By Shannon Lukens. File/Courtesy photo.

 

Yampa Valley Housing Authority is receiving $73,000 from a statewide Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant. It will be used on two trash and recycling enclosures at an apartment complex and a mobile home park in Steamboat Springs to fortify areas of highest bear conflict there. Close to $1 million in grant money was awarded statewide.

 

Press Release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Aug. 27, 2025.

Gov. Polis & CPW Announce 2025 Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Grant Recipients, Keeping Colorado Communities Safe and Protecting Wildlife

August 27, 2025

DENVER – Today, Governor Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced the 2025 funding recipients of the Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant, which will distribute $999,837 to 22 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.

“Our quality of life, plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities, and jaw-dropping landscapes attract both families and animals to our state. That’s why these common-sense and proven risk reduction  strategies are so important. Through these smart investments, we can ensure that Coloradans can continue to live safely across our state, along with the animals, like bears, that call our beautiful state home,” 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.

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. CPW received 42 applications this year, up nearly 50% from last year, requesting $2.7 million in funding.

“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.”

In 2025, 14 proposals received the full amount of requested funding and eight proposals received partial funding:

Colorado Springs Parks and Rec, Bear-Resistant Cans in Public Spaces – $110,000 awarded
Bear-resistant trash receptacles will be installed throughout open space properties managed by the City of Colorado Springs.

Beulah Fire, Residential Trash Carts – $88,000 awarded
Building on a previous grant, Beulah Fire Protection District will continue to work in its service area to provide bear-resistant residential trash cans in areas of conflict and provide education and outreach.

Yampa Valley Housing Authority, Dumpster Enclosure – $73,000 awarded
Two trash and recycling enclosures will be constructed at an apartment complex and a mobile home park in Steamboat Springs to fortify areas of highest conflict at these highly trafficked areas.

Ute Condos – Aspen, Trash Enclosure – $68,000 awarded
A trash and recycling enclosure will be constructed at this condo complex, which is located in an area with frequent bear conflicts in Pitkin County.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Colorado Springs, Upgrade to Recycling and Trash Bins – $31,000 awarded
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will use this funding to replace its recycling bins with bear-resistant models and upgrade its well-worn trash bins.

Continental North HOA – Larimer County, Residential Carts Plus Materials – $29,000 awarded
This HOA in Larimer County will replace the residential trash receptacles for all houses within the association with bear-resistant trash carts, with the goal of reducing attractants.

Town of Alma, Bear-Resistant Cans in Public Spaces – $26,000 awarded
The Town of Alma will update the trash cans on Main Street with bear-resistant trash cans to better protect residents and visitors from bear conflicts.

City of Woodland Park, Bear-Resistant Cans in Public Spaces – $24,000 awarded
The City of Woodland Park is going to install approximately 15 bear-resistant trash receptacles throughout all city-owned parks and along the downtown Main Street corridor (Hwy 24).

Holland Hills Townhomes, Trash Enclosure – $22,000 awarded
This townhome community in unincorporated Pitkin County will construct a trash enclosure to fortify the storage area and prevent bears from accessing it.

Silverton Building and Code Enforcement – $21,000 awarded
The Town of Silverton will use this funding to help cover the costs of an enforcement officer in an effort to educate and enforce newly adopted town ordinances.

Mountain Air Ranch Resort – Littleton, Trash Enclosures – $17,000 awarded
More secure trash receptacles will be installed at the resort to better deter bears from accessing trash and recycling.

Davis Ranch HOA – Larimer County, Trash and Recycle Station – $16,000 awarded
This HOA in Larimer County is taking steps to secure the storage of trash and recycling at its community sorting station.

Redstone Water and Sanitation, Trash Station – $9,000 awarded
The Town of Redstone is working to find a more rugged storage solution for their community trash sorting station, which is used by much of the community.

Mountain Shadows Montessori, Bear-Proofing School – $7,000 awarded
This school, located in an urban setting that is also located in prime bear habitat, will use grant funds to bear-proof their school grounds and expand their education efforts around wildlife conflict prevention.

Larimer County Open Space, Bear-Resistant Can in Public Spaces – $30,000 awarded
Larimer County will install bear-resistant trash cans in open spaces they manage in areas of potential bear conflict.

Town of Keystone, Residential Trash Carts and Enclosures – $40,000 awarded
The Town of Keystone will utilize this funding to help begin implementation of its newly passed trash ordinance. They will use the funds to purchase bear-resistant trash cans and to help fund trash enclosures.

Eagle Police Department, Bear-Resistant Can in Public Spaces – $39,000 awarded
With a newly approved town ordinance, the Eagle Police Department is looking to upgrade public trash receptacles to comply with the ordinance. This grant will refurbish some cans while replacing others in the town limits.

Black Mountain Waste – Mesa County, Residential Trash Carts – $60,000 awarded
This rural trash hauler servicing Mesa County will use this award to purchase residential bear-resistant trash carts for its customers.

City of Glenwood Springs, Reimbursement Program – $58,000 awarded
The City of Glenwood Springs will offer a reimbursement program to residents seeking to upgrade their trash receptacles to bear-resistant versions. They will also make some funding available to commercial facilities.

Good Food Collective – Mancos, School and Residential Trash Cans – $44,000 awarded
This non-profit organization will work within its community to provide bear-resistant trash cans to locations in Mancos, CO, in hopes of reducing bear interactions.

Arapahoe Valley Ranch – Granby, Food Storage Lockers and Enclosures – $85,000 awarded
This campground facility, surrounded by National Forest, is working to reduce attractants by offering storage lockers and trash enclosures at the facility, while working to educate visitors of best practices to reduce bear conflicts.

Eagle County, School Building Bear-Resistant Trash – $103,000 awarded
Eagle County Open Space and Natural Resources will lead the effort to install bear-resistant trash cans at 21 public school facilities between Vail and Gypsum and lead education efforts.

Live BearWise®. Keep bears wild.
As a member of BearWise, CPW encourages everyone to share BearWise information with their neighbors and communities to help prevent conflicts with bears. CPW asks all residents and visitors to help save Colorado’s bears by being actively bear prepared throughout the year. Human-bear conflicts are most often traced back to human behavior. Living BearWise is the most effective way to prevent human-caused conflicts with bears.

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

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