Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation
Defensible space in a Castle Rock community funded through the FRWRM grant program
Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant Program
The Request for Applications closed Oct. 9, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
The Colorado Legislature established the Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation (FRWRM) grant program in 2017. This program provides state support through competitive grant funds that encourage community-level actions across the state for some specific purposes:
- Reduce the risk of wildfire to people, property and infrastructure in the wildland-urban interface (WUI)
- Promote forest health and forest restoration projects
- Encourage use of woody material for traditional forest products and biomass energy
2025-2026 Cycle Details
Background
The Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation (FRWRM) Grant Program, administered by the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), was established in 2017 through Senate Bill 17-050. This legislation consolidated the existing Colorado Forest Restoration Grant Program (formerly administered by CSFS) and the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program (formerly administered by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources). In 2021, the Colorado General Assembly expanded the program’s scope and provided additional funding.
FRWRM is a competitive, cost-share grant program that supports community-level actions statewide to reduce wildfire risk to people, property, and infrastructure in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), while promoting forest health and restoration and the utilization of woody material for traditional forest products and biomass energy.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
The following entities with infrastructure or land ownership in areas with high risk of wildfires may apply:
- Local community groups such as homeowners, neighborhood or property associations.
- Local government entities such as counties, municipalities, fire protection districts, or other special districts.
- Public or private utilities, including water providers.
- State agencies.
- Non-profit groups that promote hazardous fuels reduction projects in partnership with local, state, or private entities.
- Individual property owners may only apply when their projects are developed in collaboration with one or more of the above listed entities and will provide benefits beyond their own property, such as reducing wildfire risk to the broader community or surrounding landscape.
Applicant Responsibilities
All applicants must:
- serve as the fiscal agent or designate a fiscal agent. The fiscal agent must be registered with the IRS, have a tax identification number, and have legal authority to administer and/or implement treatments on proposed project area(s);
- confirm that participating landowners agree to Reimbursement, Reporting and Monitoring Requirements;
- comply with all applicable federal and state environmental laws
- follow Colorado Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) during project implementation.
- Use of alternative BMPs or guidelines must be pre-approved by the local CSFS Field Office.
Project Requirements
All grant funds must be used on land within the state of Colorado. Projects that include federal lands must maintain continuity within 1-mile across a landscape including federal lands, and the total federal acres must not exceed 50% of the total project acres. Additionally, projects must:
- have a primary goal of reducing the risk of wildfire to people, property and infrastructure in the WUI;
- be located within or near the WUI as defined by the Colorado Forest Atlas;
- benefit more than one individual property;
- utilize saleable woody materials where applicable;
- remove/dispose of slash and non-merchantable material generated from project work;
- be ready to begin the first phase of work within the first year of the award (i.e., hire staff, purchase equipment, project layout, issue call for bids, enter contract, etc.).
Qualifying projects
Two types of projects are eligible for funding. A separate application must be submitted for each project type.
1. Fuels and Forest Health Projects
These projects must strategically reduce wildfire risk to people, property, infrastructure, water supplies, or other high-value assets within the WUI, while also promoting forest health using scientifically-supported forestry practices. Projects should focus on meaningful, strategic fuels treatments that align with local-level wildfire risk reduction planning and priorities. Applicants must consider all elements required to implement treatments, such as acquiring necessary permits and consultations from forestry and wildfire experts. Proposals should describe existing ecological conditions, desired future conditions that support healthy forest structure and wildfire resilience, and planned forest restoration and management techniques appropriate to the forest type(s) being treated.
Examples of eligible fuels and forest health project activities:
- Creating or maintaining defensible space around homes and structures or fuelbreaks (per CSFS Home Ignition Zone guidelines and CSFS fuelbreak guidelines).
- Reducing fuels through mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, or other appropriate methods designed to protect water supplies and/or reduce potential fire intensity.
- Removing saleable woody materials with documented utilization plans.
- Disposing of slash and non-merchantable materials using methods such as chipping, mulching, grinding, pile-burning, broadcast burning or mechanical removal.
- Reducing excessive competition among trees.
- Restoring ecosystem function, structure and species composition, including through the reduction of non-native and/or invasive species populations.
- Preserving older/larger trees to restore ecosystem function or for ecological value.
- Replanting trees in deforested areas that have been negatively affected by wildfire, insects and disease, or other large-scale disturbances.
