LOVELAND – Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) is proud to announce the recipients of $30,863 in grants from the 2025 Small Grants for Community Partnering program.

A total of eight organizations across Larimer County have been selected to receive the grants, which support community and neighborhood projects that help educate and connect people to the land. 

The 2025 awards support a variety of nature-inspired proposals submitted by K-12 schools, homeowner associations, nonprofits and community groups. LCDNR is pleased to support these projects, which include nature and stewardship themes ranging from building school gardens, treating invasive species, providing outdoor recreation access for underrepresented youth and more.

The 2025 grantees and their projects:

1. American Adventure Sports Club
   Project Restoring Connections Between Underrepresented Communities & Nature
   Location: Northern Colorado 
   Award amount: $4,000
2. Colorado Youth Outdoors
   Project: Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Plots
   Location: Windsor
   Award amount: $4,000
3. Estes Valley Recreation and Park Foundation
   Project: Permaculture Program at Lake Estes Golf Course
   Location: Estes Park 
   Award amount: $3882
4. Hispanic Women’s Farming Proyecto
   Project: Healthy Vegetables for Harmony Village Families
   Location: Fort Collins
   Award amount: $3961
5. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery 
   Program: Tuesday Night Live Programming for “Nature All Around Us” 2025 Special Exhibit
   Location: Northern Colorado
   Award amount: $4,000
6. Fort Collins Montessori
   Program: Educational gardens
   Location: Fort Collins
   Award amount: $4,000
7. Fossil Creek HOA
   Project: Russian Olive Removal Projects
   Location: Fort Collins
   Award amount: $3,520
8. Sproutin’ Up
   Project: Three Sisters Garden
   Location: Fort Collins
   Award amount: $3,500

Since 1998, LCDNR has awarded a portion of the Help Preserve Open Spaces sales tax directly back to the community through the Small Grants for Community Partnering Program.

To date, the department has awarded $445,983 for 246 community and neighborhood projects.

Grant funds from this program are available to non-profits, community organizations, homeowner associations, and K-12 schools for outdoor neighborhood and community-based projects across Larimer County that align with DNR’s mission, meet community needs and inspire stewardship of the natural world.

Each fall, LCDNR invites new and returning applicants to apply for seed or capacity building support for projects that:

1. Provide or enhance natural landscapes, including wildlife habitat, rivers, wetlands, outdoor community gathering spaces, neighborhood parks, greenbelts, lakes/ponds, etc.
2. Provide nature-based environmental education opportunities, including outdoor education signs and materials, outdoor classrooms, workshops, and trainings.
3. Provide opportunities for people to connect with the land by providing access to nature for those experiencing barriers including limited transit options, financial obstacles, etc.
4. Provide opportunities for people to connect with the land via local agricultural food production.
5. Develop new research on Larimer County open spaces which will provide information on the ecology, history visitation, and/or human dimensions.

For more information about the program, contact Jennifer Almstead, Small Grants Program Coordinator, at (970) 619-4569 or jalmstead@larimer.org, or visit www.larimer.org/small-grants.

About Larimer County Department of Natural Resources

Larimer County Department of Natural Resources' mission is to connect people, nature, and place.  Since 1954, Larimer County has acquired and conserved a vast network of public and private lands. Today, thirteen public properties are available for recreational access and enjoyment, and over 57,000 acres of land within its boundaries have been conserved. For more information, visit larimer.gov/naturalresources.