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County awards grants to YouthZone and Colorado Watershed Council for youth diversion and watershed projects
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved County general-fund grants to YouthZone’s youth diversion program and the Middle Colorado/Bridal watershed council to support diversion services and watershed projects in Garfield County.
Garfield County commissioners on Jan. 20 approved nonprofit general-fund grants for community programs: $66,825 to YouthZone (youth diversion and prevention services) and $14,850 to the Middle Colorado/Bridal Watershed Council to support watershed planning and local projects.
Youth diversion funding: YouthZone’s director described program reach — roughly 350 unique youth served — and outcomes the nonprofit tracks, including reduced recidivism (a 93% non‑reoffense rate reported by staff), increases in school/community engagement and substance-refusal skills among participants. YouthZone said it invests in staff certification and training (certified addiction technician/specialist) and is exploring Medicaid-eligible services and fee-for-service contracts to diversify revenue. The BOCC approved county nonprofit funding and increased the grant from the requested $60,750 to $66,825, citing the program’s regional benefit and outcomes.
Watershed funding: The Board approved $14,850 for the Bridal (Middle Colorado) Watershed Council to continue wildfire-collaborative planning, Rifle Creek restoration planning, Roan Creek watershed work with the Bureau of Land Management, and outreach on gravel-pit reclamation and fluvial-hazard mapping. The council said it’s pursuing several grants and expected to hire a part-time coordinator if awarded certain grants; the county grant was described as capacity funding to allow further planning and stakeholder outreach.
Why it matters: The grants support prevention and community resilience: Youth diversion programs aim to reduce juvenile justice involvement while watershed work supports wildfire mitigation, stream restoration and infrastructure planning in the Middle Colorado reach of the county.
Outcome and next steps: County staff will process grant agreements and award funds. YouthZone and the watershed council will continue grant-seeking and project planning and report progress per the county’s grant-management process.
Ending: Commissioners praised both applicants; the grants were approved and the BOCC asked for regular reporting on use of funds.