2. Capacity Building Projects
These projects must aim to increase local capacity to plan and implement fuels and forest health projects. This may include community and partner outreach and engagement, identifying priority project areas, prescription development, and/or acquiring equipment to address unmet local implementation needs. Applications should clearly describe the current capacity gaps, how the proposed efforts will address gaps, and how the capacity gained will be sustained beyond the life of the grant to support continued implementation. If equipment purchases are proposed, applicants must also address appropriate training, safety measures and maintenance plans. Any equipment purchased must remain owned and maintained by the award recipient for a minimum of five years following the grant period.
Examples of eligible capacity building project activities:
- The purchase and use of equipment for implementation of hazardous fuels reduction treatments, including the removal and utilization of slash and/or other woody biomass (e.g., purchasing a wood chipper to be made available to communities).
- Outreach efforts to plan forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation projects, including project prioritization and project prescription development.
- Increased staffing or related capacity building for collaborative and/or community groups that support planning and implementation of forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation projects.
Examples of Ineligible Projects and Activities:
- Projects undertaken by and benefiting only one individual.
- Construction of permanent infrastructure (e.g., of buildings or roads).
- Policy development or advocacy.
- Capacity building focused on fire preparedness/suppression (e.g., purchasing fire department equipment).
- Education and outreach efforts not directly tied to fuels reduction.
Additional grant program criteria
Forest Products and Wood Utilization
Proposals must include a defined plan for removing and utilizing any forest products or woody materials generated by the project. It is required that wood utilization businesses or companies are consulted throughout the development of projects, as well as Colorado Wood Utilization and Marketing (CoWood) to identify effective forest product utilization plans.
To contact CoWood as required, send an email that includes a brief project description, the project name, location, and entity that will be listed on the FRWRM application submission to [email protected]. The CoWood Team will respond to inquiries in the order emails are received to provide guidance and recommendations. In addition to CoWood, CSFS field offices are available to offer technical expertise to applicants in the development of forest products/wood utilization plans.
Strategic Proposals
Proposed projects must be strategic in nature to maximize the effectiveness of this grant program. Strategic proposals will include aspects such as the following:
- Implementation across land ownership boundaries.
- Projects conducted within higher priority areas identified in the 2020 Colorado State Forest Action Plan.
- Applicants are required to include a 1-page project area map with the 2020 Colorado Forest Action Plan Composite Priority theme and Social Vulnerability Index visible with their application. Instructions on generating the required maps are linked here.
- Additional risk maps, such as a CWPP map or other Forest Action Plan theme maps may be included with the application. All maps must be clearly labeled, and their relevance and significance to the project must be explained within the application narratives.
- Project areas with previously completed Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) or similar plan. Consult the list of approved CWPPs.
- Projects that are part of a larger landscape-scale treatment effort.
- Projects that include, or are in geographic proximity to, public lands that have been recently treated or are planned for treatment.
County Level Coordination
Applicants are required to coordinate proposed projects with appropriate county officials to ensure consistency with county-level wildfire risk reduction planning. The application should identify which officials were consulted and the outcome of those discussions. Applications are required to include a letter signed by the appropriate county official indicating support for the project. For purposes of this grant, permissible county officials include county commissioners, representatives from the sheriff’s office, county foresters/forestry staff, or county wildfire coordinators. County letters of support may NOT come from the applicant themselves or a CSFS representative.
Additional program preferences
Preference will be given to projects that include the following elements. To receive additional preference, applicants must clearly articulate how the project meets these criteria within the appropriate application sections.
Partnerships with Youth or Veterans’ Groups
Applicants are encouraged, where feasible, to use the labor of an accredited Colorado Youth Corps organization, operated by the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) or an accredited Colorado Corps program serving veterans. If you have been in contact with one of these groups and your project is a good fit for their labor pool, provide a letter of support to confirm that you will be partnering with them during this project.
Protection of Water Supplies
Projects including forest treatments that will result in the protection of water supplies should describe the details within section E. of the application. This objective can be achieved by reducing the risk of wildfire to watersheds or to water treatment and/or storage facilities and through forest management practices such as thinning, selective harvest, clearcutting, chipping, mastication and planting trees in deforested areas.
