Conservation Trust Fund (CTF)

The Conservation Trust Fund (CTF), managed by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) through its Division of Local Government, is a formulaic funding program aimed at supporting the development and maintenance of parks, open spaces, and recreational sites across Colorado. Established under state statute and constitutional authority, the program distributes funds quarterly to over 480 eligible local governments, including counties, municipalities, and Title 32 special districts that incorporate park and recreation services into their service plans. The core objective of the CTF is to promote and enhance outdoor recreational infrastructure and conservation efforts by enabling eligible local governments to acquire, develop, and maintain conservation areas and recreational facilities. Funds may be used on any public site, which is defined as land or water either owned by or with a legal interest held by a public entity or local government. This flexible scope allows for investments in both new projects and capital improvements to existing sites. Funding allocations are made on a per capita basis, with each eligible recipient's share determined by the most recent population data available. For example, in 2024, the total distribution reached $71,734,455.17 based on a state population of 5,838,736, resulting in a per capita share of $12.29. These figures are updated annually to reflect changing population metrics, with the 2023 population numbers determining distributions for the 2025 calendar year. Eligibility for the CTF requires that a local government formally establish a conservation trust fund and certify its existence to the Department of Local Affairs. Annual certification and reporting are mandatory to maintain eligibility. Each year, two key deadlines must be met: a Certification of Eligibility due by December 31 to qualify for the upcoming year, and a Spending Report due by March 31 to account for the previous year’s activities. Applications are not submitted in a traditional grant competition format. Instead, funds are automatically allocated to eligible entities on a quarterly basis, contingent upon their compliance with annual certification and reporting requirements. Reporting is conducted through DOLA’s Formulaic Portal, which requires account creation and affiliation with a specific local government. The primary contact for inquiries regarding the CTF is Mitchell Craddock, Program Manager, reachable via mitchell.craddock@state.co.us. Additional assistance is available through the DOLA helpdesk. Full statutory and regulatory references, including links to Colorado Revised Statutes and Constitution, are available on the CTF program webpage, along with resources such as rule review notifications and examples of eligible and ineligible expenditures.