Larimer County offers small grants for outdoor, neighborhood and community projects

The 2026 grant cycle is now open for Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) Small Grants for Community Partnering Program. For 27 years, the program has awarded grants to communities throughout Larimer County using a portion of the Help Preserve Open Space sales tax for nature-based neighborhood and community projects. Since its inception, the program has awarded over $445,000 across 246 projects throughout Larimer County.

Applicants may request up to $4,000 per application for projects that take place in Larimer County. Shovel-ready projects must be completed by the end of 2026. All grant applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 10, 2025. Grant awards will be announced in mid-February 2026.  

New this year, Larimer County is offering a grant eligibility quiz to help potential applicants determine if their project is a good fit for the program. Take it now!
 
LCDNR invites new and returning non-profit organizations, HOAs, K-12 schools, and community-based organizations to apply for seed money or capacity support for projects that fit into one of the five grant categories listed below.
 

1. Provides or enhances natural landscapes, including wildlife habitat, rivers, wetlands, outdoor community gathering spaces, neighborhood parks, greenbelts, lakes/ponds, etc.
2. Provides nature-based environmental education opportunities, including outdoor education signs and materials, outdoor classrooms, workshops, training, etc.
3. Opportunities for people to connect with the land via providing access to nature for those experiencing barriers, including those with limited transit options, financial obstacles, etc.
4. Opportunities for people to connect with the land via local agricultural food production for projects that include practices around improving soil, water, habitat or community connection to agriculture.
5. Research on Larimer County open spaces, which provides new information on the ecology, history, visitation, and/or human dimensions of Larimer County open spaces. Projects should encourage intellectual curiosity about our natural world and/or how people connect to it.

For information on how to apply and submit a strong grant application, visit Small Grants for Community Partnering webpage at: larimer.gov/small-grants. For more information, please contact Jennifer Almstead, the Small Grants Program Coordinator, at (970) 619-4569 or jalmstead@larimer.org.

 
About Larimer County Department of Natural Resources
Larimer County Department of Natural Resources' mission is to connect people, nature, and place.  Since 1954, Larimer County has acquired and conserved a vast network of public and private lands. Today, thirteen public properties are available for recreational access and enjoyment, and over 57,000 acres of land within its boundaries have been conserved. For more information, visit larimer.gov/naturalresources.