Leveraged Financial Resources
Projects should substantially leverage additional financial resources, when possible. Leveraged financial resources should be described in the budget narrative within section I. of the application.
Adoption of Local Measures to Reduce Wildfire Risk
Projects that complement local measures adopted (or plans to adopt) by communities that reduce wildfire risks to people, property and infrastructure in the WUI should be described within section F. of the application. Stronger measures will receive greater preference.
Examples of local measures:
- Projects identified through community-based collaborative processes such as an existing CWPP, CriticalCommunity Watershed Wildfire Protection Plan, FEMA approved hazard mitigation plan, or similar plan(plans less than 5 years old receive greater preference)
- Adoption of, or plans to adopt, county or local building codes for wildfire mitigation
- Wildfire Mitigation Overlay Zoning
- Participation in Firewise USA® program
- Demonstrated ongoing citizen outreach and education about wildfire risk
- Hazard mitigation planning
- Forest management planning and implementation
- Existing slash/mulch collection or chipping programs
Budget
The CSFS estimates that approximately $7,040,000 is available for the 2025-2026 grant cycle. Up to $2 million may be awarded to Capacity Building projects, and all remaining funds will be awarded to Fuels and Forest Health projects. The CSFS reserves the right to award full or partial funding to successful applicants.
Budget requests must be clearly explained in the budget narrative section of the grant application. A description of specific outcomes generated by the proposed budget and methods for successfully expending resources within the proposed timeline will be required.
Invoicing & Payment Expectations if Awarded Funding
Only actual award recipient or fiscal agent costs will be eligible for reimbursement. Non-recipient costs may be used as match. Non-recipients are third party participants (contributors other than the award recipient) supporting the implementation of the project. This is required to comply with State of Colorado, CSU and CSFS fiscal policies and the grant award agreement.
If the proposed project requires payments to be made by third-party participants, such as a group of landowners, due to the applicants lack of working capital to pay initial implementation costs, CSFS may allow award recipients to use a third-party reimbursement model. To be considered for this exception, the anticipated payment structure must be clearly outlined in the Payment Structure & Flow of Funds section of the application. Providing this additional information will allow the CSFS to incorporate custom payment language into your award agreement, if approved, to assist in removing financial barriers for organizations or collaboratives supporting community-level work. It is the responsibility of the award recipient to reimburse third-party participants and the CSFS encourages award recipients to develop agreements with third-party participants to outline expectations.
Matching Funds
Applicants must demonstrate the ability to meet a minimum 1:1 match requirement, or 50% match. No more than 50% of total project costs may come from the grant share, and at least 50% must come from matching contributions.
Applicants with project areas located partially or fully in an area of fewer economic resources are eligible for a reduced match requirement of 25%, or a 3:1 grant to match ratio. In this case, no more than 75% of total project costs may come from the grant share, and at least 25% must come from matching contributions. Applicants can determine if proposed projects are located within an area of fewer economic resources by using the Colorado Forest Atlas web mapping applications. Detailed instructions can be found here.
Eligible Match Contributions
Contributions may be in the form of private, local, state or federal support directly related to the project. While state funds may be used as match, no more than 50% of the applicant’s total match may come from other state funding sources, unless the applicant is a state agency.
Matching contributions may include:
- Cash contributions.
- In-kind contributions, including donated supplies, equipment, and volunteer labor (valued at current CSFS volunteer labor rates – $38.74/hour per individual for 2026).
- A combination of cash and in-kind support.
Match Confirmation and Documentation
Applicants must identify and confirm match contributions prior to applying. If selected for funding, applicants will be required to submit verification of committed match contributions at the time the pre-award notification is received. Failure to submit the required documentation will impact the ability to accept final award agreements. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to:
- A signed grant agreement or award letter if matching funds come from another grant.
- Letters of commitment from landowners or partners contributing cash or in-kind support.
Revenue
Any revenue or cost offsets generated by the project must be clearly explained in the budget section and be factored into the grant request. For example, if the treatment cost is $3,000 per acre but utilization will decrease the cost to $2,500 per acre, show the $500 per acre as revenue, request funding based on the $2,500 per acre, and explain the reasoning within the budget narrative section.
