FRISCO - Today, Governor Jared Polis, Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Gibbs, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced a new round of grants to provide local Colorado communities with help to reduce human-bear conflicts through the Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant Program. The application deadline is May 24, 2024. 

“Colorado is known for our incredible wild spaces and the animals that call our state home. These grants will help support more bear-proof homes and neighborhoods  to ensure that people and animals can live together and avoid conflict that impacts humans and animals,” said Governor Polis. 

CPW is offering $1 million of grant funding for projects that reduce conflicts with bears in local communities. This grant program strives to foster innovative solutions to human-bear conflict that can be replicated in other parts of the state and bolster those efforts in all communities in Colorado. The funding will be distributed through a competitive grant process this spring. 

Funding for the program was first made available through House Bill 21-1326, which passed the General Assembly and was signed by Governor Polis in 2021. This program was so popular and successful that, in partnership with Governor Polis, CPW decided to continue and fund it in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Local governments, NGOs, HOAs, community groups, businesses, tribes, universities and individuals are all eligible to receive funding. Applicants can apply for grants between $50,000 and $500,000. 

“Human-bear conflict measures cannot be successful without collaboration between local communities, wildlife managers and individuals,” said CPW Grant Manager Travis Long. “We are excited about this program because interest from the public is high, with many communities taking advantage of the opportunities this funding provides and implementing projects to help reduce conflicts with bears.”

This grant provides funding to communities that want to reduce conflicts with bears but lack the needed resources. The program also helps to spark the conversation around conflict reduction and brings stakeholders together to come up with solutions. 

“Human-bear conflicts are ongoing issues in Colorado, resulting in property damage and increased demands on time and effort for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and local government personnel and unfortunately sometimes the take of bears,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, “I applaud CPW for continuing this grant program, and for all their hard work in the stewardship of Colorado’s wildlife.  But it is also our responsibility as community members to do as much as we can to reduce impacts with bears to ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come.”

Eligible Projects

The Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant Program aims to reduce conflicts between local communities and black bears. Characteristics of projects that help meet this goal include:

- Reducing the availability of attractants to black bears in communities experiencing human-bear conflict or disincentivizing black bears from entering areas of high conflict (i.e. hazing).

- Have local community support or detailed plans to build local support.

- Are cost-effective investments that have the potential to last beyond the funding time frame (such as bear proof trash cans).

- Utilize proven techniques for preventing conflict or explore an innovation with a promise to prevent conflict.

How to Apply

Applications are available on CPW’s website and are due by May 24, 2024, at 5 p.m. For questions or application assistance, please contact CPW Grant Manager Travis Long at [email protected]. Successful grant recipients will be announced in July 2024.

Click here to view the 2023 grant recipients and see what projects were selected during the competitive grant process.

Bears activity in Colorado

Wildlife managers estimate that Colorado has between 17,000 - 20,000 bears, and the population is stable and growing.

From 2019-23, CPW received over 21,310 reported sightings and conflicts with bears. Nearly one-third of those reports involved trash cans and dumpsters as an attractant, which will be a target area CPW looks to address when awarding grants. 

“We have seen real results in reducing conflict in southwest Colorado communities because of resources this grant has provided in the last two years,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta of Durango. “Just this week, more bear-resistant trash containers purchased through grant funding went to a community in need north of Durango. Now in its third year, we hope to see more applicants so we can continue to expand the ability of community partners to help address conflicts at neighborhoods and campgrounds that need more assistance.”

Other constant sources of conflict include birdfeeders, livestock, bears accessing open garages and other human-originated items that are left unsecured.

Increasing human-bear conflicts can lead to property damage and increased demands on CPW and local government personnel's time and effort to respond to them. Expanding existing conflict reduction efforts or developing new approaches will help reduce impacts on bear populations and community resources and improve public safety. 

Bears with access to trash and garbage that contains food can become conditioned to consuming that food, meaning they could return and enter homes, garages or vehicles to find more. This can lead to property damage, and even bears becoming aggressive, but themselves and humans in danger. Consuming garbage can also negatively impact a bear’s health. 

Learn more about CPW’s other grant programs on our website: https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/GrantPrograms.aspx