DENVER - On August 22, 2024, Governor Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced the 2024 funding recipients of the Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant, which will distribute $995,590 to 15 efforts around the state. These grants provide funding for local communities, municipalities, businesses and nonprofit organizations working to create innovative ways to reduce human-bear conflict and keep communities and wildlife safe.  

“Colorado is proud to help our communities and homeowners, take simple, effective steps to protect people and wildlife. Our state is home to incredible lands, as well as the animals that call them home, and these grants will support local efforts to reduce human-bear conflict while saving people money on potential damage,” said Governor Jared Polis.

In 2021, Governor Polis signed the bipartisan law, HB 21-1326, sponsored by Rep. Barbara McLachlan, Rep. Perry Will and Senator Tammy Story, which directed CPW to distribute funding to local communities to help reduce human-bear conflicts and support native species conservation. The Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant was created to accomplish this and to support local initiatives working to prevent bear conflicts.

“Our local communities are leading the way in reducing human-bear conflict and the State of Colorado is proud to support them. We’ve seen these investments make a difference in Colorado communities, and with 15 new grants we can help expand and continue this work to protect wildlife, people, and the incredible natural treasures that make Colorado a place we all love,” said First Gentleman Marlon Reis.

This program was so popular and successful that, in partnership with Governor Polis, CPW decided to continue it in future years and fund it in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This spring, CPW offered up to $1 million, distributed through a competitive grant process, in order to support more projects that prevent conflicts with bears in local communities. Twenty-nine applications for this year's grant funding were received with applicants applying from all four regions of Colorado.

“Human-bear conflict measures cannot be successful without collaboration between local communities, wildlife managers and individuals,” said CPW Grant Manager Travis Long. “Fortunately, CPW has seen success with this grant program with many communities taking advantage of the opportunities this funding provided and implementing projects to help reduce conflicts with bears.”

The following 15 projects were selected to receive grant funding:

White River National Forest - Food Lockers at Campgrounds - $193,056 awarded

Food lockers will be provided at five different dispersed campsite locations across the White River National Forest, in the Aspen-Sopris, Dillon and Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger Districts.

Quail Run HOA - Dumpster Enclosure - $113,460 awarded

Quail Run in Steamboat Springs has been working to minimize trash exposure to bears in their condo complex. With a central dumpster area, the best solution is a fortified enclosure, made available with this grant award.

Pitkin Bear Aware - Bear-Resistant Residential Cans and Enclosure - $104,500 awarded

Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office is working to reduce bear conflict and was awarded grant funding to provide residential bear-resistant trash cans to residents in an area near the county landfill - where bear activity is high. They will also work with other county departments to construct an enclosure around a shared dumpster.

Silverthorne and Frisco - Bear-Resistant Trash Cans - $84,400 awarded

The towns of Silverthorne and Frisco combined efforts for this grant to provide residential bear-resistant trash cans to residents of both towns in areas of high conflict.

Purgatoire Watershed Partnership - Trash Management - $80,000

This grant award will focus on trash management in several communities that are served by the Purgatoire Watershed Partnership, with work focusing on both residential and commercial bear-resistance.

National Forest Foundation - Food Lockers - $64,504 awarded

The National Forest Foundation, in conjunction with the Hans Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District of the USFS will install bear-resistant food lockers at Dry Lake Campground in Routt County. The campground is currently under construction, and this grant funding will allow the project to lead by example with bear-resistance efforts.

Aspen Parks and Open Space - Bear-Resistant Trash Cans and Fruit Tree Replacement - $64,260 awarded

Efforts led by Aspen Parks and Open Space will focus on trash management by providing bear-resistant cans to residents and also public spaces. They will also work to replace fruiting trees in areas to reduce attractants.

Cal-Wood - Bear-Resistant Campsites - $60,000 awarded

Through Cal-Wood’s K-12 school programming and summer camps, the facility hosts thousands of visitors annually. Grant funding will help to create bear-resistant campsites and provide valuable education to their visitors.

Boulder Bear Coalition - Enclosure on The Hill - $53,090 awarded

Through collaboration with property owners on The Hill in Boulder, the Boulder Bear Coalition will work to fortify trash storage in a very urban area that is subject to bear visits. Grant funding will go towards multiple enclosures at a few locations on The Hill.

Eagle County - Bear-Resistant Cans - $50,050 awarded

Areas of high-conflict will receive residential bear-resistant trash cans in Eagle County with this grant award. It will also provide bear-resistant trash cans in public spaces like bus stops and parks.

Snowmass Village - Dumpster Enclosure - $50,000 awarded

The dumpster enclosure will provide a barrier to an oft-visited dumpster in Snowmass Village that is adjacent to a community-owned apartment complex. This fortification will reduce the frequent target of local bears.

Always Choose Adventure - Bear-Resistant Campsites - $34,640 awarded

Always Choose Adventure will make campsites bear-resistant with this funding. The organization’s goal is to provide recreation opportunities to individuals of all abilities, and this project will help them put into practice a key part of their educational efforts.

Canon City - Bear-Resistant Trash Cans - $18,630 awarded

Bear-resistant trash cans will be put into use in areas of conflict in Canon City with this grant award. The City has worked to identify areas of highest need and will ensure their work addresses those needs.

Pleasant Valley Sanitation - Bear-Resistant Trash Cans - $15,000 awarded

Pleasant Valley Sanitation is a private trash hauler in Larimer County that would like to provide bear-resistant residential trash cans to customers in areas with more bear interaction. This grant will allow them to do that while keeping costs down.

Wild Aware - Electric Fencing for Chicken Coops - $10,000 awarded

Residents with small chicken coops can work with Wild Aware in Jefferson County to set up electric fencing to deter bears' interactions with chickens. Grant funding will allow multiple temporary fences to be utilized in areas of conflict.

Become Bear Aware: CPW encourages you to share Bear Aware information with your neighbors and communities. CPW asks all residents and visitors to help save Colorado’s bears by being actively bear aware throughout the year. Bear conflicts and bear euthanization is most often traced back to human behavior. It is all of our responsibility to help minimize risks to humans and bears alike by being mindful of our impacts. CPW manages bear populations in the state following the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

For more information on bears in Colorado, cpw.state.co.us/living-bears. If you have questions or need to report bear problems, call your nearest CPW office.