Reimbursement, reporting and monitoring requirements
Successful applicants will receive a pre-award letter and will then work with the CSFS to finalize approved project activities and submit any additional required match or participating landowner verification documents. Activities deemed to be unachievable may be modified or removed from the final award. Successful applicants will be reimbursed for actual (cash) costs incurred in implementing the project only after:
- CSFS has inspected project area(s) and confirmed that activities outlined in the approved award packet have been completed.
- Required reporting and reimbursement documents have been accurately completed and submitted.
- Documentation that project funds have been matched at the approved minimum ratio has been submitted.
Grant recipients will be required to submit spatial map data (e.g., shapefiles) with each reimbursement request indicating the completed project work. A final report, using the CSFS-provided template, will be required at the completion of the project. Final award packets will include additional details on reporting requirements.
Participating Landowner Confirmation and Documentation
Applicants must identify and confirm landowners receiving treatments prior to applying. If selected for funding, applicants will be required to submit verification of participating landowner confirmation. Failure to submit the required documentation during the pre-award period may impact the ability to accept final award agreements. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to:
- A signed cost-share or intent to participate agreement.
- Letters of commitment from landowners or partners agreeing to receive treatment.
- Spreadsheets or other detailed documentation showing participating landowner confirmation.
Agreement for CSFS Monitoring
While there is significant science supporting the value of fuels and forest health treatments for reducing wildfire risk and promoting forest resilience, forest ecosystems are dynamic, and new fuels and forest health treatments continue to be developed. The effects of current and novel forestry activities need to be evaluated, and the best method for achieving this is through monitoring on-the-ground efforts. CSFS-led long-term monitoring is an important component of this grant program and will demonstrate the relative efficacy of various treatments as well as the utility of grant resources. The CSFS will work with successful project applicants to conduct project monitoring and certification site visits to assess effectiveness and completion of projects. Successful and selected project applicants will provide electronic map boundaries of project areas (i.e., shapefiles, KMLs), authorize CSFS access to the project site both before treatments occur and for at least two years post-treatment to monitor the effectiveness of hazardous fuels reduction and forest health treatments.
How to apply
Applicants should electronically submit application packets via e-mail to their local CSFS Field Office no later than 5pm on October 9, 2025. The submission packet must include:
- Grant application
- All required and allowable supporting documents
Each document must be saved as a clearly labelled individual PDF file and combined into a single compressed zip file for submission. Do not scan or alter the application form as it contains character count limits that must remain intact. Hard copies will not be accepted.
2025-2026 grant cycle timeline
- Request for applications (RFA) release – Aug. 1, 2025
- Application deadline – Oct. 9, 2025, 5:00 p.m. MDT
- Anticipated pre-award date – February 11, 2026
- Final award/project start date – March 31, 2026
- Project completion deadline – March 31, 2030
Proposal evaluation/scoring
Applications will be independently scored by a Technical Advisory Panel convened by the CSFS, as mandated through SB 17-050. The valuation/scoring criteria used to score applications are attached at the end of applications. The Technical Advisory Panel will recommend to the CSFS State Forester which proposed projects should be funded, and all final funding decisions will be made by the State Forester.
Supplemental information
- Instructions for creating the required project area map in the Colorado Forest Atlas
- Colorado Forest Atlas – Information on CO Priority Areas and Areas of Fewer Economic Resources
- Information on the Colorado Youth Corps
- CSFS guidelines for Home Ignition Zones and Fuelbreaks
- Forestry Best Management Practices to Protect Water Quality in Colorado
- Colorado Wood Utilization and Marketing Program (CoWood)
- Colorado Timber Industry Association
- GTR 373 Principles & Practices for Restoration of Ponderosa Pine & Dry Mixed-Conifer Forests of the Colorado Front Range
