Nature-based solutions on farms and ranches use ecological processes to improve soil health, conserve water, support biodiversity, and strengthen agricultural operations against climate disruptions. These practices can help producers maintain productive landscapes while creating important environmental benefits for the broader community.
Some examples of nature-based solutions on farms and ranches include cover cropping, compost application, biochar, rotational grazing, and agroforestry.
These farming and ranching practices can contribute to healthier watersheds, reduced erosion, improved water quality, greater habitat connectivity, and more resilient rural economies, making it an investment for the whole community.
The state of Colorado has several opportunities for funding these projects.
Colorado funding opportunities for farms and ranches
Soil Health and Optimizing Water (SHOW) Grants
Ahead of its Nov 23 Climate Resilience Grant deadline, the Colorado Department of Agriculture is running a five-part producer series highlighting projects that these grants support. Part 1 is a Chaffee County ranch that bought a portable corral to rotate pastures, including ones not grazed in 30 years. It also introduces the series and purpose of the grant program.
Climate resilience is the ability to anticipate, withstand, and thrive in the face of current and future conditions and disasters made worse by climate change. Through the Climate Resilience Grant program, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) provides flexible financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who have experienced adverse effects due to climate-change induced disasters and are seeking to enhance their resilience against future climate-related challenges.
This September, five recipients of this grant welcomed CDA staff onto their properties to see project progress, learn about the difficulties of the season’s drought, and meet the people and animals that drive their operations forward.
On this trip to Chaffee, Custer, and Pueblo counties we met with producers who are dedicated to innovating and adapting to keep their businesses, animals, and soils alive. But building resilience against issues that are already causing financial, mental, and physical tolls is a tall order. Additional funding from the State can make all the difference for producers who are eager to embark on projects that enhance water holding capacity, wildlife habitat, and wildfire mitigation.
Navigating funding programs, coordinating partnerships, and developing projects that meet grant requirements can be challenging, particularly for rural organizations with limited administrative capacity.
Fulcrum Rural Solutions can help bridge that gap.
Our services include:
Grant identification and proposal development
Stakeholder outreach and issue discovery
Workshops and one-on-one support
By investing in healthier soils, smarter water management, and more diverse agricultural landscapes, Western Colorado can support both the future of agriculture and the long-term health of the region.
Rates structured to support transformative work across all organizational contexts. If you would like help starting a project on working lands, reach out here.
