There’s a lot of fanfare around grant awards, but what happens after the ceremonial checks are presented, the reporters have published their articles, and the interviews are over? Our grantees get down to business.

GOCO funding has built parks and trails, helped communities recover from floods and schools build new playgrounds, protected wildlife habitat and open space, and improved outdoor amenities like campgrounds and boat ramps. We are funded completely by Colorado Lottery proceeds and have invested in more than 4,800 projects in all 64 counties. Read our annual report for more information >>

Each year, we award funding through competitive grant programs to communities across the state and to Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Grantees are typically allowed two years to complete projects. Here’s what crossed the finish line in August:

Crested Butte Trail and Open Space Stewardship

Together, the Town of Crested Butte and the Crested Butte Land Trust have conserved more than 1,000 acres in the Gunnison Valley. As visitor and local usage increases, that acreage requires regular care, or stewardship, to make sure users continue to enjoy outdoor spaces in Crested Butte.

GOCO helped fund a Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) project with a $25,200 grant for trail maintenance, fence repairs, and noxious weed treatment. Learn more about CYCA work >>

Fraser Valley Sports Complex Playground

A $97,835 GOCO grant helped the Fraser Valley Metro Recreation District build the area’s first universally accessible playground at the Fraser Valley Sports Complex, in which GOCO has previously invested more than $266,000 for other improvements.

A recent master planning effort identified the playground as the community’s number one priority, especially given the aging equipment and lack of ADA-accessible playgrounds anywhere else in Grand County. The nearby National Sports Center for the Disabled will be able to increase and improve programs offered thanks to the new playground. See other recent GOCO projects to improve accessibility in Colorado’s parks >>

Mesa School Garden and Wild Lands Area Installment

The Montezuma Schools to Farm Project trained and worked with the Southwest Conservation Corps to install a new school garden and a “wild lands” nature trail at Mesa Elementary School near Cortez with the help of a $25,200 GOCO grant.

The second GOCO-funded Youth Corps project to wrap up in August, the new school garden and trail will benefit more than 400 students every week. Read about all the projects GOCO funded through CYCA in December 2015 >>

Spring Creek Trail Reconstruction

The City of Steamboat Springs put $12,600 of GOCO funding to work reconstructing the Spring Creek Trail.

Youth Corps crews worked to repair several segments of the trail and mitigate the effect of erosion, installing six water diversion/erosion control features, resurfacing two bridges, and reconstructing the previously damaged trailhead. Find out how Youth Corps crews go to work with the help of GOCO funding >>

Ward Trust Property Conservation

The City of Loveland, the Trust for Public Land, and Larimer County conserved 78 acres of wildlife habitat, agricultural lands, and wetlands on the west side of the city with the help of a $500,000 GOCO grant. The property will provide new public access to open space not only within the Ward property, but also by connecting to the adjacent Morey Wildlife Reserve.

The newly conserved property is home to big game and bald eagles; will continue agricultural production; and provides views of Longs Peak, Devil’s Backbone Open Space, and Mount Meeker. The acquisition also provides a buffer from residential development while providing the growing population with a close-to-home opportunity to enjoy nature. See how GOCO’s open space grant program conserves land in all corners of the state >>

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a Constitutional Amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 4,700 projects in urban and rural areas in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. 

All photos submitted by grantees as part of their closing project reports.