- GTR 310 Forest Restoration in the Southwest
- GTR 381 To Masticate or Not: Useful Tips for Treating Forest, Woodland, and Shrub Vegetation
- Mulching: A Knowledge Summary and Guidelines for Best Practices on Colorado’s Front Range
- 2020 Colorado State Forest Action Plan
- Collaborative Readiness: Preparing Landscapes and Communities to Receive and Recover from Wildfire
- Tree Map 2016: Combination of FIA Data and LandFire Data to estimate structural attributes
- Colorado Forest Resilience Planning Guide
- CO Forest Restoration Institute Monitoring Handbook
- Additional CSFS Guides and Publications related to trees, forests and wildfire
2024-2025 Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation Funded Projects
| Applicant | Project Name | County |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder Mountain Fire | BMFPD Capacity Building Project | Boulder |
| City of Longmont | Growing Watershed Staff Capacity Project | Boulder |
| Custer County | Custer County Mitigation Team Chipper | Custer |
| Elk Creek Fire Protection District | Conifer Wildland Division (CWD)-Tracked Chipper | Jefferson, Park, Douglas |
| Evergreen Fire Rescue | EFR Wildfire Mitigation Equipment | Jefferson |
| Four Mile Fire Protection District | Four Mile Fire Protection District Chipper | Boulder |
| Glacier Management Associates, Rockwood Estates HOA Board | Glacier/Rockwood Fire Mitigation and Forest Health Initiative | La Plata |
| Jefferson County Open Space | Replacement Skidder for Continued Management of Open Spaces | Jefferson |
| Platte Canyon Fire Protection District | Platte Canyon Fire Fuels Crew and Chipper | Park |
| Spanish Peaks Alliance for Wildfire Protection (SPAWP) | SPAWP 2024-2025 FRWRM Capacity Building | Custer, Costilla, Fremont, Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo, Teller |
| Team Rubicon | Colorado Mitigation Capacity Building | Lake |
| Two Rivers Wildfire Coalition | Two Rivers Wildfire Coalition - Expanding Successful Programs with Capacity Building | Mesa |
| Ute Mountain Ute Tribe | Towaoc Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction - Capacity | Montezuma |
| Willcox Family/JAJB Properties, LLC | Wildfire Mitigation Mulcher Attachment | Huerfano |
| Big Thompson Watershed Coalition | Glen Haven Forest Health and Wildfire Mitigation Project | Larimer |
| Boulder Mountain Fire | BMFPD 2024-2025 Fuels Reduction Project | Boulder |
| Boulder Watershed Collective | Porter Ranch Road | Boulder |
| Camp Coller Association, Inc. (CCA) | CCA Wildfire Mitigation | Mineral |
| Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) | South Divide Hazardous Fuel Reduction | Teller |
| Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust | Steamboat Front Fuels & Forest Health Treatments and Restoration | Routt |
| Conifer Rotary Foundation | Chatfield Hilldale Pines Fuel Break | Jefferson |
| Douglas County | Douglas County Wildfire Cost Share | Douglas |
| Elizabeth Fire Protection District | Elizabeth Fire Protection District Communities HIZ Project | Elbert |
| Forest Park Master Association | Forest Park HOA Fuels and Forest Health Plan | Douglas |
| Jefferson Conservation District (JCD) | Three-in-One Forest Restoration Proposal | Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson |
| Jefferson Conservation District (JCD) | Spring Creek Forest Restoration Project | Jefferson |
| Larimer Conservation District | Hell Canyon Cross-Boundary POD Project | Larimer |
| National Forest Foundation | Browns Creek and Clear Creek Reservoir Fuels Reduction Project | Chaffee |
| Perry Park Metropolitan District | Perry Park HIZ Project | Douglas |
| Red Mountain Ranch of Gunnison County Association, Inc. | RMR Forest Health and Wildfire Risk Mitigation | Gunnison |
| Sunshine Fire Protection District | Dry Gulch North Fuels Reduction | Boulder |
| The Sanctuary HOA/Central Park Management | The Sanctuary Gambel Oak Mitigation Project | Routt |
| Town of Mountain Village (TMV) | Mountain Village Shaded Fuel Break | San Miguel |
| Ute Mountain Ute Tribe | Towaoc Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction - Fuels | Montezuma |
| West Region Wildfire Council (WRWC) | Ouray Community Forest Resilience Project | Ouray |
| Wildfire Adapted Partnership | Community Fuels Reduction in Southwest Colorado | La Plata |
| Woodmoor Improvement Association | Woodmoor Wildfire Fuel Reduction Project | El Paso |
How much money is available for the FRWRM grant program in this next round of funding?
The Colorado State Forest Service has approximately $7,200,000 to award in this next round of funding. There are no minimum or maximum amounts for each award.
Who can apply for this funding?
