Noxious Weed Program Annual Grants

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has opened its annual Noxious Weed Grant Program for the 2026 cycle. This program, operated by CDA’s Noxious Weed Program, distributes funds from two sources: the state-funded Noxious Weed Management Fund (NWMF) and the federally supported U.S. Forest Service State and Private Forestry (SPF) fund. The grants are intended to support collaborative efforts across Colorado that focus on eradicating or containing state-listed noxious weeds, especially in areas with insufficient resources or emergent infestations. The program also assists new or underfunded weed management initiatives and encourages cooperative, landscape-level approaches. Approximately $450,000 is available from the state NWMF, with an additional $50,000 in SPF funds for projects near National Forest lands. While SPF-funded projects cannot occur on federal lands, they must occur in proximity to such lands. SPF grants require a 1:1 match that cannot come from federal sources. All applicants must include a match for any grant funds received, and detailed budget information must be included in the application. The program emphasizes integrated weed management, requiring the use of diverse control methods and data collection practices to monitor treatment impact. Eligible applicants include counties, municipalities, special government districts (e.g., conservation or water), and Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) or Weed Prevention Areas (WPAs). State and federal agencies can participate as partners but cannot apply directly. All applicants must comply with the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, including the development and implementation of a weed management plan and maintenance of advisory boards and rights-of-way. Applications must be submitted via a new Google Form format, along with three mandatory documents: a Species Table, Budget Table, and at least one treatment map. These components must be emailed to [email protected] by 5:00 PM on Monday, December 15, 2025. Optional materials, such as Word-based draft forms, are provided to help applicants prepare. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. Applications will be evaluated competitively based on project vision, execution capacity, alignment with state priorities, budget clarity, and completeness. A multi-agency review team will assess submissions, with final funding decisions made by the Commissioner of Agriculture. Successful applicants will be notified around February 13, 2026. The grant performance period runs from April 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027, with reimbursement dependent on meeting all deliverables, including mapping, reporting, and proof of expenditures. The program is annual, and recurrence is expected. In future years, applicants should anticipate a similar cycle. All updates and FAQs will be posted on CDA’s grant website, and applicants are encouraged to check regularly. Questions must be submitted to the program email by December 5, 2025. CDA staff may not answer project-specific questions after that date.

Carefully review the RFA; ensure full compliance with submission requirements; incomplete or late applications will not be considered; match requirements are strictly enforced.