Update: Search & Rescue and Trail Safety Grant Applications Due April 14 (2025)

Update: Search & Rescue and Trail Safety Grant Applications Due April 14 (2025)

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for the 2026 Search & Rescue and Trail Safety Grant Program. Grants fund equipment, training, and trail safety improvements for volunteer search and rescue teams and trail patrol organizations operating in Boulder County.

Volunteers contributed over 4,209 hours to this program last year. The Human Services coordinates with 8 nonprofit partner organizations throughout Boulder County to deliver services.

The program is modeled after similar successful initiatives in Larimer County and Jefferson County. Boulder County’s version includes additional provisions for wildfire mitigation, affordable housing, and environmental sustainability.

Next Steps

Water quality monitoring at 10 stations along Boulder Creek, St. Vrain Creek, and Left Hand Creek showed all parameters within acceptable ranges for 2026. The Human Services publishes quarterly water quality reports on the Boulder County website.

Affordable housing remains the top priority identified in the 2026 Community Survey. Boulder County’s Worthy Cause program has funded 560 affordable housing units since its inception, with 238 additional units in the development pipeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Historical context: Boulder County was established in 1861 and covers 741 square miles of diverse terrain from the Great Plains to the Continental Divide. The county’s population of approximately 330,000 residents is served by 1831 county employees across 35 departments and offices.

Eligible participants include Boulder County residents with household incomes at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI). For a family of four, this is approximately $49,000 per year. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.