The Colorado State Conservation Board, part of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, has announced the recipients of the 2026 Matching Grants program, awarding a total of $689,182.00 to 32 Conservation Districts across Colorado. This yearly cost-share grant opportunity is designed to assist Conservation Districts in carrying out critically important on-the-ground conservation projects and educational activities.
Conservation Districts are local governments, first established in 1937 as a response to widespread soil erosion during the Dust Bowl years (early 1930s) and the droughts that followed. They represent private landowners’ interests in conservation planning and practices. Conservation districts work directly with agricultural producers and landowners in their communities and district staff are leaders in the locally-led conservation movement.
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A minimum 1:1 match is required for participation, and the program has a strong track record of leveraging state funds; in recent years, every $1.00 of state funding has been matched by $1.89 from the Conservation Districts.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to invest in the future of conservation in Colorado," said Colorado State Conservation Board Director Nikki Brinson. “Conservation Districts have expertise and knowledge of local natural resources, which allows them to prioritize concerns for their landowners that result in technical and financial cost share programs for implementation. Nowhere else does one dollar stretch as far," she added.
The Matching Grant Program focuses on achieving four core objectives:
- Sustainable Land Management
- Protection of Vital Water Resources
- Promotion of Biodiversity
- Fostering Community Engagement through Education
The following districts were awarded matching funds:
| Conservation District | Grant Project | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Agate | Rangeland Health | $25,000.00 |
| Bent | Funding Smart Irrigation, Educating for Water Quality | $25,000.00 |
| Boulder Valley | Noxious Weed Management | $25,000.00 |
| Branson-Trinchera | Range Management | $25,000.00 |
| Center | Mechanical Puncturevine Management | $6,451.00 |
| Colorado First | Growing Conservation, a Homestead Stewardship Initiative | $25,000.00 |
| Debeque Plateau-Valley | Irrigation Efficiency Improvements | $25,000.00 |
| Delta | Technical Service Provider Engineering Funds | $25,000.00 |
| Double El | Land Health Cost-Share | $25,000.00 |
| East Otero | Irrigation Projects | $25,000.00 |
| Fremont | Seeding a Stewardship Ethic in Fremont County | $12,000.00 |
| Haxtun | Asynchronous Field Days Expansion | $10,500.00 |
| High Desert | Land Stewardship and Youth Education Program | $25,000.00 |
| High Plains | Rangeland Conservation | $15,000.00 |
| Jefferson | Managing Noxious Weeds | $25,000.00 |
| Lake County | Seed Cost Share Program | $15,340.00 |
| Longmont | Soil Revolution Conference | $15,000.00 |
| Mancos | Conservation Outreach and Planning | $25,000.00 |
| Mesa | Noxious Weed Management | $25,000.00 |
| Mosca Hooper | Bringing Farmers Together: Implementing a Peer-to-Peer Learning Network in the San Luis Valley | $13,570.00 |
| Mount Sopris | Wolf Mitigation Assistance for Livestock Producers - Outreach to Recreation Users on Public Land | $25,000.00 |
| Olney Boone | CRP and Rangeland Improvements | $25,000.00 |
| Rio Grande | Large-Scale Conservation Efforts: Producer Partnership for in-field Conservation | $15,000.00 |
| Shavano | Conserving Our Core: Soil Health and Water Stewardship | $24,521.00 |
| South Pueblo County | Colorado Master Irrigator Program Arkansas Valley | $11,300.00 |
| South Side | Grasshopper Mitigation on Agricultural Fields | $20,000.00 |
| Spanish Peaks | Grazing cost share program | $25,000.00 |
| Teller Park | Teller Park Conservation Cost-Share | $23,000.00 |
| West Arapahoe | Dig In! Discovering the Secrets of Soil Colorado Reader Educational Outreach | $7,500.00 |
| West Otero | Water Management | $25,000.00 |
| White River | Rio Blanco County Pest & Weed Control Program | $25,000.00 |
| Yuma County CD / Yuma CD | Livestock and Water Infrastructure for Rangeland Resiliency | $50,000.00 |
| TOTAL | $689,182.00 |
The Colorado State Conservation Board oversees the state’s 74 conservation districts. The CSCB’s mission is to foster the conservation of Colorado’s natural resources, including by promoting and supporting local Conservation Districts and by developing and implementing cooperative programs for the conservation of soil and water resources in Colorado. The Board is a key element of CDA’s Strategic Plan, specifically the Environmental Stewardship and Climate Resilience strategic direction, which aims to advance water resiliency within Colorado agriculture.