CORE Fund - Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, and Environment Grant

CORE Fund - Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, and Environment Grant is sponsored by Western Colorado Community Foundation. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

CORE – Western Colorado Community Foundation CORE wccfstg 2026-08-19T12:24:15-07:00 Our Outdoor & Environment Work Western Colorado is known for its desert vistas, mountain peaks, and mighty rivers. Many people live here because of these incredible landscapes.

Our Community Foundation, like many residents of western Colorado, is concerned about the growing recreational demands on outdoor spaces, pressing needs related to clean air and water, and barriers to youth access to the outdoors. Donate to our Outdoor & Environment Work The CORE Fund and Giving Circle In 2019, a group of founding donors launched the CORE (Conservation/Outdoor Recreation/Environment) Fund.

The CORE Fund is our Community Foundation’s first and only Giving Circle, made up of donors interested in supporting and learning more about CORE-related topics. The Fund is specifically designed to support programs and projects that focus on conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment with high impact for the people and places of western Colorado.

Interested individuals or households commit $5,000 to join the CORE Giving Circle. This contribution ensures an invitation to unique CORE-related field trips and other learning opportunities. Additionally, by joining the CORE Giving Circle, donors annually select projects for funding.

Since 2019, the Giving Circle has awarded over $280,000 to over 40 organizations doing important CORE-related work in western Colorado.

Outdoor Wilderness Lab, School District 51 Grand Valley Power Plant and conserved property in Palisade, Colorado West Land Trust De Beque Roller Dams, Colorado Water Trust Gateway History and Geology Tour, Colorado Wildlands Project Interested in becoming a CORE Giving Circle member, contact Emily at eorbanek@wc-cf.

org $54,000 in Grants to Protect and Enhance the Environment These grants are part of our Community Foundation’s commitment to expand funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment (CORE) issues.

Colorado Canyons Association – Días del Agua y Tierra Colorado National Monument Association – Next Generation Internship Program Colorado West Land Trust – Turner Gulch Wildfire Restoration Colorado Water Trust – Restoring the 15-Mile Reach of the Colorado River Confluence Center – Facility Solar Panels Outdoor Wilderness Lab – Financial Assistance Program RiversEdge West – River Stewardship and Education Program The Nature Connection – Wilder Bunch Youth Trail Crew Western Colorado Alliance – Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health Yampatika – Environmental Education for Rio Blanco County Students $70,000 in Grants to Protect and Enhance the Environment These grants are part of our Community Foundation’s commitment to expand funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment (CORE) issues.

Colorado Discover Ability EUREKA!

McConnell Science Museum Friends of Youth and Nature Grand Valley River Corridor Initiative Riverside Education Centers Western Colorado Alliance Western Colorado Conservation Corps Western Colorado Research Center, Colorado State University Extension $70,000 in Grants to Protect and Enhance the Environment These grants are part of our Community Foundation’s commitment to expand funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment (CORE) issues.

Colorado Discover Ability, Adventure Camp 2024 Colorado Water Trust , Restoring the 15-Mile Reach Colorado Wildlands Project , Dolores River and Unaweep Canyon Protection EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum , Snow STEAM & Ski Friends of Youth and Nature , Gear-Up for Outside Adventures!

Huts for Vets , Wilderness Programming Mexican American Development Association , Montrose Outdoor Equity Project Outdoor Wilderness Lab , Student Financial Assistance Partners of Delta , Montrose and Ouray, 2024 Outdoor Immersion Experience RiversEdge West , River Stewardship and Education Program Solar Energy International, Solar Education and Job Training $62,000 in Grants to Protect and Enhance the Environment These grants are part of our Community Foundation’s commitment to expand funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment (CORE) issues.

Citizens for Clean Air Grand Junction Colorado – Biochar 2023 Colorado Canyons Association – Stewardship collaborative capacity building Colorado Discover Ability – Adventure Camps Colorado Water Trust – Restoring the 15 mile reach of the Colorado River Colorado West Land Trust – Monument Corridor restoration project Eureka!

McConnell Science Museum – Colorado rivers & climate First United Methodist Church – Tech It Up Mesa County Public Health – Equipment for Grand Valley Trail Crew Mesa County School District 51 – Outdoor Wilderness Lab (OWL) scholarships Partners Youth Mentoring of Delta, Montrose, and Ouray – Partners High Camp Experience 2023 RiversEdge West – River stewardship and education The Nature Connection – Rock & Ropes Wilderness Workshop – Colorado Wildlands Project $100,000 in Grants to Protect and Enhance the Environment These grants are part of our Community Foundation’s commitment to expand funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment (CORE) issues.

Blue Star Recyclers – expand e-waste recycling in the Roaring Fork Valley Citizens for Clean Air Grand Junction – ozone monitoring devices Clean Energy Economy for the Region – renewable energy projects Colorado Canyons Association – expand Nature Knowledge Days for 3rd graders Eureka!

McConnell Science Museum – youth leadership and stewardship initiative Friends of Youth and Nature – Farm to School – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle program Grand Valley Audubon Society – wetlands improvement and education project LIFT-UP – composting program Mesa County Libraries Foundation – Discovery Garden bioswales Mesa County Valley School District 51 – pilot project to reduce food waste North Fork Friends of Montessori Foundation – solar panel for outdoor learning North Fork Valley Community Rights – reusable bags to reduce plastic bag use R-5 High School – develop youth leaders through aquaponics and agriculture projects Solar Energy International – energy efficient equipment to reduce energy consumption and education Valley Organic Growers Association – agriculture education and community outreach $19,000 in Grants to Protect and Enhance the Environment These grants are part of our Community Foundation’s commitment to expand funding for conservation, outdoor recreation, and the environment (CORE) issues.

BlueStar Recyclers (Garfield Co) – Facility security enhancements Colorado Canyons Association -“Leave-No-Trace” workshop Colorado West Land Trust – Monument Corridor restoration Eureka!

McConnell Science Museum – Boys Cycle Club West Middle School – Solar powered cell phone charging station Our Community Foundation is pleased to partner with visionary donors in Eagle County working to build a permanent funding source to support the health of the Eagle River Watershed for generations to come.

The Eagle River Fund, established in 2023, is designed to support projects that benefit the Eagle River and its tributaries, including policy interventions to volunteer restoration to agricultural efficiency projects. Over the next several years, the fund’s founders hope to grow the Eagle River Fund to $5 million.

Personalized Grantmaking Opportunities In addition to the CORE Fund and the Eagle River Fund, our Community Foundation works with individual fund holders interested in the outdoors and the environment. Through this type of tailored donor work, our Foundation staff can individually curate investment opportunities unique to individual donors and donor families.

For example, we have donors who care deeply about conservation work in western Garfield County and donors who care about getting ki ds outside. These interest areas allow Foundation staff to work with non-profits operating in a specific region or with a specific mission to develop a slate of projects tailored to individual fund holders.

I was struck by the beauty of the landscape and realized how fragile some of our resources are, and that motivated me to want to help protect them. Keep up with the latest news about Conservation, Outdoor Recreation, and Environment from WCCF Yampa Valley Disaster Recovery Fund Yampa Valley Disaster Recovery Fund The 2025 fire season has been unprecedented for the communities [...]

Comments Off on Yampa Valley Disaster Recovery Fund Apply now for a Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Apply now for a Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Colorado Parks and Wildlife is now accepting applications for its [...] Comments Off on Apply now for a Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Our CORE Giving Circle Members visited Western Colorado Research Center [...]

Comments Off on Agrivoltaic Research Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for US Community Foundations The Center for Philanthropy building is open from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.