A $150,000 grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife could help Colorado River Valley stakeholders form a new outdoor coalition to promote regional collaboration on recreation planning and conservation.

The proposed coalition would bring together municipalities, federal and state land agencies, local governments, ranchers, private landowners and other community members throughout the Middle Colorado watershed, stretching from the east end of Glenwood Canyon to De Beque. These stakeholders would provide local knowledge and regional perspectives to help shape CPW’s goals.

The Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership, which represents western Garfield County, was selected to apply for the grant and serve as the coalition’s convener. If awarded, the group will contribute a 10% funding match toward the Colorado River Valley Coalition.

The grant is part of Colorado’s Regional Recreation Outdoor Partnership Initiative, a component of the state’s 2025 Outdoor Strategy. The program supports regional coalitions that advance conservation, recreation and climate resilience.

“It’s part of the state’s outdoor strategy to have these coalitions around the state to help guide CPW with their goals,” said Alicia Gresley, CRVEDP director. “So it’s boots on the ground and being able to decide as a region, or as a coalition, what’s important. CPW would be part of this coalition too, as would federal land partners, and they will provide a voice and a seat at the table as well.

“Then they’re able to take that local knowledge and perspective back to CPW at the state level to help guide whether it aligns with the outdoor strategy and the goals of CPW and the state as a whole,” she said.

The coalition would use the grant to establish the group, develop a strategy, set regional goals and create marketing materials such as a website. It would also help cover administrative costs, said Kate Collins, executive director of the Middle Colorado Watershed Council and a member of the grant application committee. Collins and Gresley outlined the plan Aug. 18 to the Garfield County commissioners, who unanimously signed a letter in support of the project.

“I think we might as well participate and benefit from this partnership and this initiative and grant, because if we don’t, someone else is going to get the money,” Commissioner Perry Will said. “It may not be benefiting us to the greater good that we need here in Garfield County or for Middle Colorado watersheds. I’m in total support of it.”

If successful, the Colorado River Valley Coalition would join at least 21 other regional partnerships across the state, covering about 79% of Colorado, according to the state’s Outdoor Strategy. Current examples include the Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition, Western Slope Outdoors Alliance and the Eagle County Community Wildlife Roundtable.

The coalition would also be eligible to apply for up to $10 million in CPW project funding over the next decade.

“To me, at least from the EDP’s position, the most important aspect of this is we are getting everybody at the table to really listen to each other and understand how we all interact with our lands and what the priorities are,” Gresley said. “We’ve got to get everybody to the table first before we can even look at what the priorities are and what potential projects could come out of it.”

The effort also supports CRVEDP’s goal of fostering better jobs closer to home.

“We’re here to be this center or hub for information,” Gresley said. “The ability to bring these groups together to find that common ground, I think that does serve our purpose of better jobs closer to home.

“Jobs aren’t necessarily just going to work. It’s how our municipalities run, how our landowners work with recreation users — because recreation brings economy — but also the ag users. And then how do we also look at it from a public land standpoint?”

CRVEDP plans to submit the grant application by Sept. 2.

“Just because we get the funds to do it doesn’t mean it’s all going to come together and be ‘Kumbaya’ around the campfire,” Gresley said. “The reality is, we have to acknowledge the tensions and history in our region and bring it to the surface. Once we get to that point, where we can understand each other’s perspective, we can get to the point of common ground, what people are willing to compromise on and what the priorities of the region are.

“That’s like month 16 to 18,” she said. “The first part is a lot of information to be shared and a lot of listening to be done.”