Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds each year in outdoor projects and initiatives across the state. As stewards of public funds, we have a responsibility to ensure the benefits are felt by everyone who calls this state home. 

We know that conservation and recreation can transform lives by improving health and well-being, boosting local economies, and fostering community connection and shared identity. Yet historically, some Coloradans have been excluded from conversations and decision-making, have had limited access to the resources needed to participate, and have not felt safe or welcome in outdoor spaces.

Guided by our 2025 Strategic Plan, we are integrating equity into how we fund, partner, and operate. Through our grant process, we encourage our partners to meaningfully include diverse voices in project design, planning, and implementation, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, Latine communities, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, low-income communities, youth, residents of both urban neighborhoods and rural areas, as well as other underrepresented community members. When partners do this, their projects are more likely to reflect and meet community needs. 

In addition, we are committed to:

  • Applying an equity lens to our grant programs so that more funding flows to communities that have been underserved in conservation and outdoor recreation and barriers to access are reduced.

  • Building long‑term, trust‑based partnerships with organizations that are based in and led by the communities they serve.

  • Supporting projects that are co-created with community, respond to community-defined priorities, and increase access to safe, nearby, and culturally relevant outdoor spaces.

  • Making our funding more accessible by clearly communicating opportunities and requirements, streamlining the grant process, and providing accessible resources and support to partners.

  • Using inclusive communications and storytelling to reflect the diverse ways Coloradans connect with the outdoors and advance conservation and recreation outcomes.

  • Advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within GOCO’s board, staff, and culture so that our internal practices reflect what we ask of our partners and the broader outdoor community.

We know this is ongoing work. We will continue to listen, learn, and adapt alongside our partners, incorporating feedback from grantees, community leaders, and Coloradans most impacted by inequities in outdoor access and investment. 

GOCO will share how and where we invest through year-round communications on GOCO.org, our email newsletter, social media, and in our Annual Reports. You can also reach us at any time at info@goco.org. 

Land Acknowledgment

The lands now known as Colorado are the homelands of many Tribes, including the Apache Nation, Arapaho Nation, Cheyenne Nation, Pueblo Tribes, Shoshone Tribe, and Ute Nations. We recognize the past and ongoing injustices perpetrated against Indigenous peoples, including the painful history of genocide, forced removal, and stolen land. We respect and honor Elders past, present, and future, and all Indigenous peoples for their relationship with this land throughout generations. 

It's GOCO's responsibility to examine history and take meaningful steps toward healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and Native Nations. We commit to honoring their sovereignty and investing resources in support of sustained dialogue, partnership, and conservation and recreation priorities elevated by Tribal communities. We see this work as essential to achieving GOCO’s mission.

Learn more and find resources for creating your own land acknowledgement from the Native Governance Center. Reference this map of Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world.