Conservation Grants

In most years the CMC Boulder Group Conservation Committee has awarded grants to further projects in the area of conservation and trails. Conservation and preservation are priorities for projects.

The Conservation Committee is currently empty. If you are interested in helping out, please contact us.

The total available for grants varies each year depending on conservation funds collected through membership fees, as approved by the Boulder Group Council.

Grant applications are due at the beginning of the spring season of each year, and all applications will be informed at the beginning of the summer season.

Applications may be submitted electronically via email to the Conservation Committee, or by mail to the Colorado Mountain Club Boulder Group, Attn: Conservation Chair, P.O. Box 3777, Boulder, CO 80307-3777

Applications will be reviewed by the Conservation Committee members and a recommendation made to the CMC Boulder Group's council at the meeting immediately following the grant deadline.

A final decision will be made by the council. Applicants will be informed by mail of the approval or denial of an application within two weeks of the council meeting. Checks are issued within a month.

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Emphasis on specific local conservation and trail maintenance projects on public lands (not unspecified general funding)

  • Projects generally should include involvement by and/or benefit CMC Boulder Group members

  • Funds may be given to projects sponsored by other organizations if they benefit CMC Boulder Group members, such as commonly-used outings destinations

  • Trail projects are a priority for the Farley funds.

  • Funds may be used for materials, revegetation supplies, signs, tools, t-shirts for volunteers, mapping equipment, advertising costs and other non-personnel costs

  • Projects receiving matching funds are preferred

  • Projects leveraging volunteer workers are preferred

  • The applicant(s) should play a role in organizing the project, including coordinating with any applicable public land agency

Interested parties may e-mail questions to the Conservation Committee.

You may download the application form here as an Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word

Conservation Grants

Here is a list of past recipients of conservation grants, and the amounts awarded.

2021 - Total $6,000

  • $2,300 to Boulder Climbing Community (Avalon Climbing Area Access Stabilization)

  • $500 to Colorado Mountain Club (State) (Boulder-area Recreation Impact Monitoring)

  • $1,500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers Indian Peaks Trail Restoration

  • $500 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (Colorado 14er Volunteer Trail Maintenance Project)

  • $1,200 to Access Fund (Thumb Rock Trail Stabilization)

2020 - Total $9575

  • $2,000 to Access Fund (Thumb Rock Trail, Estes Park)

  • $2,000 to Boulder Climbing Community (restoration and conservation work at Upper Dream Canyon and Isabelle Glacier Trail)

  • $3,575 to CMC Conservation Dept. (education, Recreation Impact Monitoring System, Pocket Stewardship, and Advocacy)

  • $2,000 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (Blue Lake Trail, Brainard Lake Area)

2019 - Total $8000

  • $2,500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (Llama support for Blue Lake Trail reconstruction, Indian Peaks Wilderness)

  • $3,000 to Boulder Climbing Community (restoration and conservation work at Castle Rock Overlook, Boulder Canyon)

  • $1,255 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (equipment for trail maintenance on 15 tallest fourteeners)

  • $1,245 to Eldorado Canyon State Park (lumber and materials to replace decking on streamside bridge to Wind Tower crag)

2018 - Total $4000

  • $2,500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (Pawnee Pass trail corridor maintenance, Indian Peaks Wilderness)

  • $1,500 to Boulder Climbing Community (restoration and conservation work at Nip and Tuck climbing area)

2017 - No Grants Budgeted

2016 - Total $4000

  • $1,500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

  • $1,500 to Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance

  • $1,000 to Boulder Climbing Community

2013 - Total $3900

  • $1,500 and use of Brainard Lake Cabin to Colorado Mountain Club (State) and Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (trail rehabilitation and consolidation at Brainard Lake)

  • $1,500 to City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (repair of social trails at Crown Rock)

  • $200 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (post-flood fencing repairs to bald eagle nesting habitat at White Rocks)

