Update: Circular Economy Fund Awards $50,000 to Five Local Organizations (2025)

Update: Circular Economy Fund Awards $50,000 to Five Local Organizations (2025)

Boulder County’s Resource Conservation Division has awarded $50,000 in grants to five local organizations through the 2026 Circular Economy Fund. Recipients include projects focused on food waste reduction, textile reuse, construction material salvage, and community repair events.

Environmental review of the project area near SH-7 / Ute Highway found 8 sensitive species and 4 wetland areas requiring mitigation. The Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop a habitat conservation plan.

Boulder County has partnered with the cities of Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, and Louisville on this project. Combined investment across all jurisdictions totals $206,000, making it one of the largest collaborative efforts in the county’s history.

Eligibility

The Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience processed over 8,481 applications last year, with an average processing time of 19 business days. Staff are available at the Nederland office Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

A community information session will be held at the Nederland library on Monday, May 4 at 6:00 PM. Translation services in Spanish and Nepali will be available. The session will also be livestreamed on the Boulder County YouTube channel.

Background

Colorado state law requires all counties to provide these services to eligible residents. Boulder County exceeds minimum state requirements by offering expanded hours, multilingual support, and online access. In 2026, the county received a state award for excellence in service delivery.

The Board of County Commissioners will review progress on this initiative at their June 13 business meeting. Agenda items and supporting documents are posted on the Boulder County website 72 hours before each meeting.