Governor Polis and CO DNR Announce Largest Round of Funding for Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program Workforce Development Grants

Trending...
DENVER - Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the opening of the 2025 Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program's Workforce Development Grant process on September 8. In this round, $6.8 million is available for conservation corps, including those associated with the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA), and Department of Corrections State Wildland Inmate Fire Teams (DOC SWIFT) to conduct wildfire mitigation projects and gain skills in natural resource management and wildfire risk reduction. The grant also funds basic firefighter, chainsaw, and prescribed fire training to educate and support the future workforce across the state.

"In Colorado we are no stranger to devastating wildfires that hurt communities across our state. I am excited to continue our work investing more than ever in wildfire reduction  tactics and training forestry personnel to keep Colorado communities safer, and more resilient when fire season strikes," said Governor Polis.

Colorado's Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP) was created after the record breaking 2020 fire season by Governor Polis and the Colorado legislature as a collaborative effort between the Department of Natural Resources, Colorado State Forest Service, and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to increase the pace and scale of wildfire risk reduction efforts across Colorado. COSWAP addresses this urgent need through workforce development and landscape-scale fuels reduction projects. Since the launch in 2021, COSWAP has funded 88 Workforce Development projects across Colorado, many involving on the ground hand crews conducting forest thinning, securing evacuation zones or creating fire breaks, totaling $14.5 million and 29 Landscape Resilience Investment projects for $25.8 million.

"I am excited to announce the largest round of funding available for our Workforce Development Grants offered through COSWAP. In previous years, the demand for funding has exceeded our capacity to award. It's proof that there is a need for programs like COSWAP which focus on reducing wildfire risks and improving forest health near our homes, communities and critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, Colorado mega-fires returned in force this year and we need to do all we can to create more fire resilient forests while protecting lives and property. This program is an important part of the solution and I encourage eligible organizations, including Government entities, nonprofits and utilities to take advantage of this opportunity," said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources.

More on Colorado Desk
This is the fourth round of COSWAP Workforce Development funding. The grant provides two types of awards: crew time and cash grants. Crew time is awarded to grantees partnering with a CYCA accredited conservation corps or a DOC SWIFT crew where COSWAP pays for the mitigation work directly in order to reduce administrative burden on the grantee. Grantees who wish to work with an independent conservation corps can request a cash grant to hire the corps themselves. Cash grants are also available to cover project management expenses or to support wildfire mitigation workforce training, including: Basic Firefighting and Wildland Fire Behavior, Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, and Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX).

"This continued collaboration between DOC's State Wildland Inmate Fire Team (SWIFT) and the Department of Natural Resources has proven invaluable in protecting Colorado communities. Beyond the immediate impact on wildfire response, we've seen participants gain confidence, purpose, and career pathways that extend well beyond their time in the program," said Mitch Karstens, Interim Director of Finance and Administration, Colorado Correctional Industries.

Grants are available on all land ownership types in Colorado, however projects are only eligible in the following locations:
  • For independent and CYCA accredited conservation corps, projects must be located within identified Strategic Focus Areas, which include: Boulder, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, La Plata, and Teller counties, as well as the Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative focal areas.
  • The DOC SWIFT crews operate out of the Four Mile Correctional Facility in Canon City and can support projects within a three hour drive.
  • Wildfire mitigation trainings are available statewide.

"Wildfire is now a year-round threat to Colorado communities, and our solutions must rise to that scale. The partnership between COSWAP and Colorado's conservation corps delivers exactly what is needed to protect the lives and livelihoods of Coloradans in our most fire-vulnerable areas. At the same time, this program will build the next generation of wildland firefighters to help keep our state safe in the years to come," said Scott Segerstrom, Executive Director, Colorado Youth Corps Association.

More on Colorado Desk
New this year, the COSWAP team has entered into a partnership with Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps to offer crew time awards under the CYCA accredited conservation corps application. The Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps is a program of Conservation Legacy who partners with tribal communities and land managers to accomplish impactful and lasting conservation service projects.

Another change to the Workforce Development Grant is that the funding cycle is moving to be  available every other year, scheduled to be offered again in 2027. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for projects that span the next two years so there will not be a gap in work completed before the next round of funding becomes available again.

"The chainsaw training grant we received through COSWAP has allowed our partnering agencies to address the need to increase a skilled workforce to perform mitigation treatments across the region. The members trained under these grants have moved into a variety of positions with our partnering agencies, including but not limited to: Larimer County Emergency Services Wildland Fire; Boulder Mountain Fire Protection District; multiple private mitigation companies; USFS Fire Crew; Colorado Firecamp; USFS Helitack Crew; Larimer County Natural Resources; Colorado Parks and Wildlife. We are grateful to COSWAP for this opportunity," said Josh Roberts, Mitigation Coordinator, Larimer County Office of Emergency Management.

To apply for Colorado's Strategic Wildfire Action Program's Workforce Development Grant, visit the program website. There you can access the Request for Applications and links to the application forms. The Request for Applications includes important information on eligibility, timeline, and process. The application period is open through November 3, 2025. All applications will be reviewed upon the deadline and notified of funding decisions by the end of the year.

Timeline:
  • September 8: Application release
  • November 3: Applications due
  • December 2025: Applicants notified of funding decisions
  • December 31, 2027: Project or training completion deadline

To learn more and to apply for a COSWAP Workforce Development Grant, please visit: https://dnr.colorado.gov/divisions/forestry/co-....

Filed Under: Government, State
Show All News | Report Violation

0 Comments

Latest on Colorado Desk