Governor Polis and CO DNR Announce Largest Round of Funding for Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program Workforce Development Grants

Strategic Insights -

Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have announced the largest round of funding for the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program's Workforce Development Grants. This round aims to support conservation corps, wildfire mitigation projects, and workforce development in natural resource management and wildfire risk reduction. The grants will provide $6.8 million to various organizations, including the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) and the Department of Corrections State Wildland Inmate Fire Teams (DOC SWIFT), to conduct wildfire mitigation projects and gain skills in natural resource management and wildfire risk reduction.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP) has allocated $6.8 million for the Workforce Development Grant process, aiming to support conservation corps, wildfire mitigation projects, and workforce development in natural resource management and wildfire risk reduction.
  • The grant process is open to conservation corps associated with the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) and the Department of Corrections State Wildland Inmate Fire Teams (DOC SWIFT) for conducting wildfire mitigation projects and gaining skills in natural resource management and wildfire risk reduction.
  • The grant supports basic firefighter, chainsaw, and prescribed fire training to educate and support the future workforce across the state.
  • Since the launch of COSWAP in 2021, the program has funded 88 Workforce Development projects across Colorado, totaling $14.5 million, and 29 Landscape Resilience Investment projects for $25.8 million.
  • The grant provides two types of awards: crew time and cash grants, with the latter available for project management expenses or to support wildfire mitigation workforce training.
  • Grants are available on all land ownership types in Colorado, but projects must be located in specific Strategic Focus Areas, including Boulder, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, La Plata, and Teller counties.

Statistics:

  • $6.8 million in funding available for the Workforce Development Grant process.
  • 88 Workforce Development projects funded across Colorado since the launch of COSWAP in 2021, totaling $14.5 million.
  • 29 Landscape Resilience Investment projects funded for $25.8 million since 2021.
  • 2025 marks the fourth round of COSWAP Workforce Development funding.
  • Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps has partnered with COSWAP to offer crew time awards under the CYCA accredited conservation corps application.
  • The funding cycle is moving to be available every other year, with the next round of funding expected in 2027.

Sources:

  • [Governor Polis and CO DNR Announce Largest Round of Funding for Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program Workforce Development Grants](https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-and-co-dnr-announce-largest-round-funding-colorado-strategic-wildfire-action)