FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2025
CONTACT: Lindsay DeFrates, Dep. Director of Public Relations — 970.456.8973; ldefrates@crwcd.org
Colorado River District Community Funding Partnership Releases 2024 Annual Report
In 2024, the Community Funding Partnership awarded over $8.5 million to 29 different projects and leveraged over $26.6 million in funding for West Slope water.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado — The Colorado River District’s Community Funding Partnership (CFP) has released its 2024 annual report, detailing a year of significant investment in water projects across Colorado’s Western Slope. In 2024, the CFP awarded $8.5 million to 29 projects in 15 counties, leveraging $26.6 million in additional funding from local, state, and federal sources.
“As the Community Funding Partnership has matured in its fourth year, it has proven to be a vital catalyst for advancing impactful water projects on the Western Slope,” said Melissa Wills, program manager of the Community Funding Partnership. “By bridging funding gaps and enabling access to additional resources, the program is empowering communities to implement innovative solutions that address challenges facing water users and foster long-term resilience.”
CFP projects aim to address a wide range of critical needs under five primary categories: productive agriculture, infrastructure, healthy rivers, watershed health and water quality, and conservation and efficiency. Notable 2024 projects featured in the annual report include the Blue River Habitat Restoration Project, Grand Mesa Wildfire Ready Watersheds Plan, Crawford Water Conservancy District Feeder Canal Landslide Rehabilitation Project, Little Snake River Diversion Structure Rehabilitation, and Sheriff Reservoir Dam Rehabilitation Construction Project. These projects highlight the collaboration and determination of West Slope communities in improving water systems and adapting to the challenges of a hotter, drier future.
Since its inception in 2021, the CFP program has funded 129 projects, leveraging more than $93 million in additional funding. The Accelerator Grant Program has been particularly impactful, leveraging $16 million in federal funding to date and returning an average of $64 in federal funding for every $1 invested. The program provides funding for early-stage design, feasibility studies, and grant writing to support water users in applying for federal grant opportunities. This program has demonstrated the power of collaborative support in unlocking significant additional resources for Western Slope water projects.
For more information on the Colorado River District and the Community Funding Partnership program, and to read the full report, visit coloradoriverdistrict.org/annual-report.
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