2027 Conservation Service Corps RFP

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) are pleased to announce the release of the Conservation Service Corps grant for funding outdoor recreation, stewardship, and restoration projects completed by conservation service corps members. The goal of these funds is to employ youth and young adults (ages 14-25) throughout the state on critical outdoor recreation and natural resource stewardship projects using the network of Conservation Service Corps accredited by CYCA.

PLEASE  NOTE: We strongly encourage all applicants to review the RFP Guidance Document in advance of beginning their submission.

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Application Review Process:

CYCA partners with GOCO staff and external peer reviewers to evaluate applications, assess the merits of each proposed project, and develop funding recommendations. Throughout the review process, the review committee may request additional information, clarification, or revisions to any component of an application.

Funding recommendations are presented to the GOCO Programs Committee for consideration. The Programs Committee reviews the recommendations and makes a final funding recommendation to the GOCO Board of Trustees. The GOCO Board has final approval authority for all grant awards.

GOCO Award:

The GOCO Board of Trustees is expected to make grant awards in early December. Successful applicants must complete the proposed project and submit all required final documentation to CYCA by December 31 of the following year.

Upon project completion, grantees will be required to complete a project evaluation and report on project accomplishments and outcomes.

Projects not completed by December 31—or within any extension approved by CYCA, GOCO staff, or the GOCO Board—may be subject to grant deauthorization and forfeiture of remaining funds. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that can reasonably be completed within the required timeframe.

Questions about applicant/project eligibility:
Sammie Trotter
GOCO Program Officer
720.576.4112
strotter@goco.org

All other inquiries:
Tom Dillow
CYCA Associate Director
303.717.5659
tdillow@cyca.org

To locate/contact the Conservation Service Corps serving your area, click HERE.

1. Applicants must apply for a minimum of two weeks of Conservation Service Corps work. One week of work consists of a minimum of 320 hours of labor (8 people for 40 hours each, for example) inclusive of one-way travel and 4-5 hours per week of on-site education activities for the crew.
   
   

2. The project's primary objective must be to enhance or restore open space, wildlife habitat, or other ecosystem resources (e.g., noxious weed removal, forest health treatments, post-fire recovery, post-flood recovery, riparian restoration, etc.), or to construct, enhance, or restore trails and other passive recreation infrastructure such as signage, fencing, and tent pads. Forest health projects are eligible when the primary purpose is to improve ecosystem health, habitat quality, ecological resilience, or the stewardship of open space resources. While eligible forest health projects may also provide secondary benefits related to wildfire risk reduction or defensible space, those outcomes must be incidental to the project's conservation and stewardship objectives.

   Please note: Projects whose primary purpose is wildfire mitigation, fuels reduction, community protection, or the creation of defensible space are not eligible for funding. Applicants should clearly demonstrate that conservation, habitat restoration, ecosystem health, or open space stewardship—not wildfire mitigation—is the primary driver of the proposed work.
   
   

3. The project must occur on land owned or controlled by a:
   1. municipality, county, or other political subdivision of the state;
   2. land trust or other private party when the land is permanently protected by a conservation easement or other permanent use restriction; or
   3. federal agency - Please note: while federal agencies are not an eligible applicant, projects that occur on federally managed land are permissible if they are to perform stewardship or restoration projects; or develop improvements for or stewardship of passive recreation, e.g. soft surface trails. The applicant must be a local government or open space organization and they must clearly demonstrate how their community will benefit from the project—such as demonstrable impact on the local economy, improvement of an interconnected riparian area, etc. 
      
      
4. Projects must provide a public benefit and comply with any conservation easement, other use restriction, or government policies or procedures concerning management of the property’s resources.
   
   
5. Applicant must demonstrate capacity to host a Conservation Service Corps crew and coordinate closely with the corps in advance of submitting a proposal, to ensure the project is appropriate.

From project planning to completion, it is easy to use a Conservation Service Corps. Corps are high-capacity organizations that are well-prepared; they arrive with the equipment, skills and supervision to succeed.  After talking with a potential sponsor, the Conservation Service Corps will match the right type of crew for the project.

Typical projects include:

• constructing and maintaining Colorado’s trail system
• improving outdoor recreation amenities such as playgrounds and parks
• forest health
• restoring wildlife habitat
• installing and dismantling fences
• mitigating and removing invasive species

Shared Project Responsibility
Hosting a Conservation Service Corps requires cooperation, communication, and shared responsibility. Many sponsors ask, “What do I need to provide?” The chart below details how corps generally share responsibility. Of course, a project may require a different breakdown of responsibilities which you can discuss with corps staff as you plan the project.

• Conservation Service Corps Responsibilities
  • Pre-project walk-through with sponsor’s staff
  • Adult supervision
  • Youth/young adult crew (at least 8 people and 320 hours of labor)
  • Basic tools
  • Transportation
  • Camp equipment & food (if necessary)
• Project Sponsor Responsibilities
  • Project planning
  • Pre-project walk-through with corps staff
  • Specialty tools (if necessary)
  • Sponsor staff person available to answer questions and check work regularly
  • Complete an end-of-project evaluation
  • Access to free camping (if necessary)

What Conservation Service Corps Are

• Youth, young adult and veteran workforce development programs
• Programs focused on developing youth and young adults through service
• Programs focused on providing veterans experience for post-service conservation careers
• Programs focused on environmental education and ethic of stewardship

What Conservation Service Corps Are Not

• Professional contract-work crews
• Volunteer programs
• Recreation or summer camp programs
• Court-ordered or juvenile-offender diversion programs
• Wilderness therapy or mental health counseling

Upload AT LEAST two (2) maps showing (1) Project location(s) in larger context, including labeled towns and numbered highways and (2+) Detailed map for each discrete project location showing specific project area(s) and components of proposed scope of work.

Provide the anticipated project metrics and outcomes. This information will be collected again at project closeout, and grantees will be required to report and verify actual accomplishments achieved during the grant period. The information requested is for data collection and program reporting purposes only and will not be used to evaluate or score proposals. Estimates are acceptable.

Colorado's Outdoors Strategy is a framework that advances coordination, tools, and funding to align, prioritize, and implement strategic actions on the landscape for conservation, outdoor recreation and climate resilience. As a key partner in the development and implementation of the COS, GOCO prioritizes projects that advance the Strategy's North Star Goals and leverage collaboration to achieve lasting, measurable outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed projects align with the COS and contribute to a shared vision for Colorado's outdoors.

The Colorado's Outdoors Strategy is guided by three North Star Goals that help focus investments and partnerships across the state:

Climate-Resilient Conservation and Restoration
Conservation and restoration of lands and waters help wildlife and biodiversity thrive; habitats are resilient and connected; communities benefit from healthy ecosystems and agricultural lands.

Exceptional and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation
A diversity of high-quality outdoor experiences are accessible, equitable, and inclusive; management and stewardship enhance benefits for and minimize impacts to people, landscapes, and communities.

Coordinated Planning and Funding
Planning and implementation are interdisciplinary; supported by robust funding and capacity; inclusive of diverse perspectives and communities; and drive meaningful action for the outdoors.

View the full Colorado's Outdoors Strategy.

Partners are highly encouraged to reference the COS Resource Hub to utilize available tools in the development of proposals.