The following individuals, organizations or entities may apply:
- Local community groups, including registered homeowner associations and formal neighborhood associations, that are located within or are in close proximity to the WUI
- Local government entities including counties, municipalities, fire protection districts and other special districts in or within close proximity to the WUI
- Public or private utilities, including water providers, with infrastructure or land ownership in areas with high risk of catastrophic wildfires
- State agencies, such as the State Land Board and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, that own land in areas with high risk of catastrophic wildfires
- Non-profit groups that promote hazardous forest fuel reduction treatment projects or are engaged in firefighting or fire management activities
What can the funding be used for?
More information will be provided in the formal Request for Applications. Previous projects awards have provided funding for capacity and fuels and forest health treatments. It’s important to note that funds can be used for forest restoration, but funds cannot be used for post-fire rehabilitation activities.
When can groups apply for the funding?
Application period is Aug. 1 – Oct. 10, 2024.
When will funds be received?
Awards will be made by March 31, 2025.
Who can answer questions/provide assistance in the application process?
Interested applicants should contact their local CSFS Field Office.
FRWRM and the Colorado Resiliency Framework
The Colorado Resiliency Framework outlines the State’s resiliency vision and goals, and it explores risks and vulnerabilities across multiple themes, while providing strategies that can be used to reduce risk and vulnerabilities and be adaptive to changing environmental, social and economic conditions. The FRWRM grant program encourages applicants to integrate each of the nine Resiliency Prioritization Criteria into their project proposals.
Resiliency Prioritization Criteria
- Co-Benefits: Provide solutions that address problems across multiple sectors to create maximum benefit.
- Community – Build community capabilities and resources that coordinate and integrate resiliency, equity, and disaster recovery planning efforts and facilitate social connectivity and empowerment, especially focusing on marginalized populations: The FRWRM application requires applicants to address how their project goals align with the Colorado State Forest Action Plan AND specific CWPP (or similar plan) goals and objectives. It also requires applicants to discuss any local measures that the community has adopted to reduce wildfire risk to people, property and infrastructure and the coordination that will occur with local partners and supporters. The FRWRM grant program requires applicants to coordinate proposed projects with relevant county officials to ensure consistency with county-level wildfire risk reduction planning and must submit a letter of support from a county official. Additional points are given to applicants who show additional leverage of resources and collaboration, partnerships with youth and/or Veterans Groups, and the protection of water supplies.
- Economic – Address Colorado’s toughest challenges through regionally diverse, coordinated education and capacity-building that generates a skilled workforce and overall innovation economy that is adaptive and agile: The FRWRM grant program awards up to 25% of total available grant funds to projects that increase community capacity by providing the community with the resources and staffing necessary to plan and implement forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation projects.
- Health and Social – Dismantle structural inequities and integrate efforts across health and social service networks to empower communities, expand access, and improve health outcomes and wellness for all Colorado residents: The FRWRM grant program uses a Wildland Fire Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) that identifies areas of fewer economic resources in the state. Proposed projects that are located in an area of fewer economic resources are given the option to provide the required match at a reduced rate of 25% of the total project cost. Additional preference is also given to projects that include the protect water supplies.
- Housing – Implement a collaborative strategy to create sustainable affordable housing solutions that address the needs of the whole community while preparing for and responding to changing environmental, social, and economic conditions: One of the primary purposes of The FRWRM grant program is to reduce wildfire risk to people, property, and infrastructure in the wildland urban interface (WUI). FRWRM requires all funded projects to be located in or near the WUI so that funding will go toward protecting those resources.
- Infrastructure – Improve the resiliency and sustainability of infrastructure in Colorado by prioritizing resilience and integrating social equity, investment, planning, mitigation and recovery efforts across jurisdictions: One of the primary purposes of The FRWRM grant program is to reduce wildfire risk to people, property, and infrastructure in the wildland urban interface (WUI). Applicants are scored on the how the project reduces hazardous fuels and/or improves forest conditions and how these efforts will positively impact the community(s) surrounding the mitigation work.
- Watersheds and Natural Resources – Protect, enhance, and restore Colorado’s watersheds and natural resources, consistent with scientific understanding, community priorities, and environmental laws: The FRWRM grant program promotes forest health and encourages forest restoration projects. Applicants must describe how their proposed project will include forest health and restoration components, and how the treatment prescription is scientifically supported. Additional preference is also given to projects that include the protect water supplies.
