado’s western slope. This is a once-in-a-generation project that creates enduring benefits communities can count on long into the future.
2025 Grant Metrics
2025 Project Highlights
Bear River Reservoir Company;
Stillwater Reservoir Drain, Collar, and Channel
CFP Grant: $123,000
Stillwater Reservoir has been under a fill restriction since 2019 due to seepage at the left abutment. It supplies late-season irrigation to 19 Bear River agricultural ditches. Building on a $125,000 River District award for engineering, the project will install a downstream blanket drain, add a filter collar, and stabilize the channel below the dam to support removing the restriction.
Western Slope Conservation Center;
North Fork and Smith Fork of the Gunnison Wildfire Ready Action Plan
CFP Grant: $50,000
North Fork Valley partners, led by Western Slope Conservation Center, are developing a Wildfire Ready Action Plan for the North Fork and Smith Fork. The effort will map values at risk, close data gaps, assess hazards and vulnerabilities, and produce pre- and post-fire actions to reduce wildfire impacts while prioritizing future funding and watershed projects.
Maybell Ditch Company;
Maybell Ditch Breach Repair
CFP Grant: $24,097
On Aug. 12, 2024, the Maybell Ditch breached, blowing out two headgates, carving a large washout, and depositing sediment on private fields. Repairs were completed by September and irrigation resumed. The ditch serves 18 users and is one of the Yampa Basin’s largest irrigators (129 cfs decreed).
Town of Rangely;
Rangely River Intake Turbidmeter
CFP Grant: $8,290
The Lee and Elk fires degraded White River water quality, increasing turbidity and contaminants for Rangely’s municipal supply. The town is installing a turbidimeter to automatically shut down pumps during high-turbidity events, reducing maintenance and protecting the treatment plant.
City of Grand Junction;
Juniata Enlarged Ditch Piping/Lining Project
CFP Grant: $25,000
The City is designing a project to pipe or line 2.3 miles of the Juniata Enlarged Ditch to remediate roughly 30% seepage and improve reliability. The ditch delivers Kannah Creek water to Juniata Reservoir and supports the City and 40 agricultural users as Grand Junction plans for projected shortages by 2045.
For a complete list of funded projects, visit the CFP Projects Dashboard. Use the filters to explore projects by location, year, category, or other priorities.
Looking Forward
“Over the past 5 years, we have built a dynamic and responsive funding program that delivers for West Slope water users. With dedicated staff and targeted opportunities like the Accelerator Grant and financial sustainability pilot programs, we continue to respond where the need is greatest. Looking forward, we remain committed to leaning into durable, long-term opportunities that help water users adapt to hotter and drier conditions.”
“Looking back on the impact the Community Funding Partnership has made in the past five years has provided an incredible window to how we aim to deliver the program into the next five years and future. We will continue to remain an accessible funding source for all water users, provide flexible and adaptable grant programming, serve as a convener of stakeholders to share knowledge, be responsive and nimble to get funds on the ground efficiently, and serve as a catalyst to draw on other local, state and federal funds.”
Looking Forward
“Over the past 5 years, we have built a dynamic and responsive funding program that delivers for West Slope water users. With dedicated staff and targeted opportunities like the Accelerator Grant and financial sustainability pilot programs, we continue to respond where the need is greatest. Looking forward, we remain committed to leaning into durable, long-term opportunities that help water users adapt to hotter and drier conditions.”
“Looking back on the impact the Community Funding Partnership has made in the past five years has provided an incredible window to how we aim to deliver the program into the next five years and future. We will continue to remain an accessible funding source for all water users, provide flexible and adaptable grant programming, serve as a convener of stakeholders to share knowledge, be responsive and nimble to get funds on the ground efficiently, and serve as a catalyst to draw on other local, state and federal funds.”