EcoAction Partners, a regional nonprofit that coordinates climate‑and‑sustainability programs in the Telluride—Ridgway corridor, presented a 2025 program update and asked Ouray County commissioners on Sept. 24 to approve a $12,040 contribution for 2026.

Executive Director Emma (last name not given in the presentation materials) and Climate Action Development Director Siobhan described EcoAction’s 2025 work: student climate literacy programs that reached nearly 1,000 students in the year to date, community outreach to 3,100 residents, an affordable residential energy program for households at or below 80% area median income, a regional green‑grant program, energy workforce development, and coordination of the Snӧffels Energy Board — a 10‑government regional collaborative EcoAction facilitates.

EcoAction said the 2026 request differs from prior years because the regional Energy Board adopted a transparent four‑factor allocation formula (population, property valuation, greenhouse‑gas emissions and government budget) to apportion regional funding needs equitably across jurisdictions. EcoAction said the requested increase would fund greater staff presence and program delivery in Ouray County, including building‑energy assistance, EV charging coordination and outreach tied to local building-code updates.

Commissioners thanked EcoAction for regional collaboration and asked for the slide deck and fuller funding proposal; Commissioner Jake Kurzweil asked EcoAction to provide metrics that would let the county track outcomes tied to funding (for example, evidence‑tech staffing metrics for the DA were cited during the meeting as an example of helpful performance measures). Commissioners flagged tough fiscal constraints and said they may not be able to fully meet the formula request in 2026, but expressed support for the organization’s work and for developing a multi‑year approach to funding the regional programs.

Ending

EcoAction said the additional funds would be used to increase staff time physically in Ouray County and to expand programs such as weatherization, energy‑efficiency grants and workforce training. EcoAction will provide the slide deck and the detailed funding request to the county, and commissioners said they would take the proposal into budget deliberations.