Local Water Solutions for Western Colorado
Local grants for multi-benefit, community-led water projects on the western slope.
Community-Driven Projects
The CFP is built on a simple concept that western slope communities know their water challenges best. Every project we fund is locally led, responds to established community priorities, and is designed to deliver lasting value for agriculture, rivers, infrastructure, and our watersheds.
All applications must demonstrate local support through a Board of County Commissioners Letter of Support. Successful applications often include an alignment with an existing regional water plan and/or involve collaboration among stakeholders.
Funding for the CFP program was approved by Western Colorado voters as part of ballot question 7A in November 2020. The fund has an average of $4.2M available for funding and accepts applications on a rolling basis.
Five Focus Areas for Western Slope Water
CFP grants fund multi-benefit projects that address the water needs of western Colorado’s communities, economies, and ecosystems. Projects must fall within at least two of the five categories below — and the strongest applications address several at once.
Productive Agriculture
Infrastructure
Healthy Rivers
Watershed Health & Water Quality
Conservation & Efficiency
*Visit the CFP guidelines page to see if your project could fit in these categories!
Who Can Apply
The CFP is open to entities working on water projects within the Colorado River District’s 15-county service area on the western slope of Colorado.
- Individuals
- Local governments
- Corporations
- Private entities such as mutual ditch companies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Partnerships
- And more!
Interested in exploring our previous grants? Visit our dashboard here!
Not sure if you qualify? Schedule a 15-minute inquiry call. We’ll tell you within minutes whether your project is a fit.
Four Ways to Access CFP Funding
Not every water challenge fits the same timeline or budget. The CFP offers four grant types designed to meet projects where they are — from long-planned capital investments to urgent infrastructure repairs.
General Grant
Our primary grant program for multi-benefit water projects in at least two of the five categories. Available to a wide range of applicants and available on a rolling basis.
Accelerator Grant
Designed to help projects complete the complex requirements of state and federal applications to leverage significant state or federal funds for project implementation. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Emergency Grant
Available to provide funds retroactively in response to a natural disaster or emergency. Funds aim to reduce the financial burden of emergencies.
Pilot Irrigation Company Grant
Targeted support for ditch companies and irrigation districts to modernize financial and planning systems to ensure longevity of critical operations. Six pilot grants were awarded in 2026. Additional information about future funding opportunities will be shared as it becomes available.
“A producer’s career is every day, doing a little bit at a time, changing their landscape to improve it just enough to havethe production they need. That’s the ethos and the mentality of our funding program.”-Melissa Wills, Community Funding Partnership Program Manager
“The entire Colorado River Basin faces a future with less water, and the projects we fund through the Community Funding Partnership provide real-world solutions within our own District. The Accelerator Grant program is a success story of how local funding can catalyze durable, resilient and immediate actions across our communities.”
-Amy Moyer, Chief of Strategy