- Innovation – Advance creative approaches and techniques that provide new solutions and encourage continual improvement and advancement of best practices – serving as models for others in Colorado and beyond: Although the FRWRM application process does not encourage innovation, the program has a CSFS-led long-term monitoring program that follows an adaptive management cycle, or an iterative process wherein CSFS assesses current and future conditions, plans and implements various forest management actions, then monitors over time to assess treatment effectiveness, which then informs subsequent planning with lessons learned, suggesting potential changes to management actions that may have both greater success and consider a broader range of management goals.
- High Risk and Vulnerability – Ensure that strategies identify risk and vulnerability, and directly address the reduction of risk to human well-being, physical infrastructure, and natural systems. Strategies should consider impact to those who most experience marginalizing: One of the primary purposes of The FRWRM grant program is to reduce wildfire risk to people, property, and infrastructure in the wildland urban interface (WUI). Applicants are required to describe the project area and current conditions, including the values and structures at risk. The Composite Priority Theme Map that applicants are required to include, prioritizes areas that address combined Themes of Forest Conditions, Living with Wildfire and Watershed Protection. The Forest Conditions Theme Priority Map evaluates threats such as insect and disease disturbance, canopy fire and land use conversion. The Living with Wildfire Theme Priority Map evaluates wildfire risk including the wildland urban interface, drinking water assets, forest and riparian assets combined with burn probabilities. The Watershed Protection Theme Priority Map evaluates improving and maintaining quality of water and infrastructure by looking at infrastructure and predicted post-fire erosion rates. The SVI that FRWRM uses to identify areas of fewer economic resources allows applicants located in those area to provide the required match at a reduced rate of 25% of the total project cost.
- Adaptive Capacity – Include flexible and adaptable measures that consider future unknowns of changing climate, and economic and social conditions: The program has a CSFS-led long-term monitoring program that follows an adaptive management cycle, or an iterative process wherein CSFS assesses current and future conditions, plans and implements various forest management actions, then monitors over time to assess treatment effectiveness, which then informs subsequent planning with lessons learned, suggesting potential changes to management actions that may have both greater success and consider a broader range of management goals.
- Economic Benefit-Cost – Make financial investments that can sustain changes and have the potential for economic benefits to the investor and the broader community – through both direct and indirect returns: Not Applicable
- Harmonize with Existing Activity – Expand, enhance, or leverage work being done to build on existing efforts. Engage relevant stakeholders to maximize these efforts and reduce potential conflicts: The FRWRM grant program encourages projects to be strategic in nature such as those that are near other planned or previously treated forest areas, will be implemented across land-ownership boundaries, are within a priority area identified in a completed Community Wildfire Protection Plan or FEMA Hazard Mitigation Plan, benefit the respective community or residents, or will serve as a catalyst for future forest management projects. FRWRM also encourages coordination with local partners and accredited Colorado Youth Conservation or Veteran Corps organizations.
- Social Equity: – Provide solutions that are inclusive, with consideration to populations that are often most impacted by disruptions. Address inequities, remove barriers, and benefit populations by providing access or meeting functional needs. Equitably distribute economic benefits: The FRWRM grant program uses a Wildland Fire Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) that identifies areas of fewer economic resources in the state. Proposed projects that are located in an area of fewer economic resources are given the option to provide the required match at a reduced rate of 25% of the total project cost.
- Long-Term and Lasting Impact – Create long-term gains to the community with solutions that are replicable and sustainable, creating benefits for present and future generations: FRWRM requires projects to include a plan to be sustained over time and include long-term plans to monitor and maintain the improved landscape conditions achieved through implementation of the project. The proposals must also describe the benefits the project will have to the respective community or residents and how the proposed project will serve as a catalyst for future forest management projects.
- Technical Soundness – Identify solutions that reflect best practices that have been tested and proven to work in similar regional context. Identify measurable indicators to assess performance and success: FRWRM requires that project prescriptions comply with Colorado Forestry Best Management Practices and that the scientific foundations should be substantiated by a reliable and professional resource with proper interpretation and recognized as appropriate to the local conditions found on the project site. The program has a CSFS-led long-term monitoring program that follows an adaptive management cycle, or an iterative process wherein CSFS assesses current and future conditions, plans and implements various forest management actions, then monitors over time to assess treatment effectiveness, which then informs subsequent planning with lessons learned, suggesting potential changes to management actions that may have both greater success and consider a broader range of management goals.