Eagle River Fund Announces Final Pilot Award, Seeks Applications for its First Competitive Round

The Eagle River Fund (ERF) is thrilled to announce its inaugural competitive funding cycle opens Feb. 2 with applications due by 5 PM on February 27, 2026. The ERF was founded in 2024 to create a permanent source of match funding for projects and activities that support the long-term health of the Eagle River and the thriving center of our communities for generations to come.

The ERF is guided by recommendations from a working group of more than 40 members, and has raised $2.3 million toward its $5 million target. Lead donors Margie and Tom Gart structured the fund to begin funding projects while it continues to raise money.

The opening of this competitive grant opportunity marks a major milestone of the Eagle River Fund after supporting three successful pilot projects.

1. Eagle River Community Water Plan (2024) - This plan was initiated to develop proactive water management recommendations that anticipate changes to local hydrology and water demand, and the Appendix of Implementation Strategies resources serves as a "to do list" for the Fund.

2. Water wise Demonstration Garden (2024) - In collaboration with seven partner organizations, the Fund is supporting the design and installation of a water-wise demonstration garden at Riverwalk in Edwards that will cut water use by more than 80%.

3. Eagle River in Gypsum Study & Concept Planning (2025) - This award supports a Trout Unlimited-managed project with partners from the Town of Gypsum, Eagle River Coalition, and private residents. The project seeks to study a 1.6-mile stretch of the Lower Eagle River in Gypsum that is a popular angling reach and anticipated to be in need of habitat and temperature mitigation work.

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For this competitive grantmaking round, potential applicants are encouraged to discus project concepts with Melanie Smith, ERF Manager, prior to applying. Applications to the Eagle River Fund are available February 2 - until 5:00 PM Feburary 27, 2026, and will be submitted through the Western Colorado Community Foundation's grant portal.

Grants are anticipated to be made in the $5,000 - $15,000 and are intended to enable matching funds from other organizations and sources. Projects should be designed for completion within 12-18 months, must be submitted by an eligible entity, and applicants must reference the issue or project this work addresses within the Eagle River Community Water Plan or other published plans. If possible, the submission should be referenced in the list of Community Water Plan Implementation Strategies/Appendix P.

More information about the competitive grant opportunity can be found here: https://www.eagleriverfund.org/grant-process