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

For 30 years, GOCO has improved Colorado’s great outdoors with the help of Colorado Lottery proceeds. We’ve put more than $1.4 billion in proceeds back into 5,700 projects to improve the lives of Coloradans across the state.

After projects are awarded funding, grant recipients usually have about two years to make their projects happen. 

In recent months, 8 projects wrapped up, representing $3,3,807,190 in GOCO investments into local communities across the state. Scroll to see if one’s near you:

Clifton Community Commons

$116,811 grant to Mesa County

With a Centennial Program Visioning grant, Mesa County and its partners developed the vision, strategy, and action plan for Clifton Community Commons. The plan evaluates how to connect and enhance existing schoolyards and neighborhood parks, explores ways to improve access to the Colorado Riverfront, and identifies opportunities for expanding Clifton-area open spaces. Clifton Community Commons serves Clifton residents and improves connections between the area and the greater Gran
Read the plan


Dolores River Tamarisk Removal

$33,300 grant to Montrose County 

Montrose County used its Conservation Service Corps grant to partner with Western Colorado Conservation Corps (WCCC) to continue a multi-year restoration effort along the Dolores River. The area contains many cottonwood trees that provide cover for native plant species to thrive but is infested with tamarisk. With this funding, corps crews spent three weeks removing the invasive species from approximately eight acres along the river. Rivers Edge West provided WCCC with mapping, monitoring, retreatments, and revegetation of the site once the removal project concluded.Read a local press release about the project


Loma Playground Improvement Project

$250,362 grant to Mesa County

A Community Impact grant supported Mesa County and Loma Elementary School in creating a schoolyard where community members of all ages can access physical activity in an area with limited park space. Funding supported playground equipment, a baseball backstop, a soccer field, an adult fitness circuit, a walking path, and improved the outdoor shaded picnic area and sports courts. The project had vast support from residents, local businesses, staff, students, and community members.
Watch a news clip about the project


Lost Canyon Ranch

$3,000,000 grant to the Town of Castle Rock

With a Centennial Implementation grant, The Conservation Fund, the Town of Castle Rock, and Douglas County permanently protect the 682-acre Lost Canyon Ranch (pictured above). Located on the edge of Castle Rock, the ranch represents the largest one-time purchase and protection of open space in the Town’s history. The property is a wildlife migration corridor providing habitat for raptors, mountain lions, bobcats, bears, owls, elk, golden eagles, and more. It is also home to Franktown Cave, a prehistoric archaeological site where artifacts dating back 8,000 years were discovered. Located near fast-growing Castle Rock, this property faced intense pressure to develop. Its protection expands much-desired recreational opportunities for the Front Range while preserving the visitor experience and wildlife habitat at the adjacent Castlewood Canyon State Park. Partners plan for the property to be publicly accessible in the future.
Read the project’s press release


Parks, Recreation, and Trails Master Plan

$57,000 to the Town of Paonia

The Town of Paonia used its Planning and Capacity grant to create a Parks, Recreation and Trails Master Plan containing a shared vision and goals for its existing parks and open spaces. The project’s planning process included surveys, focus group sessions, design workshops, online engagement, and a community engagement-focused team. The plan helped convene the town’s partnering organizations, inspired new ideas and projects, and contributed to the Town’s larger Comprehensive Master Plan currently in process.
Read Paonia’s Comprehensive Master Plan


Riverbend Park Riparian Restoration

$22,200 grant to the Town of Palisade

With a Conservation Service Corps (CSC) grant, the Town of Palisade and Desert Rivers Collective partnered with Western Colorado Conservation Corps (WCCC) crews to apply herbicide, remove invasive species, and reduce wildfire risk at the popular Riverbend Park. Located along the Colorado River and close to an irrigation ditch, invasive tamarisk and Russian olive trees block river access, crowd out native vegetation, disrupt wildlife habitat, and pose wildfire risk. This work is part of a multi-year effort to address these challenges.
Learn more about our CSC grant program


The Youth Art Park

$35,000 grant to the Town of Carbondale

With a Mini Grant, the Town of Carbondale partnered with Carbondale Arts to build the Youth Art Park, the third and final park along the town’s popular one-mile Rio Grande ARTway non-motorized paved trail. The park features youth-led design elements including a slide to access the park, an art wall, a rope climbing structure, benches, a tetherball court, a walking path, and a bicycle recharging station to charge electronic devices and teach children about renewable energy through kinetic motion.
Read a local press release about the project


TPL CORE Fellows 

$292,517 grant to Trust for Public Land

With a Fellowship Program grant, Trust for Public Land (TPL) hired two full-time fellows for two years to support outreach efforts in northeast Denver and southeast Colorado Springs. The fellows were part of TPL’s Community Outreach with Resident Experts (CORE) program helping community members envision and create meaningful outdoor spaces. With mentorship from local partners, fellows worked with residents to determine priorities and advance park, trail, open space, and green infrastructure projects in their neighborhoods. They also worked closely with youth cohorts in their regions and served as liaisons between TPL and the broader communities.
Learn more about TPL