by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Funding Aims to Boost Forest Health and Reduce Fire Risk Across Region
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – With wildfire seasons growing longer and more intense, communities across Northern Colorado have an opportunity to take action. The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) has announced that $7.04 million in funding is now available through the Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation (FRWRM) grant program.
Applications are open through October 9, 2025, for eligible organizations, including local nonprofits, utilities, fire protection districts, and community groups. These grants are designed to reduce wildfire risk to homes, infrastructure, and water supplies, while also promoting healthier, more resilient forests through strategic fuel reduction and forest restoration.
“Colorado communities are essential partners in protecting homes, infrastructure, and lives from wildfire,” said Matt McCombs, state forester and director of the Colorado State Forest Service. “The General Assembly’s continued investment in the FRWRM program underscores a simple truth: Wildfire mitigation works.”
The grants can fund both on-the-ground fuel reduction work and capacity-building efforts such as hiring staff and creating project plans. Projects must align with county-level wildfire mitigation plans and can take place on private, municipal, state, or county forestlands.
A fund-matching component is required. Depending on a project’s location within an area identified as having “fewer economic resources” (as shown in the Colorado Forest Atlas), the state may cover up to 75% of total costs. Matching contributions from recipients may be in cash or in-kind services.
Additional preference will be given to proposals that:
- Leverage outside funding sources
- Align with local fire risk reduction policies
- Use Colorado Youth or Veterans Corps labor
- Protect community water supplies
All applications must be submitted electronically to a local CSFS Field Office by 5 p.m. on October 9, 2025. A technical advisory panel will review proposals, with funding decisions announced by March 31, 2026.
More details and application materials are available at: csfs.colostate.edu.
Information provided by the Colorado State Forest Service.