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 more than 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, 5 projects wrapped up, representing $512,948 in GOCO investments in local communities across the state. Scroll to see if one’s near you:
Invasive Weed Removal and Spraying
$32,398 grant to Foothills Park and Recreation District
With a Conservation Service Corps grant, the Foothills Park and Recreation District (FPRD) partnered with Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) to remove six varieties of invasive weeds from 58 acres of the Dutch Creek Greenbelt, a key drainage and regional trail corridor in the district. Over three weeks, the project improved watershed health and natural habitat by removing invasive species that outcompete native vegetation for water. It also provided youth crews valuable hands-on career experience, environmental education, and employment. This project was part of a multi-year effort to remove invasive plants in collaboration with MHYC and FPRD.
Learn more about our CSC grant program
La Junta Brick & Tile Park
$350,000 grant to City of La Junta
With support from a Local Park & Outdoor Recreation grant, the City of La Junta transformed the undeveloped two-acre Brick and Tile Company lot into a new community park (pictured above). This park, the only ADA-accessible one in the area, features a wheelchair-friendly playground, swings, a fitness station, shade structures, a trail, an interactive music station, and art installations created by the local fifth-grade class. The park serves community members of all ages, from young children to the City’s growing senior population and residents from nearby schools, healthcare centers, and retirement homes.
Learn more about the project
Restoring Connection to the Historic Squirrel Creek Trail
$46,750 grant to City of Pueblo
The City of Pueblo used its Conservation Service Corps (CSC) grant to partner with Mile High Youth Corps to restore a trail connecting the historic Pueblo Mountain Park’s Northridge Trail with the United States Forest Service (USFS) Squirrel Creek Trail. Over five weeks, MHYC crews focused on tread, rock, and restoration work. This project supported the shared goal of the local Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center, USFS, and Southern Colorado Trail Builders to enhance the connectivity, accessibility, and sustainability of trail systems while protecting the country’s oldest recreational areas.
Learn more about Mile High Youth Corps
Russian Olive Mapping and Mitigation on the High Line Canal Aurora
$66,600 grant to High Line Canal Conservancy
With a Conservation Service Corps grant, the High Line Canal Conservancy partnered with Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) to restore the High Line Canal’s plant community. The Canal had little water for the past 20 years, allowing invasive weeds to overrun the tree canopy and outcompete native vegetation. Over six weeks, MHYC crews inventoried and removed invasive Russian olive trees, starting at the Denver-Aurora border and continuing northeast along the Canal. This project builds on invasive species efforts from 2022, expanding the treated area into a continuous 42-mile stretch.
Learn more about the effort
Wildcat Gulch Stairway Rehabilitation Project 2023
$17,200 grant to City of Manitou Springs
The City of Manitou Springs used its Conservation Service Corps grant to partner with Mile High Youth Corps-Southern Front Range and replace 60 deteriorating timber steps at Wildcat Gulch, located at the eastern end of the Paul Intemann Memorial Nature Trail (PIMNT). PIMNT is the backbone of the Manitou Springs Trail System, connecting to several area trails, including those leading into Red Rock Canyon Open Space and bordering Red Mountain Open Space, which connects to Iron Mountain Open Space. Crews received technical training and supervision from local trail experts, guidance on promoting outdoor ethics in the Pikes Peak Region, and participated in a Leave No Trace skills workshop.
Learn more about our CSC grant program