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

The 2027 grant cycle is now open for the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) Small Grants for Community Partnering Program. For 28 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 $470,000 across 253 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 2027. All grant applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026. Grant awards will be announced in mid-February 2027.  

For 2027, Larimer County is offering:

1. A grant eligibility quiz to help potential applicants determine if their project is a good fit for the program. Access the quiz at https://bit.ly/smallgrantsquiz 
2. A Small Grants Program Webinar on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. MST. The webinar will provide attendees with information on how the program works, important updates, tips for submitting a competitive application, and more. Register at https://bit.ly/smallgrantswebinar27 

LCDNR invites new and returning non-profit organizations, research universities, 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, and trainings.
3. Connects people with the land by providing access to nature for those facing barriers, including limited transit options and financial obstacles.
4. Connects people with the land through local agricultural food production, specifically for projects that improve soil, water, habitat, or community connection to agriculture.
5. Research on Larimer County open spaces that provides new information on the ecology, history, visitation, and/or human dimensions of these spaces. Projects should encourage intellectual curiosity about our natural world and how people connect to it.

For information on how to apply and submit a strong grant application, visit the Small Grants for Community Partnering webpage at larimer.gov/small-grants. For more information, contact Andrea Weber, the Small Grants Program Administrator, at (970) 619-4462 or weberan@larimer.org.