  • $500 to Eldorado Canyon State Park (trail building skills training, building stone steps to popular climbing areas)

  • $200 to Colorado 14ers Initiative (social trail rehabilitation and trail improvements, Maroon Peak, Maroon Bells . Snowmass Wilderness area)

2012 - Total $4000

  • $1,000 to Boulder Climbing Community

  • $600 to WildLands Restoration Volunteers

  • $1,750 to Colorado Mountain Club (State)

  • $650 to City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks ecological restoration and trail consolidation at the Contact Corner bouldering area

2011 - Total $4700

  • $1,500 to Boulder Climbing Community (BCC) for Castle Rock cleanup

  • $200 to Friends of the Dillon Ranger District for fliers to encourage stewardship in the White River National Forest

  • $1,500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers for Leader training and tools

  • $1,500 to CMC - State Conservation Department for clean up and monitoring of the Golden Cliffs

2009 - Total $3500

  • $3500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

2008 - Total $3000

  • Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

2007 - Total $2700

  • $1400 to Wildlands Restoration; $200 for leadership development, $600 for Brainard Lake Waldrop trail project, $400 for the Brainard Lake Youth project, and $200 for the Isabelle Lake trial project

  • $1300 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for National Trails Day, Grays and Torrey's trail project

2006 - Total $5035

  • $2100 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for Pyramid Peak Restoration project

  • $2500 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers; $1000 for training and community development, $1500 for Arapahoe Lakes project

  • $435 to Indian Peaks Forest Watch website, gloves, trash bags and other supplies

2005 - Total $6000

  • $2000 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for Mt. Massive.

  • $1000 to Eldorado State Park for restoration of the Wind Tower Climbing Access Trail

  • $3000 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, $1600 for the Elephant Buttress project in Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks and the rest for administrative purposes.

2004 - Total $5750

  • Winter---$200 to Citizens for Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest for Wildfire Education Forum

  • Spring--$3000 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, up to $1500 for organizational purposes, the remainder for restoration projects in the Indian Peaks or James Peaks Wilderness Areas, Rocky Mountain National Park or the City of Boulder or Boulder County properties.

  • Spring--$2550 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for Mt. Massive

2003 - Total $9400

  • Spring--$6000 to Ed Self Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, up to $3000 for organizational purposes, rest for projects in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, including S. Boulder Creek, Forest Lakes and Mitchell Lake

  • Spring--$3000 to Eldorado State Park to be used on climbing trail projects

  • Summer--$400 to Indian Peaks Forest Watch, a citizens group who does conservation projects in the Indian Peaks.

2002 - Total $7975

  • Spring--$5000 to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, up to $2500 for tools and training, rest for projects in the Indian Peaks or Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, but not Gillespie Gulch.

  • Spring--$1500 to Eldorado State Park to be used to restore areas impacted by climbers.

  • Summer--$500 to City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department for environmental education supplies

  • Summer--$975 to USFS for improved signs at James Peak, East Portal area

2001 - Total $8500

  • Spring--$1500 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for two day project on Grays and Torreys Peaks

  • Completion of Nov. 2000 grant- $1500 to the Access Fund for project at Gregory Canyon in City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks

  • Spring---$5500 for Ed Self for four restoration projects in the Indian Peaks Wilderness (USFS) from the Cabell bequest funds.

2000 - Total $5000

  • Spring--$1500 to Education Through Restoration (Ed Self) for a two day work project in the Indian Peaks Mitchell Lake area.

  • Fall-----$1000 to Ed Self for Walker Ranch fire rehabilitation

  • Fall--$2500 for USFS to obtain matching grant of $10,000 for improved winter trails at Brainard Lake from the Neptune Corporate Sponsorship funds.

1999 - Total $3500

  • Spring -- $1000 to The Access Fund for N. Table Mountain improvements. $1000 to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative for trail work on Mt. Bierstadt

  • Fall -- $1500 to City of Boulder Mountain Parks for signage in Flatirons