Rural Grant Navigator Program

The Rural Grant Navigator Grant Program, administered by the Colorado State Forest Service, was created during the 2024 legislative session when the Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill 24-1006.

This competitive grant program provides state funding assistance to non-governmental organizations (NGO) who provide assistance to rural communities in Colorado seeking to apply for federal or state grants related to wildfire mitigation and preparedness.

Eligible NGOs include, but are not limited to, nonprofit organizations or any scientific, research, professional, business, or public-interest organization that is neither affiliated with nor under the direction of the United States government or any state or local government are eligible to apply for grant funding. Examples include regional and local collaboratives, wildfire councils, consultants, nonprofits, fire departments, and universities/colleges.

Additional eligibility factors for interested applicants:

• The ability or a history of supporting rural communities in more than one Colorado county.
• Familiarity with wildfire mitigation and preparedness grants offered from federal or state sources.

In addition, all applicants must be able to function as the fiscal agent, and nonprofits must be registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State’s Office.

Qualifying projects will provide outreach and/or technical assistance to rural communities in Colorado seeking to apply for federal or state grants related to wildfire mitigation and preparedness. Project examples include assessing funding opportunities, training personnel in grant management practices, and grant writing assistance.

A rural community to be served is defined as any municipality, town, or unincorporated area in Colorado that meets at least one of the following criteria:

1. Population-Based
   • Fewer than 25,000 residents (latest U.S. Census).
   • Located outside an urbanized area (U.S. Census Bureau).
2. Geographic & Economic Factors
   • Classified as rural by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
   • Population density under 100 people/sq. mile.
   • Limited access to infrastructure, public services, or economic resources.

Efforts involving non-federal or non-state funding sources and those that are not specific to wildfire mitigation or preparedness are unallowable.

Examples of allowable costs include staff time, outreach, travel, and technical assistance.

Approximately $237,000 is available for the 2025 grant cycle. 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.

Successful applicants will work with the CSFS to finalize approved project activities prior to beginning. 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 completing the work after the following requirements: 1) completion of project activities outlined in approved award packet, and 2) submittal of reports and reimbursement paperwork.

At the completion of the project, a final report containing a narrative of accomplishments that includes the following, where applicable, is also required:

1. Number of individuals, homeowners, communities, reached
2. Description of outreach efforts and materials used
3. Any digital photos of outreach and education efforts in action

Applicants should electronically submit the appropriate grant application form and any allowable attachments combined into a single PDF file to [email protected] with the subject line stating RURAL GRANT NAVIGATOR APPLICATION. Hard copies will not be accepted.

Request for applications (RFA) release – February 28, 2025
Application deadline – May 2, 2025
Anticipated pre-award date – June 6, 2025
Final award/project start date – July 25, 2025
Project completion deadline – June 30, 2028

Applications will be independently scored by the CSFS.

• Census.gov | U.S. Census Bureau Homepage
• 2020 Census
• Colorado Community Classification | Colorado Department of Local Affairs
• Colorado Forest Atlas