CPRA Foundation Awards Tree and Garden Grants

The Colorado Parks & Recreation Association (CPRA) Foundation today announced that it has awarded nearly $10,000 in grants to 21 Colorado organizations to support tree planting and community garden projects. 

Grantees, representing communities across the state, will use the funds to launch or support existing projects focused on such efforts as community beautification, local food production in disadvantaged communities and obesity prevention.

“The tree and community garden grants are intended to help promote and preserve the beauty of Colorado by supporting local community programs,” said John Barnholt, chairman of the CPRA Foundation Board of Directors. “This year, the CPRA Foundation received an unprecedented number of applications, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to support so many worthy projects.”


Because grantees are required to seek matching funds, and many secured funding in excess of the requirement, the grant program will inject more than $66,000 into Colorado parks, communities and open space areas.

Organizations that received grants to support tree planting projects include:

• City of Woodland Park Parks & Recreation, Woodland Park – $500 
• Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District, Idaho Springs – $500 
• Foothills Parks & Recreation Dist, Littleton – $200 
• LiveWell Chaffee County, Salida – $500 
• National Sports Center for the Disabled, Winter Park – $500 
• Prospect Recreation & Park District, Wheat Ridge – $478 
• Roaring Fork Transit Authority, Carbondale – $500 
• Rose Roots Community Garden, Arvada – $500 
• Town of Breckenridge, Breckenridge – $500 
• Town of Kersey, Kersey – $500 
• Yampa Valley Sustainability Council, Steamboat Springs – $500 

Organizations that received grants to support community garden projects include:

• Alamosa Community Gardens, Alamosa – $500 
• Aspen Pointe Enterprises, Colorado Springs – $500 
• Butterfly Hope, Denver – $500 
• Community Enterprise/Los Valientes Community Garden, Commerce City – $500 
• High Country Conservation Center, Frisco – $500 
• Lake City Community Garden Group, Lake City – $500 
• Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation, Fort Collins – $500 
• Widefield Community Center, Colorado Springs – $500 
• Taxi Community Garden, Denver – $310 
• Town of Palisade, Palisade – $500 

The tree planting grant program began in 1983 and has awarded more than $80,000 to tree planting projects all over Colorado. The community garden grant program began in 2011 and awards funds for garden projects across Colorado. Both grant programs provide 50/50 matching funds for community tree planting or community garden projects that may not qualify for other assistance. The grant programs are provided with support from the Colorado Garden Show, Inc., and Leanin’ Tree, Inc.