A coalition serving Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties is among the latest recipients of state grants to groups supporting recreation and conservation.

The West Slope Outdoors Alliance received a $250,000 grant through the outdoor regional partnerships initiative.

Launched in 2021, the initiative funds regional coalitions that bring broad interests together to ensure lands, waters and wildlife thrive while also providing equitable and quality outdoor recreation experiences. There are now 20 regional partnership covering 75 percent of the state.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced the latest grant recipients that received a total of $1.3 million.

“We celebrate the most recent grant recipients for the outdoor regional partnerships initiative, a cornerstone in our efforts to foster sustainable outdoor recreation and conservation across Colorado,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “The success of these partnerships reflects the dedication of communities across Colorado to steward their natural resources and recreation opportunities.”

Polis agreed. “The collaborative energy behind the regional partnerships initiative reflects the collaborative spirit of Colorado. Partnerships give communities the opportunity to expand conversations around wildlife management, sustainable recreation and how we can protect our wild open spaces.”

The West Slope Outdoors Alliance plans to use the grant — the largest among the latest nine grants —  to support staffing for data collection, community engagement and project implementation. The alliance is comprised of individuals representing agriculture, businesses, government entities, nonprofits and outdoor user groups who recognize the value of natural and recreational assets to drive community wellness and economic stability.

The latest grant cycle increased the amount of money invested in outdoor regional partnerships to $4.9 million with another round of grant funding opening in the fall for coalition capacity and regional planning efforts.

Grant funding from CPW and Great Outdoors Colorado supports community collaboration to identify and advance locally driven solutions tailored to the unique conservation and recreation management needs of regions across the state.