Greeley, CO – November 25, 2025 – Upstate Colorado is proud to have supported the successful $9,856,000 grant award for the “Protecting the Gateway to the Rockies” wildfire defense project. This grant was awarded through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and will improve wildfire defense across the forested landscape along Region 2’s Big Thompson Canyon and into Estes Park.
The grant was awarded to Larimer County and was developed with writing and technical assistance from Upstate Colorado’s Regional Grant Navigator. Additional project partners included Fire Protection Districts, watershed coalitions, non-profit organizations, and landowners in the project area.
Projects such as this, and the willingness of partners across Region 2 to coordinate on complex issues, demonstrate how essential regionalism has become to Northern Colorado’s future. By convening partners, aligning regional priorities, and providing technical expertise, Upstate Colorado helps Region 2 pursue opportunities that may otherwise remain out of reach. Together, we are building capacity, competitiveness, and broad-based support needed to secure transformative investments that benefit the entire region.
Visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants/cwdg to learn more about the USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program.
