Rural Grant Navigator Grant Program

The Rural Grant Navigator Grant Program is a state-funded initiative administered by the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS). Established in 2024 through Colorado House Bill 24-1006, the program supports non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that assist rural Colorado communities in preparing and applying for federal or state grants specifically related to wildfire mitigation and preparedness. The program addresses the pressing need for localized grant navigation support in rural areas that may lack the infrastructure, capacity, or experience to pursue funding opportunities independently. The objective of the program is to strengthen the capacity of rural Colorado communities to secure external funding for wildfire-related initiatives by funding the intermediaries who support them. The program focuses exclusively on wildfire mitigation and preparedness, aiming to improve community resilience through enhanced grant outreach, technical support, and resource alignment. NGOs funded through this program are expected to assist with tasks such as identifying appropriate funding opportunities, conducting community outreach, writing grant proposals, and training local personnel in grant management best practices. Eligible applicants include a wide range of non-governmental organizations such as nonprofits, wildfire councils, consultants, academic institutions, and fire departments, provided they are not affiliated with federal, state, or local governments. Applicants must have a record or capacity for supporting rural communities across more than one Colorado county and must demonstrate familiarity with wildfire-related grant opportunities. In addition, applicants must be capable of acting as fiscal agents, and nonprofits must be registered and in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Qualifying projects must directly support rural municipalities, towns, or unincorporated areas in Colorado that meet certain rural classification criteria. These include having populations under 25,000, being outside urbanized areas, low population density, classification as rural by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, or having limited access to infrastructure and services. Projects must be explicitly tied to wildfire mitigation and preparedness; any effort involving non-wildfire-related funding sources or objectives is considered unallowable. Examples of allowable expenses include staffing, travel, outreach, and technical assistance efforts. The 2025 grant cycle opens on February 28, 2025, and closes on May 2, 2025. The CSFS anticipates making pre-award announcements by June 6, 2025, with official award notifications and project initiation beginning on July 25, 2025. The final deadline for project completion is June 30, 2028. All application materials must be submitted electronically in a single PDF to csfs_grants@mail.colostate.edu with the subject line “RURAL GRANT NAVIGATOR APPLICATION.” Hard copy submissions will not be accepted. Selected grantees will operate under a reimbursement model and must complete approved activities and submit required reporting and documentation before receiving payment. Final reports must include narrative descriptions of accomplishments, outreach efforts, the number of individuals or communities reached, and any photos from outreach events. The total available funding for the 2025 cycle is approximately $237,000. The CSFS retains the right to award partial or full funding based on its internal evaluation and scoring criteria.

Applicants are advised to ensure all activities are feasible within the timeline and to include clear narrative descriptions in the final report of outreach and education efforts.