Strategic Fuels Mitigation Grant Program

The Strategic Fuels Mitigation Grant Program (SFMG) was created by Boulder County in 2023 following the approval of a wildfire mitigation ballot measure in 2022. The program supports large-scale forest and grassland fuels mitigation and community wildfire planning projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, enhance water supply protection, and promote ecosystem resilience. Since inception, the program has awarded nearly $4.2 million, leveraging more than $5.7 million in matching funds from landowners, other grants, and local organizations. The Fall 2025 grant cycle supports projects through three funding categories: Forest Fuels Mitigation, Grassland Fuels Mitigation, and Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs). Eligible activities include creating or maintaining fuel breaks, reducing combustible vegetation through mechanical thinning, prescribed burns, grazing, mowing, or other methods, and implementing open space or ditch fuels reduction strategies. Cross-boundary initiatives involving multiple land ownerships are encouraged. CWPP projects may either update existing plans or develop new ones. Funding eligibility is limited to entities operating within Boulder County, including local governments, state agencies managing county land, private utilities and water providers, nonprofit organizations, and homeowners associations (with additional criteria for grassland projects). All applicants must coordinate project development with a forestry or wildfire expert and complete a pre-project site visit with a designated representative. A site visit form signed by a qualified forester or wildfire coordinator must accompany each application. The program has a total annual budget of $2 million, split between two grant cycles. Each project must provide a 50% cost share from non-county sources. For projects in communities classified as socially vulnerable per state or federal social vulnerability indexes, the required match may be reduced to 25%. The county will fund up to 50–75% of total project costs based on eligibility and vulnerability status. Applications for the Fall 2025 cycle were due October 30, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. MST. Projects will be selected through a competitive review process by a committee of wildfire mitigation experts, with award notifications expected by December 8, 2025. Funded projects must be completed within three years for mitigation efforts and two years for planning activities. Applications must be submitted via email as a zipped folder containing all required forms, including spatial data and site visit documentation where applicable. Application or project-specific questions may be directed to Vicky Reinold, Wildfire Grants Administrator, or Meg Halford, Forest and Grasslands Project Coordinator. The program emphasizes strategic planning, cross-boundary collaboration, and a landscape-scale approach to wildfire risk reduction throughout Boulder County.

Submit early to secure site visits; ensure strategic alignment with wildfire plans; confirm matching funds; focus on cross-boundary impacts and socially vulnerable areas for competitiveness.