Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant

Applicants must fall under one of the following categories:

• Cities and other political subdivisions of the State
• Nonprofit organizations
• Colleges and universities
• Economic development district organizations
• Indian tribes

Eligible projects:

• Outdoor recreation infrastructure upgrades
• Technical and planning assistance related to outdoor recreation
• Marketing and promotion of outdoor recreation events and assets
• Outdoor recreation workforce development
• Other related outdoor recreation projects
   

All applications must be submitted through OEDIT's application portal. If you are a new user, the system administrator will need to approve your request. This may take up to 48hrs. You will receive a confirmation email as soon as your account is activated.

Applications received via email will not be accepted. 

Pre-Application Process:

• Confirm your organization's eligibility by reviewing the Program Manual or discussing with Matt Nuñez. 
• Confirm your registration on SAM.gov or apply for a new registration.
  • The EDA will not fund any organizations that do not have an active SAM.gov registration.
• Gather all required supporting documents
  • One letter of support
  • Project budget (template provided) & timeline

Application Process:

Applications open June 1, 2022

All applications must be submitted through OEDIT's application portal. Although not a requirement for submitting an application, interested industry partners are encouraged to speak with an OREC Program Manager, Matt Nuñez, about their project before submitting an application. Email Matt Nunez

You are encouraged to download a PDF of the application to review the questions and prepare all supporting documentation prior to accessing the OEDIT application portal.

Application Questions, (PDF)

Budget Template, (XLSX)

Supporting documents

All applicants must submit the following information during the application process:

• Project budget & timeline
  • Please use the budget template linked above and enter only expected expenses under grant funding. 
  • Budget categories may be left blank if not relevant to the proposed project. Matching funding is not required and does not need to be entered in this template. 
  • Organizations may opt to utilize a 10% de minimis indirect cost rate if they do not have a federally-negotiated indirect cost rate. If using the 10% rate, an organization policy for indirect cost distribution must be provided upon request.
• One or more letters of support
  • Letters of support may come from an elected official, town/county manager, or other community or business leader not affiliated with the primary applicant 
• SAM.gov proof of registration or application for new registration
  • The EDA will not fund any organizations that do not have an active SAM.gov registration.
  • You should not pay for a SAM.gov registration. It has been brought to our attention that third-party websites will disguise themselves as federal contractors and charge for a registration. Please visit SAM.gov directly to register for free. 

Nonprofit organizations must submit the following information during the application process:

• Articles of incorporation
• Bylaws
• Colorado Secretary of State Certificate of Good Standing
• Documentation (letter) that the non-profit is acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of the state
  • This may be a letter of support from a local government body (City, County, special district, etc.), if not previously provided
  • Letters of support from higher education institutions and State agencies will not fulfill this requirement.

Apply to the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant

Applicants can expect a decision on their award status 60-90 days following the quarterly deadline. Infrastructure projects may take 90-120 for award decisions. 
This is a competitive award program, and not all applicants receive funding. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) will appoint a committee to review applications. OREC will award grants based on application scores, availability of grant funding and EDA project scope of work approval.

Reviewers will prioritize applications/projects that include:

• a significant economic impact on the outdoor recreation industry over a broad region
• strong community support and partners involved in implementation
• a demonstrated connection to a local or regional economic development strategy or other strategic plan
• a well-planned project timeline and budget
• clear writing and a strong case for support

The committee will score applications on these criteria:

• Demonstrated impact on the outdoor recreation economy or recovery efforts
• Project-specific criteria 
  • Infrastructure projects: level of need and preparedness 
  • All other projects: level of need and innovation
• Strength of project partnerships 
• Budget, timeline, and capacity to implement

Selection Criteria

• The application review committee will meet on a quarterly basis to review applications, as needed. Applications received after the quarterly deadlines (listed below) will be reviewed during the next grant period. 
• Applicants can expect notification of their application status within 60 days of each review deadline. If recommended for approval by the review committee, applicants will be required to submit additional documentation for final approval by the EDA. 
  • Recommendation for approval is not a guarantee of funding. The EDA reserves the right to determine the eligibility and allowable expenses of all projects. 
• EDA approval may take 45-60 days following review deadlines for most projects. Infrastructure projects may take 90-120 days for review.
• Once an application is approved, OEDIT must execute a formal grant agreement with the applicant prior to obligating or spending any grant funds. Awarded applicants may formally request grant payment(s) after execution of the grant agreement. To received disbursements during the grant execution period, awarded applicants must submit a formal request for grant payment. OEDIT awards funding through electronic funds transfer (EFT). 
• All funding must be fully spent no later than May 31, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions that are not answered below, please reach out to the Program Manager for assistance.

My project is not listed under eligibility. Can I still apply?

Any project that will contribute to economic growth or recovery in Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry will be considered for award funding. Please contact the Program Manager if you are still unsure of your eligibility.

What is considered outdoor recreation, for the purposes of this grant?

The OREC office maintains a definition of outdoor recreation as physical activities that traditionally occur in, or adjacent to, a natural environment (not man-made). Projects that benefit activities regularly occurring indoors (i.e. fitness classes) or on man-made field or courts are still welcome to apply but may be given lower priority. Any indoor recreation activities are ineligible for funding. 

Will OREC make any multi year awards?

OREC and EDA expect to make payments throughout the life of the project, as needed by project tasks in the previous reporting period. Recipients should not expect to receive funding in a lump sum or necessarily on an annual basis. 

Can this funding support any activities outside of Colorado?

All funding provided through this program must be spent inside the State of Colorado. Not every state offers this grant program, but you are encouraged to reach out to the outdoor recreation office, tourism office, or economic development office of other states where you may need support.

Can my organization apply for multiple grants?

Applicants are encouraged to submit one application at a time and may not select more than one pool of funding (infrastructure, marketing, technical assistance, other) to apply for at once. Applicants may submit additional applications in the future if denied funding or if they have additional needs beyond the original awarded project. 

How is job creation or retention tracked through this program? Are there any requirements?

EDA and OREC will rely on grantees to report on direct jobs created or retained through funding and provide estimates of indirect jobs supported. There is no minimum requirement of number of jobs created, but this is the ultimate measure of economic impact which will be considered by the review committees. Please explain your methodology for estimating job creation in your application. 

Can you explain the required documentation: Documentation (letter) that the non-profit is acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of the state?

The EDA asks for documentation that the proposed project aligns with the interests of the community. If a letter of support is received from a town, county, or other local government body, no additional documentation is required. Please note that State agencies, State legislators, and public universities will not be accepted for this requirement. 

Are special districts eligible for funding?

Yes, any special districts (recreation districts, metropolitan districts, fire districts, etc.) may apply for funding.

How can private businesses access this funding?

Private businesses are ineligible for this funding pool under Federal guidelines. Eligible entities may apply for funding which utilizes the services of a business as a contractor, however.  

Will projects be considered which do not physically occur on federal lands but may support them?

This will be considered on a case-by-case basis. An example of a project which may be considered is a community recreation plan which incorporates community-wide assets that may include some federal lands. An example of a project which will not be considered is a marketing plan which is solely focused on a national park or other federal land. 

I'm having trouble with my SAM.gov registration. Can you help?

SAM.gov is the Federal award management system and is not operated by our office in any manner. Please refer to the Help section of their website for more assistance.