Ridgway, Gunnison and Naturita projects were named among 12 new recipients of Colorado State Outdoor Recreation grants last week.

Ridgway

The Ridgway Chamber of Commerce was awarded $34,500 to develop a Gravel Adventure Field Guide for the Uncompahgre Plateau and the West San Juans area, according to a release from Colorado OEDIT.

The Gravel Adventure Field Guide series has been successfully deployed in multiple Colorado

communities, according to the release, and includes local history, attractions, and cultural heritage elements alongside its gravel trail summaries.

The guide aims to spotlight trails in Ouray, San Miguel and Montrose Counties, including the West End. Grant deliverables include the planning, design, publication, and distribution of a Gravel Adventure Guide on or before March 31, 2024, according to the release.

Naturita

The grant to Montrose West Recreation for Naturita is in the amount of $21,300 to support marketing efforts for the West End’s outdoor recreation.

Included are a full website redesign, enhanced social media content generation and new regional trail maps to be printed or distributed on or before Dec. 31, 2023.

Gunnison

ICELab, a multi-purpose business incubator on the campus of Western Colorado University in Gunnison, was awarded $12,000 to support the Outdoor Innovation Funding Summit, which will bring together industry founders along with investors for three days in Crested Butte.

The summit takes place in August, 2023.

Other grant winners

•Becket Academy, dba New Treks –  Denver, Colorado – $50,000 for environmental education, programming and a new mentorship program.

•Bicycle Colorado – Denver, Colorado – $35,000 to develop a statewide bike event marketing plan.

•City of Craig – Craig, Colorado – $100,000 to hire a full-time recreation and events coordinator.

•Epic Experience – Arvada, Colorado – $54,700 to support 2024 summer camp programs.

•La Plata Open Space Conservancy – Durango, Colorado –  $43,372 to expand an internship program in partnership with Fort Lewis College.

•The Wright – Denver, Colorado – $98,956 to support operational capacity related to The Wright Collegiate Challenge.

•University of Colorado-Denver – Denver, Colorado – $200,000 for the buildout of an engineering lab on campus.

•Valley First – Colorado City, Colorado – $100,000 to support the installation of a 77,000 square-foot synthetic turf athletic field.

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“The outdoor recreation industry is an important part of the Colorado experience and a vital contributor to our state economy by providing an unparalleled quality of life and good paying jobs. These grant recipients continue the work of the Polis Administration to grow a strong Colorado economy that works for everyone, including urban and rural communities. We’re excited to support these impactful projects across the state,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT’s Executive Director.

This was the third review period for the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant, which was made possible by funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) State Tourism Grant. The fourth, and final, round of winners are expected to be announced in November.

The information in this article comes from an OEDIT press release.